Projects

Barr Creek Imprint Pond     Barr Creek Restoration    Troublesome Creek    Brookside Creek     N. Fork Skykomish Salmon Carcass Distribution

The chapter is continuing our work up at Barr creek.  We welcome your help, to get involved please contact Chris Tompkins and help us make this a successful project. 

Contact Chris at ctompkins84@hotmail.com

Update on Barr/Kissee Creek Project

2-25-08

The chapter board has decided to go ahead this summer and do a little repair on our log placement project on Barr Creek.  We are going to be re-aligning some of the logs back into the creek that had swiveled around in the flood of December 3^rd.  We will also need to sink more Manta ray anchors in to hold the logs better this time so that they don’t swivel again.  We will use 3 anchors per log and this will help hold our wood in the event of another big flood.  This work will require an extension of our HPA permit and so there is some work to be done ahead of the work this summer.  I will be meeting with the WDFW district biologist to go over our plans and get the permits needed.  I would also anticipate that we will have the need to do some more planting later in the fall.  We hope to do this work in a weekend and make as little disturbance to the area as possible.  Larry Johnson has offered again to run the heavy equipment and help get us underway. I will need about 10 volunteers to do the hard work of jack hammering in the Manta anchors. I hope we can get some able bodied folks out there this summer to do this.  The recently planted trees are still looking good and the stream as a whole is doing fine.  The floods have left their mark but the stream bed seems to be scouring out new holes all around the wood that is left in the creek bed.  I think there are only going to be about 6 logs that will need re-aligning and a few others that will be anchored better as well. The chapter is going to be spending some money to do this, but we feel it is worth it to make the project as intended and will greatly add value.

I was recently up at Barr creek and stopped in to talk to Dick Barr (the owner of the property).  There were about 6 bald eagles across the river on the sand bar as we talked.  Dick is supportive of our work and has no problem with our continued work on the site, he mentioned that this years Coho return was one of the better ones over the years, possibly due to some of the better habitat that we have created.  If you’re interested in helping in this project I welcome you to contact me, we need your commitment too.  I can be reached at ctompkins84@hotmail.com, I will try to keep our web site (www.northshoretu.org) updated with recent photos so be sure to check it out also.  Thanks for your support and membership.

Chris Tompkins

Here are some recent pics of the area

Update 12/25/2007

Our project this year at Barr Creek was a big success.  The chapter, with matching funds from Trout Unlimited’s Embrace a Stream grant, undertook a large piece of stream for restoration.  Our work clearing blackberries, placing large wood, and re-planting of native trees and vegetation has created a fish friendly area that we can all be proud of. I’m sure your wondering how our project was impacted by the big storm of Dec07. The storm that dumped over 10 inches of rain on Barr and Kissee creek this December delivered a hit to the project.  The waters of Barr creek scoured the restoration zone, and transformed the landscape.  Most of the wood we placed is still in the creek and was holding strong with the Manta Anchors.  We did lose 2 logs, and many had changed position.  The water flow was intense; the water was almost flowing over the Ben Howard Road.  Mr. Barr lost a small foot bridge that in near his house upstream from our project area, he was very lucky that he was not seriously hurt when the bridge collapsed as he tried to clear the debris on the bridge.  The collapse of the bridge caused Dick Barr (74 years old) to take a brief dunk into the raging creek, but Dick is very strong and was able to get out unharmed, although he says he may have cracked a rib.  We did not lose many trees in the flood, and the creek survived fairly well.  On December 15^th several chapter members met and worked to straighten and free the downed trees, and remove debris from the branches so they will be able to grow this winter. We also needed to transplant some of our shore pines to sunnier locations up in the grassy area to the east.  Special thanks goes out to Ed Schein, Andy Towell, Larry Johnson, Harry Dunham, Eric Christensen and Mark Taylor for their help at the creek after the flood. There are some great photos on our web site of the project so be sure to check it out, we are updating it regularly now and its fun to see (www.northshoretu.org).  I am planning to have another tree planting this spring (April), there is still a lot we can do to improve this stream, and the plantings will be an ongoing thing that the chapter will do to help.  I welcome your help, please volunteer.  Thanks to those members that helped at Barr creek this summer and fall, you guys are making a difference.

Chris Tompkins

Big Coho in Barr Creek 12-8-07

Barr Creek Project

11-20-07 update

On Friday November 16th and Saturday the 17th, 2007, chapter members and students from the Edmonds Community college Ecology class, Boys Scouts and other volunteers planted 330 potted plants and 700 live stakes at the site at Barr and Kissee creeks.  The weather was quite "wet" as a series of Pacific fronts drenched us.  The soil was good though and it went very well, it was hard work but everyone seemed to have a good time and feel good about helping to "put back" into these 2 productive salmon streams.  It was really neat to see that while we were working a pod of Coho was moving up stream in Kissee Creek. I could hear the splashing and upon investigation I saw several nice sized Coho in spawning colors moving through the reed grass flats above the ponds. The creek was rising with the rains and fish were making their move upriver, very cool!

23706 Ben Howard Rd, Monroe, WA 98272 Map

please park near the Barn on the Barr property.

11-9-07

getting ready to plant 330 potted trees and shrubs and 700 live stakes

Here is the list of our stuff

10-6-07 update

I got a call on October 4th 2007, from TU member Larry Johnson to get up to Barr Creek quick.  There were Pink Salmon spawning all over the place.  I went up to the farm, excited to see for myself what all the commotion was about.  I counted 14 pinks spawning in Barr creek proper, Kissee creek was still dry.  The recent rains had moved the fish into the creek from the Skykomish river, it was a thrilling sight to see.  Many of the fish were hanging out near the newly placed logs, using the cover to avoid detection, the wood is working well so far. Here are some photos of the fish.

Pink Salmon hiding under the newly placed logs.

This fish was in typical color for the fall spawning.

The big bucks have the characteristic "hump", thus the nickname "humpies".

Two Pink Salmon dig gravel in Barr Creek to lay their eggs and sperm.

Coming to an end, the Salmon cycle is almost complete.

The spawning cycle is at times interrupted by predators such at fox, coyote, bear and raccoons. Food for all!

The trees from last years planting are doing really well.

9-29-07

My wife Susan and I worked for about 4 hours filling holes and doing a little digging around our logs in preparation for the fall rains. We also spread more grass seed and covered exposed areas with straw.  We saw a lot of small salmon (1-2 inches) swimming in the pools of the creek  There were a few dear in the field and a heron.  We walked down to the mouth of Barr creek and the pool was full of spawning pink salmon, it was a good run this year and they were everywhere. Fall is a great time of year and our little stream project is looking really nice.  The trees that we planted last fall are really growing well, we had good moisture this summer and the plants survived the summer quite well.  Many of the trees were up to 10 ft tall already and are starting to shade out the Canary reed grass (yea).

Chris

9-15-07

Work party 9-15-07:  a small group of devoted fish conservationist spent a long day working on anchoring our logs to the ground.  Larry, Ryan, Bill, Eric, Dave, Chris, and Kris made the day go well with their commitment to our project.  We used a jackhammer to pound in the Manta anchors (http://www.pileking.com/services-manta-ray-earth-anchors.htm) to a depth of 8 ft.  The manta anchors are used to create a tie point for our logs so that they don't wash out in floods.  After putting the anchors in the ground we used galvanized cable to tie the logs in and secure them.  We drilled the logs for the cable, this helps better secure the logs and keeps the cable out of sight.  We used a small excavator to help us retrieve the metal pole from the ground after pounding the mantas in.  We will be having a planting work party later in November.  We will be planting trees such as Alder, Cottonwood, Willow, Cedar, Fir and Redwood. We need your help, please volunteer your time to help put back into Barr creek.

Larry and Kris drill a log for cable

Bill Hammers the Manta anchor with the Jack hammer

This is a tough job, good going guys!

This photo shows how we fasten the cable to the logs, drilling the log and running cable through is the best solution.

2006 logs on the far bank, 2007 logs on the near bank.  The complex arrangements will provide structure for the fish.

This big Cedar tree will last for many years in the creek.

These logs go back into the bank about 10 ft, the cable will help hold it in high water.

Starting to look like a mini forest, plantings from 2006 (9-29-07)

One year old cottonwood

Small Salmon Observed 9-29-07

8-20-07

Our project reached another milestone this week with the successful placement of 15 pieces of large wood into Barr and Kissee creeks.  We found some great wood for our project this year thanks to Dave Steiner.  Our wood came from a farm in Arlington Washington that had received logs that were washed in from last years floods.  We were very fortunate to be able to use this wood free of charge, wood like this is valuable and hard to find.  The chapter paid to have it moved down to our site, but what we got was very nice and will last for a long time.  Most of the wood was Cedar and hemlock, and had good girth (15-30 inches diameter) and we had many pieces that had root wads which is a real challenge to find on these days.  Larry Johnson, Trout Unlimited volunteer, was instrumental in getting the job done right. Larry did the loading and cutting of the wood for transport as well as the log placement (Larry has years of experience in using heavy equipment, and is also a avid fisherman).   Larry's brother in law, Loren ,was also a huge help with the trucking and equipment preparation.  I would like to say thanks again to these two guys for there help and support, they are a true inspiration to me.  Without their help and expertise we could not have completed this project.  This years project was partially supported by a matching grant from Trout Unlimited's Embrace a Stream Grant.  We are very grateful for the support we have received from TU as well as from all the people that have donated time and money to help the fish at Barr creek.  Thank you!

Here are a few photos of the recent work this August..

Larry cutting logs

One bin full and ready to truck to Barr creek

Here comes a biggie log to play with.

Big logs with root wads are tough to find, these are great materials for stream projects

Time to lay some logs in Kissee Creek upper pond.

Raptor Roost (non fish habitat improvment)

Work begins placing wood on the west bank of Barr creek

Cleared the blackberries and look what we find, Barr Creek

Log placment

We will be working over the next month (September) to anchor the logs with the Manta anchors. Later in October we will be replanting the area with native trees and shrubs and also working to keep the invasive plants in check. 

6-14-07 This summer we are going to be starting restoration of Barr and Kissee creek along the south banks.  Our chapter has received a $6000 grant from the Trout Unlimited Embrace a Stream Grant funds for 2007. We are excited to get going on the project this summer.  We will be doing more invasive plant control (blackberry removal) large wood placement and re-planting the riparian zones.  The work will enhance Salmon and Steelhead habitat. This work will supplement our work last year and finish a large section of stream bank.  Both creeks are viable and healthy with fish, on my last visit up there this month there were many fish to be seen. They are only Parr and very small (1 inch) so you have to look carefully.  I think that the floods last winter actually put a lot of fish up into the small streams and there was a lot of spawning. Our trees are doing well, we had very good survival over the winter. we lost 3 trees due to beavers but that was all. Our partner in the project, The Stilly-Sno task force http://www.stillysnofish.org/what_we_do/about.html

 has helped maintain the area.  They sent a CCA crew into the site for 2 days, whacking the blackberries and cutting Canary reed grass with weed eaters. It looks great up there   The project this year will need your help.  We will be planning a work party later in the fall  to put in our plants, likely in October. Details will be firmed up later this summer. 

Here are some pictures from this May 2007,  you can see some of the area on the south bank of Barr Creek that Bank Savers cleared of blackberries this spring.  This area will be our major focus this year.

The south bank is on the right, it was all Blackberries prior to this spring.

Jason (Stilly-Sno Task force) inspects some of the cable holding our logs in place

Back Channel of the Skykomish River along our restoration site.  This bank was previously all Blackberries, they were removed in summer of 2006. Its looking very nice now, we will be maintaining the area to prevent re-growth and make sure our trees grow well.

Barr Creek with planted trees in foreground.

Lower pond on Kissee Creek.

The trees will need the Canary Reed grass to be kept in check, careful weed-eating is the way to go.

Mom and Moose visit the site, spring 2007.  All Thumbs up!

Update

Addition of Large Wood Debris: 

12\2006 Barr Creek Update:

Its planted and doing very well! The floods of November 2006 gave us a real test up at Barr creek. I’m happy to report that the woody debris that we installed this summer held very well. The manta anchors, cable and wood took a big hit from record flows and held true. Some of the pieces shifted (as would be expected) but they mostly stayed put and carved out nice little holes along the logs. On November 17th we took on the job of planting the Barr creek restoration site with over 2700 trees, shrubs and stakes. Our partner on the project (The Stilly Snohomish Task Force) was a great help and helped to really pull off a big project in great time. The Task force rounded up over 100 people to help our members get the plants into the soil in about 4 hours. Cara and Jeff organized the planting, and a lot of the work. The task force purchased the plants for us, had them transported to the site, arranged them in locations and spaced accordingly. They brought out over 150 shovels, many other tools, coffee, hot chocolate, fruit, and a lot of enthusiasm. Our chapter provided the muffins, bagels and cream cheese and Chris’s special smoked summer steelhead. The day was perfect, sunny and cool. .There was also lots of Chum Salmon in the creek when the work began. We had a lot of kids come and help, they were amazed at the big brute Chums that were thrashing around the logs that we had placed. The digging was tough as the flood had scoured the area of a lot of the topsoil, but everyone made the best of it. Everyone seemed to have some fun and got well fed too. I had to go back following he windstorm in December and replant a number of large trees that had blown over before they could root. The area looks great though and is doing well. We are going to have a few work parties this spring to maintain the area of invasive plants; this is an important aspect of stream restoration that often goes ignored. It takes a lot of commitment to do these projects so I hope we can get your help at our next work party. In fall of 2004 the Chapter installed 7 large pieces of wood to Barr Creek near the confluence with Kissey Creek.  The added structures were designed to create cover and bank stability to the creek.  The wood was trenched into the banks and held in place with deep seated Manta Anchors systems.  The area was replanted with willow and cottonwood trees.  We continued plantings in the area in spring of 2005 and 2006.  The chapter is now looking to expand our work at Barr and Kissey  creeks.  We are going to be removing invasive blackberries and Canary reed grass that is along the ponds and wetlands.  The Canary reed grass has made it difficult to reestablish trees along the ponds and by removing it we can gain ground on getting the trees to grow.  The area is rich with fish, this is great opportunity to enhance a highly valuable resource.  We are grateful to Mr. Dick Barr for allowing us to work on his land.  This work will greatly benefit fish and wildlife in the area.  The project will encompass approximately 15 acres, a large size of land indeed.  Because of the large scope of this next project we are going to be partnering the project with the Stilly-Sno Conservation Group http://www.stillysnofish.org/.  Dave Steiner, project manager with the Stilly-Sno group is excited to help us plan and implement the project, together we will make the project a reality.  We are going to need lots of volunteer help with the project, so step up and help us!  Planning sessions will be held at our regular board meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at the American Legion Hall in Bothell.  This is going to be a great project!  For further info contact Chris Tompkins at ctompkins84@hotmail.com.

2006, Barr creek with new wood placement (prior to floods)

Dave Steiner and Chris Tompkins watch Larry on the track hoe

Chris, Steve and Ryan working to drive in the Manta Anchors 2006

Chum Salmon resting under the newly placed logs

After the floods had passed we planted the area with lots of trees

The new Barr Creek Nov. 2006

Longtime Northshore member Dee Norton

Planting live stakes, go get um girls!

Spring 2006 tree planting

Confluence of Barr and Kissee Creek (spring 2006 plantings in foreground)

Barr Creek spring 2006, Logs installed in 1998

Kissey Creek as it leaves the Barr Ponds spring 2006

Upper ponds ( all the grasses here are invasive Canary Reed grass) spring 2006

Tree Planting 2006

Fall work party 2006

Tree Planting 2006

Photos by Andy Towell (www.troutstreaming.com),

Dick Tompkins, and Chris Tompkins

Barr Creek Rehabilitation:

Tree Planting Update (5/2/05):
A special thanks to the brave Northshore members that endured the steady cold rain on Saturday March 26 to plant over 300 cottonwood and willow
saplings at Barr and Kissey creek. The effort was part of the chapters restoration project that we started this last fall. We were fortunate to
have the trees donated by the Snohomish Conservation District. The stream was doing well, it was good to see our woody debris was still holding well
after a big high water event this winter. The flooding covered our wood by about 12 feet, the anchors did there job quite well. The trees will provide
additional shade for the streams and will help prevent bank erosion also. While planting the trees I came upon a genuine Steelhead Redd in Barr Creek.
That was really great news, Dick Barr the property owner also mentioned that he had seen 3 adult Steelhead in the creek this year. This project is
showing some fruit of our hard work over the years.

Barr Creek Project 20 Year Anniversary

A History of the Barr Creek Projects

Excerpted from the Northshore Newletter

1996 marks the 20 year anniversary for the Northshore Chapter's Barr Creek imprinting pond project. Early in April we will receive approximately 25,000 steelhead smolts, as we have for the last nineteen years. We will feed these fish for 3 to 4 weeks and then release them into the Skykomish River. It is our hope and the project's goal that two years from now, when the returning adult steelhead ascend the river, they will gather off the mouth of Barr Creek or hold in the lower river reaches. If they do, it will improve the angler opportunity in that area.

Our fish come to us from the hatchery at Reiter Ponds. Hatched from eggs taken from returning hatchery females and fertilized by returning hatchery males, these fish are selected and bred for their early return timing so that they remain genetically distinct from late returning native steelhead. The smolts are transported by truck to our facility at Barr Creek. Some of the young steelhead will have begun to smolt as early as February and all of them will have smolted by April. Data used by the Department of Fish and Wildlife indicate that imprinting can take place in as little as 2 weeks. We hold the smolts back and release them with the new moon. This strategy is designed to cause them to hurry out of the watershed. This minimizes the impact on the river of a combined hatchery release of a hundred thousand or more hungry smolts.

The Barr Creek imprinting facility consists of a concrete dam constructed across the creek in a place that creates a pond. Every year in late March Northshore Chapter members meet to prepare the pond for the arrival of the smolts. Boards are placed across the dam's spillway to raise the water level in the pond. Automatic feeder stations are set up and heavy monofilament nylon line is strung across the pond to create a barrier to flying predators. After the fish are delivered volunteers check the pond and fill the feeders every other day. When the new moon arrives the boards and screens are removed from the spillways and with the rush of water draining from the pond the fish begin their downstream migration.

The project was first conceived in 1973 when the Department of Wildlife asked our chapter if we would be interested in imprinting some steelhead on the lower river. Fishing had dropped off in the Skykomish River and the club was looking for a project. The Barr Creek imprinting project was a wonderful idea that could even improve the fishing. Our chapter began to evaluate streams between Sultan and Monroe. Barr Creek was chosen as the likely site because it was located within the area specified by the Department of Wildlife and because we had the cooperation of landowner Dick Barr. Stream surveys were conducted over the next two years at seasonal intervals to determine the possible existence of native fish. The Department of Wildlife was concerned that the project might interfere with natural production on the creek. The surveys indicated that no fish were present so the location was approved.

While the Department of Wildlife took care of the permit process, chapter members set about designing a dam. The original dam was located in the same spot as is presently in use. It was constructed of sandbags, two deep, laid across the stream and stacked about three feet high. Local farmers donated burlap bags and our chapter had a sandbag-filling party at the Hoco Pit in Sultan. Northshore Chapter members hauled the bags in pickup trucks to Barr Creek where they constructed the dam.

During the first night the water level rising behind the dam caused it to fail. Sand bags were strewn far downstream and club members arriving the next day were surprised to find their efforts wasted. But determination won the day as members reorganized and rebuilt the dam. This time the sandbags were placed two deep but oriented so that their length was parallel to the stream. This made the dam considerably wider and more stable. This time the dam held and the first steelhead smolts were delivered on schedule, early in April 1976.

A single feeder controlled by a timer was built and placed at Barr Creek that first year. Members had quite a job trying to calibrate the timer to release the correct amount of feed daily. It took several days of experimentation to get it right. That first year, despite the setbacks, turned out to be a great success and club members rallied around the project.

One of the drawbacks of the sandbag construction was that the bags had to be emptied and refilled every year. After two years of filling sandbags, members decided to design and build a permanent structure. A concrete dam was built and things looked considerably easier. Unfortunately, after one year a flood washed out the south end of the dam and half of the structure collapsed. Members again rallied and modifications were made that left the dam as it is today. A second feeder station was added at that time. Having weathered some major floods without further damage, it looks as if we finally have a design that will last. The project has operated smoothly since with over half a million steelhead smolts imprinted to date.

Over the years the Barr Creek Project has brought our Chapter recognition and respect within the community and on a state level. We have been recipients of a number of awards including the 1979 Steelhead Trout Award for overall outstanding chapter and the 1980 Silver Trout award for chapter project of the year, both presented by the Northwest Steelhead and Salmon Council. But more important than that, many Northshore Chapter members have had the satisfaction that comes with hands-on participation in fisheries enhancement projects. Being involved is a rewarding experience and the Barr Creek project has served as a focal point for our membership.

In 1994 we conducted a snorkel survey on Barr Creek and identified steelhead and Coho salmon fingerlings. The discovery generated renewed interest in Barr Creek because it demonstrated the existence of natural production where there had been none. Members have seen adult steelhead spawning in the creek for a number of years. Walt Rose, president of the chapter at the inception of the Barr Creek project, is convinced that these spawners are descendants of fish imprinted at our facility.

In March of 1995 club members walked Barr Creek and identified productive habitat. We videotaped the stream and mad a detailed map. We have had a number of fisheries' biologists look at the stream and they agree that there is untapped potential for natural production of steelhead. We are hopeful that we can develop a project that would tap that potential by enhancing the natural characteristics of the stream. Efforts are underway to develop a specific proposal to present to the land owners for there approval.

Monroe resident Dick Barr operates the farm on which our imprinting pond is located. I visited Dick at his farm recently and listened as he described the huge runs of salmon that used to run up Barr Creek years ago. "It's not like it was before," he told me. I shared his disappointment. Dick would like to see the salmon return as would all of us. He even said he might start fishing the Skykomish River again if they did.

Thanks to cooperative land owners like Dick Barr, we have projects like our imprinting pond. Over the years hundreds of Northshore members have volunteered thousands of hours to maintain and operate the facility. It has been a worthwhile and rewarding endeavor benefiting many sport fishers on the lower Skykomish River. Many thanks to all those who have participated over the years and helped to make the Barr Creek imprinting project a huge success.

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Troublesome Creek

In September of 1999 Northshore Chapter and the Boy Scouts of America in conjunction with the US Forest Service had a multi-weekend work party at Troublesome Creek  - a North Fork of the Skykomish tributary. Numerous in stream structures were installed, spawning gravel was placed in the streambed, bank support structures were added, and cover structure was also placed. The lower section of Troublesome Creek is utilized by adult Coho Salmon for spawning, provides shelter during times of high water, and provides excellent overwintering habitat for Coho and Steelhead smolts. It should be interesting to see how the added structure and gravel effect the health of this system over the next few years.

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Brookside Creek

Northshore's latest project is Brookside Creek, a. Lake Washington tributary. Northshore Chapter was contacted in the Fall of 1999 by the Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation to help provide advice and testimony at a development hearing. In addition to helping on the development front, a walk of the creek revealed several impediments to fish migration and Northshore and the Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation are working on obtaining land owner permission and permits to allow the removal of these problem structures.

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North Fork Skykomish Salmon Carcass Distribution

Salmon Carcass Project 2006-2007

We were dealt a terrible blow to our project this year.  The road that we used to access the three tributaries of the N.F. Skykomish river had been washed away during the floods of November 2006.  The Index-Gallena road is still closed and there are estimates that it may take 3 years to rebuild this road due to the extensive damage, there are 6 major wash out sites above the town of Index. The Index-Galena Road, washed out by the Skykomish River, will cost about $12 million to replace, according to preliminary state estimates. Luckily I found out about the wash out prior to heading up there with 3-4 truckloads of fish.  I am currently seeking out new areas of the upper Skykomish drainage where we could find benefit to start a new carcass project for next year. I will be submitting a new application with the WDFW to permit our new carcass project at new drop off locations.  Its sad that we will have to shift away from Troublesome, Trout and Lost Creeks nutrient enhancement, I have felt that we were starting to see some results, and this year we had more people interested in helping out on this project.  I will keep you posted, lets hope next year we have better luck.

In 2003, the Northshore Chapter (#220) initiated a salmon carcass distribution project in conjunction with the WDFW. The project goal is to enhance three tributaries (Trout Creek, Lost Creek, and Troublesome Creek) of the NF Skykomish with salmon carcasses for added nutrients. Historically, adult salmon returned on their own and completed the life cycle by reproducing and dying in the same stream where they were born. Now, with fewer adult salmon returning to their native streams, most Pacific Northwest streams do not have the nutrients needed to sustain juvenile salmonids. Fish carcass distribution programs help reintroduce some of those essential nutrients back into the food web. The enrichment project is intended to bolster ocean-derived nutrients in areas of the basin with adult salmon. Research studies in other areas of the Northwest, Canada, and Alaska have shown positive benefits to the aquatic environment through this type of nutrient enhancement. Nutrients of marine origin play a critical role in the ecological processes found in anadromous watersheds in Washington. Salmonids transport nutrients from the marine environment to the freshwater systems of our state. Salmon carcasses provide a significant amount of the nutrients, which feed stream life. The process is especially important for young juvenile salmon and steelhead. By using hatchery carcasses, the Northshore chapter will directly benefit wild populations of stream-rearing salmon, steelhead and resident fish, as well as provide increased benefits to wildlife inhabiting the area. The chapter has added over 1000 Coho carcasses this fall; the carcasses were donated by the Wallace River salmon hatchery in Sultan, Washington. The chapter plans to continue this program for the next five years. For more information, or to volunteer to help contact Chris Tompkins (206) 362-6358, ctompkins84@hotmail.com

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