Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 31, 1998
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Citizens join state to launch historic salmon restoration effort

OLYMPIA - Citizens, local governments, tribes and state agencies have launched a coordinated, multi-million-dollar effort to restore Washington's rivers and streams as good homes for wild salmon.

Fish-blocking culverts are being removed and replaced, native vegetation is being planted along stream banks and natural and fish-friendly features are being restored to rivers in response to salmon-recovery legislation passed in April, according to Gov. Gary Locke.

"The people of Washington want their grandchildren to have wild salmon in their lives. We now have a unique opportunity to give people the expertise and tools they need to get effective salmon restoration projects under way," Locke said. "We could lose forever some of Washington's famous wild salmon runs if we don't begin to reverse decades of neglecting and degrading our streams and rivers now," Locke warned.

"I'm excited about this effort because everyone is working together. The Legislature has provided $8 million in grant money for construction, tools and plants. Highly qualified scientists in several state agencies are providing expertise. We have dedicated, determined citizens working right in the streams to rebuild Washington's wild salmon runs," Locke said.

In addition to unprecedented local-state coordination, the projects themselves are being carefully planned. For example, biologists are ensuring fish can pass road culverts before upstream habitat restoration projects begin.

The $8 million is being administered by the departments of Fish and Wildlife and Transportation as well as the Conservation Commission.

"Many Washington wild salmon runs are in poor shape and this may be the last chance we have to save and rebuild them," said Lisa Pelly, chair of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. "Salmon are symbols of Washington and pillars of our cultural, recreational and economic institutions. We have to do it right and do it now or we will have sold out the legacy that belongs to future generations."

The Department of Fish of Wildlife, which is overseen by the commission, is awarding $3.5 million in grants to restore salmon habitat as provided by Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2496.

The state Department of Transportation is awarding another $3.5 million in grants funded through Second Substitute House Bill 2879.

"Our department is glad to have the opportunity to co-manage this grant program which is underwriting habitat improvements that certainly will benefit declining salmon runs," said Sid Morrison, state transportation secretary.

"The state's salmon recovery strategies need the commitment and energy of all agencies whose operations and practices affect the well-being of salmon. With construction projects all over the state, we definitely are one of those agencies-and we definitely are involved in the team effort," Morrison added.

The Washington Conservation Commission recently awarded a $1 million grant for community-based restoration to A World Institute for a Sustainable Humanity (A W.I.S.H.).

A W.I.S.H. includes regional fisheries enhancement groups, the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and other organizations. The funds will be used to hire volunteer coordinators to help citizens become involved in salmon restoration projects. A toll-free hotline will be available so any interested person can call for information or join a project.

"The process to award these grants was a triumph of interagency coordination. It shows that state government can help people by providing the tools and biologically sound technical assistance they need to recover salmon," said Steve Meyer, Conservation Commission executive director.

The $7 million from WDOT and WDFW is going to projects that scored high in a tough screening process, Locke said.

Screening criteria included: benefit to salmon; importance of the habitat or migration route; cost-effectiveness; level of matching, or in-kind, funding and past successes of the sponsoring group.

Organizations, tribes and agencies in the following counties have received salmon restoration grants through WDFW or WDOT: Clallam, Clark, Chelan, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Snohomish, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla and Yakima.

These grants are just the latest in a series of state funding efforts to support salmon recovery. In June, the Department of Ecology awarded $3.9 million to 22 communities in Washington to support watershed planning that will address the need for cool, plentiful water for salmon.

Summary of WDFW and WSDOT grant awards

(Some projects have additional local matching funds)

Chelan County

Icicle Creek Chapter of Trout Unlimited, $22,065, to restore half a mile of salmon habitat and create a half-acre salmon and steelhead pond in Brender Creek
Icicle Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited, $261,880, to create three-quarters of a mile of off-channel salmon and steelhead spawning and rearing habitat off the Wenatchee River near Leavenworth
Repair two culverts to permit fish passage at a total of $47,400

Clallam County

Clallam Conservation District, $177,218, to restore salmon habitat in the Dungeness River
Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, $195,804, to install logs and branches in the Dungeness River to create pools and other cover for fish
Repair one culvert to permit fish passage for $79,966

Clark County

Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation, $43,144, to restore trees and bushes along three kilometers of the east fork of the Lewis River
Clark County Community Service, $40,000, to plant trees and bushes along 18 miles of various salmon streams
Repair nine culverts to permit fish passage at a total cost of $317,128

Grays Harbor County

Grays Harbor Conservation District, $291,750, to plant trees and bushes; create off-channel pools for rearing and wintering and build fences to bar cattle at 12 sites within the Chehalis River Basin
Quinault Indian Nation, $20,397, to build a channel from an existing pond to the mainstem of Ziegler Creek to provide coho rearing habitat
Conduct one survey to identify culverts for repair for fish passage at a cost of $118,924

Island County

Repair one culvert for fish passage at a total cost of $18,900

Jefferson County

Quinault Indian Nation, $61,339, to eliminate fish barriers on the Clearwater River
Salmon Restoration Consulting, $49,750, to fence and restore spawning and rearing habitat in Chimacum Creek
Repair four culverts for fish passage at a total cost of a $388,380

King County

King County, $60,658, to purchase logs to be placed in the Cedar and Green rivers and Griffin Creek to create fish habitat
Repair three culverts for fish passage at a total cost of $64,250

Kitsap County

Repair four culverts for fish repair at a total cost of $304,895

Kittitas County

Yakama Nation, $66,240, for improvements in Wilson Creek to demonstrate farming is compatible with salmon habitat

Klickitat County

Repair two culverts for fish passage at a total cost of $112,500

Lewis/Cowlitz counties

Lewis County Commission, $4,000, to build fences to keep cattle out of the Hill Creek

Lewis County

Repair four culverts for fish passage at a total cost of $673,385

Mason County

Mason Conservation District, $102,867, to plant vegetation along, and place logs in, Huson, Oak Lake and Ludvick Lake creeks
Repair nine culverts for fish passage at a total cost of $458,155

Okanogan County

Repair one culvert for fish passage at a total cost of $23,988

Pacific County

Sea Resources, $132,273, to restore salmon habitat in the Chinook River

Pierce County

Pierce County Conservation District, $126,713, for vegetation, livestock fencing, culvert replacement and weirs in 11 projects in the upper Puyallup and Nisqually watersheds
Repair two culverts for fish passage at a total cost of $169,715

Skagit County

Repair three culverts for fish passage at a total cost of $95,244

Snohomish County

Snohomish County Department of Public Works, $300,000, to restore 233 acres of wetlands in order to increase fish rearing habitat
Washington Trout, $160,127, to improve chinook holding pools and other habitat features in the north fork of the Stillaguamish River

Snohomish/King counties

Repair one culvert for fish passage and conduct two surveys for additional culverts needing repair for a total cost of $171,051
Conduct one survey for additional culverts needing repair at a cost of $38,900

Thurston County

Repair four culverts for fish passage at a total cost of $83,469

Wahkiakum/Cowlitz counties

Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Conservation Districts, $90,095, to improve salmon habitat in the Arkansas Creek, Leckler Creek and Grays River watersheds
Repair one culvert and conduct survey work to identify other culverts to be repaired for fish passage for a total cost of $287,250

Walla Walla County

Walla Walla County Conservation District, $282,269, to restore 5.5 miles of salmon habitat in Coppei Creek to reduce sediment damage to fish nesting areas
Repair a gravel dam for fish passage for a total of $46,500

Yakima County

North Yakima Conservation District, $233,760, to re-establish 16 acres of salmon habitat in the Yakima River watershed

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