Funded habitat recovery projects

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Elk Creek Acquisition (Funded 2002)
Current Status: Active

Elk Creek, a Tier 1 stream, Shoreline of the State, provides five miles of contiguous low gradient freshwater high quality salmonid habitat. At RM 1.3 it begins a meander through a small valley with steep slopes and multiple dendritic drainages. The valley floor is perennially saturated with a multitude of wetlands and side wall spring fed channels that are utilized extensively by wild juvenile Coho and steelhead. Habitat conditions are very good with large woody debris forming deep pools alternating with shallow gravel used extensively by wild Coho, steelhead and cutthroat trout for spawning and rearing.
Elk Creek Acquisition targets 220 acres, a narrow strip ¼ mile wide by 1 ¼ miles long that forms the valley floor, borders both sides of Elk Creek and the lower portions of the adjacent steep hillsides. This area is currently owned by ITT Rayonier and is slated for clear-cut logging operations in Spring 2003. Concerns are current Forest Practices will not provide adequate protection to this valuable salmon habitat as complete mapping and delineation of wetlands have not been carried out in this watershed. (limiting factors - WRIA 20)
Elk Creek provides one-third of the total redds spawned in the entire Calawah Basin. This project proposes to protect this valuable spawning stream by direct purchase from Rayonier and transfer it from commercial timberlands to lands managed by the WDFW for protection of wildlife and wild fish stocks in perpetuity.