The Deep Creek watershed drains a basin area of 17.3 square miles, with elevation changes from the estuary to 3,400 feet, flowing from forest land into the Central Strait of Juan de Fuca. Although relatively small, Deep Creek is known for its former productive anadromous fish runs. The drainage has historically been managed for commercial timber production, but the core is unlogged intact habitat, protected under the Northwest Forest Plan (late successional reserve). All but 5% of the land is in U.S. Forest Service, Department of Natural Resources or private timber company ownership. Timber harvest occurred in the 1920-30's, in the 1950's and again in the 1970-80's, all of which caused significant impacts. This resulted in numerous mid-slope roads using side-cast construction in the headwaters, which is prone to failure and mass wasting, as well as clearcuts on steep slopes. Fire in the early 1930's resulted in significant mass wasting. Sedimentation is the major limiting factor for Deep Creek, and the channel is severely degraded as a direct result of the mass wasting history. A dam break occurred in November 1990, scouring out the upper channel, with a network of scour and subsequent slope failures occurring. Debris flows have resulted in extensive channel incision and instability. LWD is lacking and the conversion of riparian vegetation from old conifers to hardwood or open areas will result in a future lack of LWD, as well as high water temperatures. The lack of old trees is thought to increase the frequency and severity of peak flow events, resulting in water velocities and channel incision. Channel incision has contributed to floodplain impacts, such as a lack of off-channel habitat, and this has severely impacted all salmonid species in the creek. Excessive sedimentation has also impacted the estuary, where the delta has increased in recent years. Significant creek restoration has occurred in the basin since 1997, and the watershed was adopted into the IMW Program in 2004 (see Glossary). Signs of improvement in habitat parameters and some fish recovery have been recorded.
Deep Creek supports coho, fall chum and winter steelhead. All stocks of salmon have been severely impacted; in particular, chum numbers have collapsed since the 1990 flood described above.

Field, Whiskey and Colville Creeks are small, salmon-producing streams flowing into the Central Strait of Juan de Fuca, that have moderately steep gradients in the lower reaches. Lack of LWD, a conversion of the riparian zone to alder or to open areas, wetland conversion, culverts and excessive sedimentation are believed to be problems in all these streams. All have limited salmon production, except Colville, which has excellent coho production potential, although a collapsed trestle blocks four miles of salmon and cutthroat trout habitat on the stream. On Whiskey Creek, part of the sedimentation is natural, due to the area geology, but part is also likely a result of extensive logging, and from a railroad grade. Lower Whiskey Creek reaches are in poor shape, lacking LWD, with an incised channel, creating inner slope failures contributing to sediment loads. The excessive sedimentation and scour in Field Creek, (which also has a naturally high sediment load), is likely the result of extensive logging due to land conversion, as well as development activities in the area. The upper portions have patchy amounts of LWD, with very few pieces of LWD in the lower reaches. Colville Creek is incised upstream and the streambed widens into a valley in the downstream reaches. Dredging has occurred in this valley, resulting in an unstable, channelized stream that needs meanders. Livestock have stream access, leading to water quality problems including sediment inputs. Sedimentation from Field Creek degrades offshore eelgrass bed habitat. Bulkheads have been constructed near the mouth of Whiskey Creek. F