The Pysht River is approximately 16.3 miles long, with eight tributaries adding another 35.6 miles of stream length. In the headwaters, the gradient is steep and the U.S. Forest Service owns the surrounding land. Downstream, the river has a low gradient in the lower 11 miles. A large portion of surrounding land is managed by two industrial forest owners. Logging has impacted the water quality and quantity conditions in the Pysht. In the Pysht, there have been large shifts in channel bed elevation (mostly incision), with very low rates of lateral channel migration occurring, as well as significant channel aggradation at most sites studied. Green Creek also has highly unstable channel banks, with frequent lateral movement of the channel and significant aggradation. The cause of the channel instability problems is likely a combination of low levels of LWD throughout the watershed and high levels of sediment, which resulted in the loss of large pool habitat and thermal changes in the lower river. Sediment sources are primarily roads and mass wasting, many of which came from early logging techniques. Jim and Joe Creeks enter the Strait of Juan de Fuca east of the Pysht River. Jim Creek has a high sediment load for several reasons: logging in the upper reaches, road densities, road building spoils, and lack of LWD. In Joe Creek, naturally high sediment loads are coupled with a heavily roaded watershed, resulting in sediment problems in the creek. Lack of LWD is another streambed problem in Joe Creek. Hwy. 112 affects several streams in this group by preventing channel migration, losses of riparian forest, by rip-rap impacts, and with impassable culverts. Temperature in the lower Pysht is a big issue. The Pysht Estuary is a large and important salmon rearing habitat. Although it is thought that the estuary is recovering from the heavy impacts of the past, there are still some concerns about the continued loss of eelgrass and other estuary habitat, and active restoration efforts may be necessary. All Strait of Juan de Fuca chum stocks have declined and are "stocks of concern" (numbers have crashed in the last 6-7 years).
The Pysht River supports coho and chum salmon, and winter steelhead. Chinook may no longer be viable in the system. Channel instability in the Pysht, its tributaries and in Jim and Joe Creeks impacts the incubation survival rate of salmon in the basin. Fine sediment in streams fills up the "interstitial" spaces between the gravel that fish need for spawning, incubation and feeding, and therefore negatively impacts the survival success of salmon. Salmon need cold temperatures and lots of dissolved oxygen to thrive; these poor conditions will add to the stress caused by other environ-mental factors in these systems.
- State of the Waters of Clallam County 2004