DESCRIPTION
The Nooksack Tribe will finalize design for restoration of instream habitat in the South Fork Nooksack River, Nesset Reach (Phase 2 to 3 reach; RM 10.3-11.4), near Acme, Whatcom County. The goal is to address South Fork Nooksack chinook limiting factors of lack of key habitat, low habitat diversity, and high water temperatures. Preliminary design is for 23 ELJ's designed to form pools, create temperature refuges, remove channel constraints, and reconnect the floodplain. Specific deliverables include: (1) Final design report and drawings, with design review comments; (2) Permits; and (3) Cultural resources compliance. Restoration will also benefit ESA-listed steelhead and bull trout; coho, chum, riverine sockeye, and pink salmon; and cutthroat trout.
South Fork Nooksack early chinook are essential for ESU recovery, but abundances are critically low. The adjacent favorable landownership through the reach presents a unique opportunity to restore habitat and reconnect floodplains in a relatively unconfined reach of the lower South Fork. The reach is also expected to be heavily used by chinook returning to the Skookum hatchery (two miles upstream) as part of the South Fork Nooksack chinook population-rebuilding program. Funding this design project will advance priority actions in a priority reach.
The Nooksack Tribe finalized design for restoration of instream habitat in the South Fork Nooksack River, Nesset Reach (Phase 2 reach; RM 10.95-11.4), near Acme, Whatcom County. The goal is to address South Fork Nooksack Chinook limiting factors of lack of key habitat, low habitat diversity, and high water temperatures. Preliminary design was for 23 ELJ’s designed to form pools, create temperature refuges, remove channel constraints, and reconnect the floodplain. Final design is for 5 ELJs in the phase 2 portion of the reach. Specific deliverables include: (1) Final design report and drawings, with design review comments (there were no comments from reviewers); (2) Permit applications submitted to agencies; and (3) Cultural resources compliance. Restoration will also benefit ESA-listed steelhead and bull trout; coho, chum, riverine sockeye, and pink salmon; and cutthroat trout.
South Fork Nooksack early Chinook are essential for ESU recovery, but abundances are critically low. The adjacent favorable landownership through the reach presents a unique opportunity to restore habitat and reconnect floodplains in a relatively unconfined reach of the lower South Fork. The reach is also expected to be heavily used by chinook returning to the Skookum hatchery (two miles upstream) as part of the South Fork Nooksack Chinook population-rebuilding program. Funding this design project advanced priority actions in a priority reach.
