ling $2.5 million to conserve or restore salmon habitat in Clark, Skamania, Cowlitz and Klickitat counties have been awarded by the Washington Salmon Recovery Funding Board.
One of the projects is in Clark County, three each are in Skamania and Cowlitz counties, and one is in Klickitat County.
Grant recipients will use the money to remove barriers to salmon migration, reshape streams, conserve pristine areas and replant river banks.
“When we restore land and water for salmon we also are helping our communities,” said Gov. Jay Inslee in a news release. “We get less flooding, cleaner water and better beaches. We also make sure that our grandchildren will be able to catch a fish or enjoy watching the return of wild salmon.”
Here are the details of the eight projects:
Clark County — The Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group is getting $292,460 to place large tree root wads and logs along nearly a quarter-mile of the North Fork of the Lewis River near Haapa boat launch.
The money also will finance removing noxious weeds on 6.7 acres of river bank and plant more than 10,000 native trees and shrubs.
The enhancement group will contribute $150,520 in a local grant and donations of labor and materials.
Skamania County — The Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group will get $281,960 to place tree root wads and large logs in the lower 850 feet of Dougan Creek and the Washougal River and $307,747 to place large tree root wads and logs in lower Silver Creek and the upper Washougal River.
The Silver Creek project is several miles upstream of three previous projects with similar objectives. Silver Creek and the upper Washougal are used by summer steelhead.
The Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board is getting $135,000 to develop a list of restoration projects for the Wind River and to complete two preliminary designs for the highest priority projects.
The board will contribute $23,800 in donations of cash and labor.
Cowlitz County — The Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group is getting $388,500 to place large logs in the south and north forks of the Toutle River, $180,290 for restoring the banks of the south fork of the Toutle and $378,500 to plant about 65 acres of floodplain in the south fork of the Toutle at the mouth of Johnson Creek.
Klickitat County — The East Klickitat Conservation District is getting $539,076 to buy land preservation easements along Rock Creek and Squaw Creek.
The agreement will allow the Goldendale-based conservation district to protect 8.2 miles along Rock Creek, 8.8 miles along Squaw Creek and 1 mile on Luna Gulch.
The project will protect habitat used by summer-run steelhead.
