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Living With the Methow River Monthly Activities and Learning Opportunities April 2014
In the spring and early summer, the Methow River rises and floods. The high flow in the main channel scours the river bottom, cleaning the cobbles that returning salmon lay their eggs in and depositing soil where the river spreads out and slows. This newly deposited soil fuels plant and insect growth. Juvenile salmon seek out these off-channel habitats for their slower water, abundant food, and shelter from predators, and grow much more quickly there than they would fighting the currents of the main channel. Their time in this environment better prepares them for their long swim to the ocean. Unfortunately, construction of flood levees and roads has separated much of this habitat from the river. By enhancing the existing habitat, and recreating it where it has been lost, the Methow Restoration Council hopes to greatly increase salmon habitat—and thereby improve species survival—in the Methow watershed. The recently completed Whitefish Island project provides an excellent example of the potential benefits of side channel reconnection. In 2012, the Methow Salmon Recovery Foundation and MRC partners completed an ambitious project to reshape a side channel, improving bank habitat with engineered log jams and altering the channel’s mouth to keep the channel wet beyond the usual flood season. Monitoring at the site has shown extensive use by juvenile salmon, as shown in this underwater video: Investment in floodplain habitat is not unique to the Methow watershed. An interesting project in California’s Yolo Bypass introduced juvenile Chinook salmon to flooded rice fields (floodplain by definition), and found that the fish grew faster there than had ever been recorded elsewhere in California. By increasing the productivity of these often neglected floodplain areas, salmon recovery groups nationwide are making substantial progress in increasing the availability of habitat for juvenile salmon. Further floodplain improvements will play an important part in the recovery of this vital species. For more information about the importance of floodplain habitat, Follow the Fish below!
This year’s MRC calendar connects to ADVENTURES, ACTIVITIES AND INFORMATION tailored to each month. If you haven't gotten your calendar yet, you can download an electronic version here. Come back each month and find interactive activities, print outs, and suggested learning opportunities in our community.
Just follow the fish and engage in learning.
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