The Morse Creek Riverine Restoration Project aims to re-activate 1700 feet of channel and floodplain as it existed around 1930 prior to installation of a dike which pushed the river against the valley wall. The project, on Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife property, will restore mainstem, side channel, and off-channel habitat in a stream reach which has been been severely degraded by human impacts. Currently, the stream is channelized, confined, over-steepened, diked and extremely energetic and paved with large cobbles and boulders resulting in extremely poor fish habitat conditions for all life stages.
Project Site Overview
Restoration work will include:
Removal of portions of 1,100 feet of dike
Restoration of the 1939 stream channel, reconnection of the stream with 9.3 acres of floodplain
Construction of two substantial engineered log jams and instillation of additional wood habitat features
Improvements will benefit ESA-listed steelhead, bull trout, pink salmon, coho salmon, chum salmon and out-planted Elwha Chinook.
Removal of portions of 1,100 feet of dike
Restoration of the 1939 stream channel, reconnection of the stream with 9.3 acres of floodplain
Construction of two substantial engineered log jams and instillation of additional wood habitat features
Improvements will benefit ESA-listed steelhead, bull trout, pink salmon, coho salmon, chum salmon and out-planted Elwha Chinook.
Pre-Construction Image of Morse Creek Channel
Notice the limited spawning gravel and mainly large cobbly substrate
that is unsuitable habitat for salmon
