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| Waterbody(ies) Name(s) | Tributaries to the Lower Skagit River |
| WRIA(s) | 3 |
| County(ies) | Skagit |
| Parameter(s) | Temperature |
| Current Status | Under Development Public comment period for draft report ended March 26, 2008. |
| TMDL Approval Date (if applicable) | |
| # of TMDLs (if approved) | |
| TMDL Lead(s) | Sally Lawrence |
The Lower Skagit River, its tributaries, sloughs, and estuaries serve as important migration corridors, spawning areas, and rearing areas for five major species of salmon (chinook, coho, pink, chum, and sockeye), as well as steelhead and cutthroat trout, and two char species—Dolly Varden and bull trout. The Skagit River watershed contains the second largest wild run of coho salmon and the largest run of chinook salmon in the Puget Sound watershed. These salmonid species and other cold water aquatic life depend on the cool waters of smaller creeks in late summer for all or part of their life cycle.
A Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) study, performed in August 2001, found that nine tributaries to Skagit River have elevated temperatures during the late summer, low-flow season. The affected creeks are Carpenter; Fisher; Hansen; Red; East Fork Nookachamps; Turner; Nookachamps; Otter Pond, and Lake creeks. The study determined that full, mature native riparian shade along these creeks may sufficiently reduce water heating so that the creeks meet the water quality temperature standard of 16o C, which is protective of spawning and juvenile rearing needs of salmon in those creeks.
Ecology, assisted by a local advisory committee, developed a draft Water Quality Improvement Report (WQIR). The report describes Ecology's recommendations for reducing water temperatures in the nine affected creeks. It proposes a strategy of door-to-door outreach, education and financial and technical assistance to private landowners to encourage them to increase riparian shading along these creeks.
The draft WQIR was available for public review and comment through March 26, 2008. Also, two public meetings were held February 25, 2008 at the Burlington Library.
Focus Sheet: Several creeks in the Lower Skagit watershed need your help
(Ecology publication)
www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0810017.html
Focus on Temperatures in the Lower Skagit River Tributaries
(2003) (Ecology publication)
www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0310039.html
Lower Skagit River Tributaries Temperature Total Maximum Daily Load Study
(Ecology publication)
www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0403001.html
Lower Skagit Tributaries Temperature TMDL Water Quality Improvement Report
(Ecology publication)
www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0810020.html
WRIA 03: Lower Skagit-Samish Watershed Information (Environmental Assessment
Program website)
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/apps/watersheds/wriapages/03.html
Sally Lawrence
Water Cleanup (TMDL) Lead for Skagit and Kitsap Watersheds
Department of Ecology, NWRO
Phone: (425) 649-7036
Email: slaw461@ecy.wa.gov
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
