Cedar Grove | Project 12 of 30

Located 1.8 miles upriver of Dalles bridge in Concrete Washington exists Cedar Grove; a quiet wetland located in the Skagit floodplain in a channel long abandoned by the mainstem river. It may surprise some readers to learn that Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group is currently working with Skagit County Public Works, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to complete a restoration project designed to benefit Skagit Chinook and (by extension) resident orcas.

Thanks to increased awareness, most Washington residents know that our iconic Southern Resident Orcas are critically endangered. Although the current population includes a total of 75 individuals, only 30 of those orcas are effective breeding population members, aka potential parents. Chemical and noise pollution are serious issues for these animals, however one of the main factors thought to be pushing them towards extinction is a lack of access to their primary prey species: Chinook, or king Salmon. Unfortunately for the orcas, and for all other Washington residents who enjoy a king salmon fillet, Chinook are also listed as “threatened” according to the federal endangered species act.

 

In the winter and spring The Cedar Grove swells with river water as the Skagit River expands due to rain snow melt.It’s a protected place where newly hatched salmon and trout who don’t stand a chance against the harsh river current can take refuge and wait out the storm before continuing their journey to the ocean. Some of these tiny juveniles, such as trout, coho and some Chinook, will seek out habitats like this one and will remain there for an entire year before they head out to the ocean, but only if the conditions stays habitable year round. These nursery habitats are not abundant enough in the Skagit, a lack of freshwater rearing habitat is one of the primary limiting factors for juvenile Chinook in the Skagit. Recent research suggest that when juvenile salmon cannot find a suitable place to rear they tend to head out to the ocean early-and perish.

How does a construction project in Concrete WA help Orcas? Cedar Grove is an excellent place for a baby salmon to rear, however it is currently limited by a severely undersized culvert that blocks 3.5 acres of pond and wetland habitat fed year round by cool groundwater springs. This is why Skagit County Public works plans on replacing the perpetually-beaver-clogged 2ft in diameter pipe with an appropriately sized 120 ft long pedestrian bridge. SFEG crews have been collecting pre-project data since 2018 and have observed hundreds of salmon including juvenile coho, Chinook, and cutthroat trout as well as numerous native non-salmonid fish species. Many times, SFEG staff have observed these salmon congregating at the culvert outlet, unable to access the resources and space upstream. Ultimately, we expect this project to benefit hundreds of juvenile salmonids per year by opening up a large area with abundant food and safe hiding places for them to rear in and prepare for harsh open ocean life.

If you would like to see this site for yourself you are in luck!

This project is located on a publicly owned WDFW property in Concrete WA and (thanks to the hard work donated by the 4th Corner Fly Fishers) visitors to Cedar Grove can currently enjoy a newly built foot trail that winds through the forest and access the shore of the Skagit River. In the near future this trail will be made into a loop enhanced by several benches and an interpretive sign. We expect to complete this project by summer 2022 when SFEG will assist the County with construction of the 120ft pedestrian bridge.

Thank you National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) for donating funds to support this work. 

Learn more about NFWF’s Killer Whale Research and Conservation Program