Integrating ecosystem protection with restorationThe Stillaguamish Watershed Council combines both protection and restoration of important habitat in the Stillaguamish watershed. Healthy ecosystems provide vital natural resources for humans and wildlife; clean water, sustainable forests and food.

Photo by Jessica Newley

Harvest is the number of �sh caught each year. About 25% of the Stillaguamish Chinook run are caught each year through commercial and sport �shing between Alaska and Washington. Scienti�c research tells us this is a sustainable harvest number, so why aren’t salmon runs improving?

Habitat is a main factor for the decreases in the number of returning salmon. SWC partners work hard every day to protect and restore freshwater and estuary habitats that are in decline due to increased development in these critical areas.

Hatcheries help ensure populations of Chinook salmon do not go extinct. Until salmon habitat is signi�cantly improved it is necessary to supplement runs with hatchery juveniles. They are currently releasing about 250,000 Chinook juveniles each year to help boost the numbers of returning salmon.

We Are Proud Members of the

City of ArlingtonUS Forest Service, Darrington Ranger District

Wild Fish ConservancyPilchuck Audubon Society

Stillaguamish Flood Control DistrictWashington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Evergreen Fly Fishing ClubPilchuck Tree Farm

Stillaguamish Tribe of IndiansCity of Granite Falls

Washington Department of EcologySnohomish County Surface Water Management

Sound Salmon SolutionsSnohomish County Council

Snohomish Conservation DistrictThe Nature Conservancy

Tulalip TribesStillaguamish Clean Water District Advisory Board

Washington Farm Forestry AssociationWarm Beach Christian Camp & Conference Center

WSU Snohomish County ExtensionCity of Stanwood

Citizens of the Stillaguamish

www.stillaguamishwatershed.org

Healthy salmon habitat requires complexity, such as, pools to hide from predators, resting spots and gravel for salmon redds (nests). Log jams provide these important characteristics by creating deep pools in front of the jam and gravel for redds behind the jam. Engineered log jams supplement the loss of large trees from historical logging activities. In time, as trees grow larger, this natural process will resume and engineered log jams will no longer be needed.

Riverside Habitat, known as the riparian zone, is very important for salmon. The vegetation alongside a river provides large woody debris for log jams, shade to cool water, �lters pollutants and prevents erosion. By protecting and restoring riparian zones the SWC helps to enhance and restore aquatic ecosystems, improve water quality, and provide healthy habitat for salmon.

Protecting Salmon and StreamsFounded in 1990, the Stillaguamish Watershed Council was formed in

response to declining water quality conditions and salmon populations. The mission of the SWC is to maintain a healthy, functioning Stillaguamish

Watershed by providing a local forum in which agencies, organizations, communities, and the public can engage in a collaborative watershed

based process of decision making and coordination.

WATERSHED

Council

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