Bear Creek Riparian Restoration Project

Bear Creek Riparian Restoration

Summary

Bear Creek is identified as a Tier 1 area in the WRIA 08 Conservation Plan and as a moderate watershed core area with high chinook production. The Bear Creek basin supports ESA listed fallChinook, winter steelhead, coho, sockeye and resident rainbow and cutthroat. The need for riparian restoration in the Bear Creek Watershed has been identified in the 2014 Action Agenda Update Puget Sound Partnership; NE Novelty Hill Road Project Wildlife, Fisheries, and Vegetation Discipline Report, Appendix D (March 2008), and in the Bear Creek Basin Plan (Sept. 1995).

The intent of the WRIA 08 Bear Creek Riparian Restoration Project was to develop a prioritized list of potential riparian restoration opportunities in the Bear Creek subbasin (downstream of the NE Woodinville / Duvall road) based on parcels conditions, and subbasin variables (i.e. riparian conditions, land ownership, salmonid species presence/absence, and water quality parameters) which could be used for mailings or door to door outreach and to identify at least 10 restoration opportunities with willing landowners.

Funding for this project was made available through a King County Flood Control District Cooperative Management Grant.

Location
Start Date
Lower Bear subarea, downstream of the Woodinville / Duvall road in reaches 6-14 of the Bear Creek sub-basin (WRIA 08-0105) and in reach 4 of the Evans Creek subbasin.
09/15/2021
Project Type
Completion Date
Assessment/ Planning
12/31/2017

Goals & Objectives

The goals of the project are to identify and prioritize riparian restoration opportunities and restore, to the extent possible, the natural riparian processes that will create and help maintain cool, clean, and complex fish habitat for all life stages of Chinook salmon and other salmonids utilizing the Bear Creek /Sammamish basins.

Our objectives are to: 1) educate and engage landowners in salmon recovery efforts and riparian stewardship and, 2) compile a list of (at minimum) 10 high priority riparian restoration projects associated with willing landowners.

Accomplishments:

WFC developed a QGIS for the Bear Creek Watershed and Evans sub-basin.
WFC prioritized potential riparian restoration parcels and contacted high priority landowners to discuss interest in riparian restoration.
WFC/Forterra identified thirteen landowners interested in restoration work on their property and one landowners who seemed interested (in Reach 4 of Evans Creek), but has not yet committed. WFC also identified three new potential acquisition parcels.

Primary Habitats Impacted By Project:
Managing Agency/ Organization:
Riparian habitats in Bear Creek downstream of the NE Woodinville / Duvall road and in reach 4 of Evans Creek.
Wild Fish Conservancy
Project Contact:
Budget or Project Cost:
Mary Lou White
$20,000
Funding Sources:
Partners:
King County Flood Control District, Sponsor Match

Attachment(s)