Pacific Northwest
Bellingham, WA
January, 2016
After 120 years, a half mile length of Padden Creek will once again see the light of day. In 1892, an eight foot by four foot brick tunnel was built to redirect the creek in order to drain adjacent wetlands and thereby enable building of a Great Northern Railway train station. Now, following a 30 year joint effort by the City, local residents, and the state Departments of Ecology and Transportation, migratory salmon can once again travel from Bellingham Bay to nearly the full two and a half miles to the Creek’s source (Lake Padden) to spawn.
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Two years ago I wrote a series of diaries illustrating the habitat restoration of three salmon spawning creeks that run through Bellingham, WA. (Padden, Squalicum, Whatcom). Here I provide an update on the continuing progress on the Padden Creek project. Since I last reported on this creek much progress has been made and I believe the largest and most important part of the project is now complete.
A new stream bed was constructed to replace the tunnel along with a state of-the-art riparian corridor. The stream bed was shaped to accommodate flood level water flows and the creek borders were planted with a variety of native vegetation including Mahonia (Oregon Grape), vine maple, and Sword Ferns, among others. As these plantings mature they will provide overhang and shading, thereby cooling the stream to accommodate salmon.
Fish friendly bridges replace previous metal culverts and allow traffic to cross the stream over a heavily used highway.
New walking and bike paths weave alongside and across the stream all the way from the lake source to the bay.
Much of the creek runs through urban areas with its accompanying residential and commercial run off that eventually finds its way to the creek. Where feasible, they have structured run off catch basins which are graded, planted, and directed to the creek.
Various portions of the creek remain in its “almost” natural state although some still retain from earlier mitigation with culverts to accommodate walking paths and fish ladders to accommodate traveling salmon looking for a cool place to spawn.
The banks of the creek’s estuary have also been reconstructed to allow more natural vegetation and more hospitable environment for the young fry and smolt to linger and grow before embarking on their cross ocean journey.
I’ll report back in a few years after some of the plantings mature and if we are lucky, with some spawning salmon.
Tell us about environmental restoration projects in or around your backyards.
"SPOTLIGHT ON GREEN NEWS & VIEWS" IS POSTED EVERY SATURDAY AT 5:00 PM PACIFIC TIME AND WEDNESDAY AT 3:30 ON THE DAILY KOS FRONT PAGE. IT'S A GREAT WAY TO CATCH UP ON DIARIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED. BE SURE TO RECOMMEND AND COMMENT IN THE DIARY. |