The Outstanding Cascade River Gains Protection

SLT staff Jonathan, Jess, and Emma cross one of the Cascade River side channels.

Too silty, too warm, too stagnant – a lot can go wrong when it comes to salmon habitat, especially if you’re a mother salmon looking for just the right place to dig a “redd” (gravel nest) to lay her eggs. Although salmon may seem less maternal than bears or birds, these amazing fish have their own ways of protecting their offspring. Avoiding muddy or silty gravel keeps the eggs from getting smothered. Good water speed makes sure the eggs stay sufficiently cool and oxygenated. The right size and shape of gravel also matters for incubating and protecting the eggs.

Many of the Cascade River’s side channels and tributaries meet mother salmon’s strict criteria. This is one of many reasons that Skagit Land Trust (SLT or the Trust) has conserved 1.9 miles of Cascade River shoreline. Last month, we purchased over seven more acres of lovely, forested land in the river’s migration zone, near Marblemount.

Part of the property lies above the 100-year floodplain and features substantial conifers and a lush, ferny understory with relatively few invasive plants. The portion within the floodplain protects 285 feet of the north bank of the Cascade River and 450 feet of Lyric Creek, a salmon-bearing tributary that runs through the property.

SLT staff Kari Odden stands with some of the large trees on the property.

“It’s a very fishy place – all five species of salmon and steelhead can be found here,” says Conservation Project Manager Jessica Lange, who worked on the purchase. The Cascade River holds so much value for salmon that Washington State’s Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) prioritizes protection and stewardship of properties like this new acquisition.

Sockeye salmon, close to spawning time.

The new acreage expands the Trust’s Cascade River Conservation Area and builds off the protection of the nearby privately-owned Cascade River–Keller/Karlberg Conservation Easement. With the addition of the new land, Skagit Land Trust now protects a total of 241 acres along this vital waterway.

The Cascade River areas we protect connect with other conserved areas. This section of the Cascade River is part of the Skagit River’s Wild and Scenic River system. Last year, the headwaters area of the Cascade River above it earned further distinction and protection as the first Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) in Washington State. This OWR designation happened thanks to advocacy from Washington Wild and 53 other organizations, including Skagit Land Trust. The Cascade headwaters were awarded this significant designation due to the river’s excellent water quality, ecological significance, and recreational value.

Conserving land can feel like a long swim against a strong current, but we must continue our work if we want our waterways to retain the cool, clear characteristics that support salmon. Many thanks to the Salmon Recovery Funding Board and our members for funding the acquisition of this beautiful new stretch of shoreline and forest.

As with all of Skagit Land Trust’s acquisitions, purchasing the property is just the start of our work. The SLT community is now tasked with stewarding these lands in perpetuity. That can be a daunting task with site clean-up of structures needed and replanting of native trees desired. However, thanks to member and volunteer support, we look forward to caring for this bend of the river for years to come.