Tuesday October 1, 2024
The Cool Down —
A river restoration project is doing more than helping salmon thrive in a spot they once called home; it is potentially helping prevent future wildfires from wreaking havoc on the area.
The McKenzie River Trust launched the first phase of a restoration on Oregon’s McKenzie River in 2021, and $1.7 million in funding came through in 2022, as NOAA Fisheries reported. In 2023, Chinook salmon spawned eggs in the new habitat, according to the agency.
Prior to that, years of development altered streams, which harmed the fish by affecting reproductive cycles and threatening the survival of juveniles.
The 150-acre restoration undertaking by the McKenzie River Trust at Finn Rock Reach reconnected a channel and expanded wet areas, slowing the flow of water and creating pools of protection.