Tuesday August 27, 2024
NOAA Fisheries —
NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation is investing $9.5 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to restore salmon habitat for South Fork Nooksack River Spring Chinook. Projects led by the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Indian Tribe will install engineered log jams in the river.
These structures mimic the natural log jams in rivers flowing through old forests. They provide hiding places for young fish and resting places for adult fish returning to spawn. The careful placement of log jams can also reduce the risk of flooding to homes and other structures. This is becoming more important as climate change increases the likelihood of extreme weather events such as storms and floods.
The Lummi Nation and Nooksack Indian Tribe’s deep-rooted connection to the river informs their groundbreaking design and reconstruction of these ecosystems. They are coordinating with NOAA, local floodplain authorities, and many state and federal funders. Their leadership of this project is part of their effort to sustain the economic, social, and cultural well-being of their tribal communities and restore fisheries. Over the next 3 years, the projects will add more than 80 log jams to the watershed and conduct other actions to restore floodplain habitat.