The Kitsap Sun did a follow up to last year’s logjam project on the South Fork of the Skokomish River, where logjams were installed within a one-mile reach of the river. The logjams help slow down the river and create better habitat for fish.
SKOKOMISH VALLEY — Thirty man-made “logjams,” installed in the Skokomish River last summer, have stood up well to winter storms and flooding, said Marc McHenry, project manager for Olympic National Forest.
The massive log structures, embedded deeply into the riverbanks, lost only a few of their log components, McHenry said. Several of the structures even managed to collect additional logs that were floating downstream, he added, pointing to a massive old-growth tree that rested along the shore after running up against one of the man-made logjams.
“The big goal of this project is to improve fish habitat by increasing pools and habitat complexity,” McHenry said. “We’re hoping that large pools will create microhabitats where fish can hide and stay cool.”
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Alex Gouley of the Skokomish Tribe helped coordinate the logjam project, which lies entirely within Olympic National Forest.
“Anything we can do to benefit salmon species is a huge priority for the tribe,” Gouley said.
