A draft environmental assessment has been completed for a project that will restore salmon habitat on a stretch of the Chewuch River, and the public has an opportunity to provide comments on the proposal during the next month.
The project, proposed by the Yakama Nation, would construct logjams and backwater channels and enhance pools from river mile 13 to 15.5.
The project is intended to improve habitat for fish listed under the Endangered Species Act, including spring Chinook salmon, summer steelhead and bull trout.
Work would include excavating the historic river channel, adding logs and root balls, constructing interlocking log jams, removing boulders to enhance existing pools and planting native vegetation to restore the project sites.
The draft environmental assessment completed by the U.S. Forest Service can be reviewed at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=4372. The comment period will extend until March 26.
Written comments should be submitted to District Ranger Michael Liu, c/o Shannon O’Brien, 24 W. Chewuch Road, Winthrop, WA 98862.
Electronic comments must have the project name in the subject line, and either be submitted as part of the email message or as an attachment in one of three formats: Microsoft Word, rtf or pdf. The email address is comments-pacificnorthwest-okanogan-methowvalley@fs.fed.us.
For more information about the project contact Shannon O’Brien at (509) 486-5164.
