This document discusses the habitat needs of wild salmon in Whatcom County, including native riparian vegetation that provides shade and food, gravel for spawning eggs, habitat diversity with pools and riffles, and woody debris for shelter. It encourages readers to avoid disturbing salmon habitats by walking in rivers, removing logs or dead salmon, and provides contact information for a local organization working to restore salmon populations.
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Riparian Zone
1. THANK YOU!
Working to restore wild salmon
in Whatcom County since 1991.
Salmon need native riparian
vegetation. Native trees and
shrubs provide critical shade to
keep water cool, roots stabilize
soil and prevent erosion, and
leaves and twigs fall into the
stream, feeding aquatic insects
that are important prey for
salmon.
Salmon need stream gravel.
Spawning salmon dig nests in
stream gravel, known as redds,
and deposit 2,000-5,000 eggs
in pea to grapefruit sized rocks.
Eggs and newborn salmon,
known as alevins, remain in the
gravel for 2-4 months.
Salmon need habitat diversity.
A healthy stream has a mixture of
deeper, cool pools and fast running
riffles, or small rapids.
Salmon need woody
debris. Logs, branches,
and trees in the stream,
on the banks, and across
the stream provide
shelter, shade, and other
important habitat benefits.
You can help protect native salmon!
• Avoid walking in the river - especially on gravel beds where salmon lay their eggs.
• Leave logs and driftwood in the river, they provide important salmon habitat.
• Don’t remove dead salmon from water or riverbanks, carcasses feed other animals!
• For more info or to get involved, come see the Nooksack River Stewards at the Glacier
Public Service Center from July-Sep., visit www.n-sea.org or email info@n-sea.org.
The Nooksack River is home to endangered salmon. Do your part to help them out!
Salmon need cold, clean and clear water and a healthy streamside ecosystem to survive.
The area adjacent to a stream, river, or other waterbody is known as the riparian zone and
helps ensure streams can support salmon.