October 26, 1999 Olympia City Council
Work session on Aquatic Habitat Evaluation…Dear Council Members:
Yesterday I received a call from a friend telling me that tonight you have a work session scheduled to go over the Aquatic Habitat Evaluation & Management Report written by your Water Resources staff. I am in the Ellis Creek watershed, as the creek travels through my property just north of 36th Ave NE. Of concern to her (and me) is that Ellis Creek is not identified as a salmon-bearing stream.
It is salmon bearing. Around this time last year a neighbor and I walked the .4 mile section of the creek traversing Priest Point Park and observed a female salmon in post-spawning condition. Attached is a photo taken that day. This was not a comprehensive survey, just a chance finding on the one day we decided to go look for spawning salmon, since the old-timers around said they used to be there, but nobody could recall actually looking for them in quite some time.
Staff from the city, county, conservation district and the SPS Salmon Enhancement Group have determined that the culverts at both East Bay Drive and Gull Harbor Rd pose serious fish passage obstacles. The Deschutes Watershed Habitat List Committee lists the repair/replacement of the culvert under East Bay Drive as #3 on its priority list. Also, several years ago (maybe 5) a housing development project in the City of Olympia near 26th Ave and Bethel St caused major siltation in Ellis Creek because adequate erosion precautions were not taken. The has also been identified as an impediment to salmon since the spawning gravel is still covered with the silt.
I assume that the City recognizes the importance of its role in the management of both the part of Ellis creek in Priest Point Park and the surface water draining from the areas along the north border of the city. Please include this information in your consideration of priorities in the management plan. Recognizing Ellis Creek as salmon bearing (though in sad condition), the need for culvert enhancement or replacement, and the serious repercussions of not controlling surface water (such as the silting of the creek from construction) is vitally necessary for Ellis Creek salmon to survive so that our children and their children can witness them with awe as they make the final step in their life cycle.
Thank you for your consideration of this information.
Greg Falxa
Olympia, Wa 98506Attachments:
Copy of photograph of salmon in Ellis Creek, 1998
Map of Ellis Creek & culvertsBack to Ellis Creek page.
