On Monday (Sept. 21st), a merry band of men who never lost their childhood sense of joy in playing in streams set off down Miller Creek in Burien and Normandy Park. Their grown up mission was to carefully assess and, where necessary, remove debris jams that block upstream salmon passage. With coho salmon due to return next month, now was the time to do this work.

Stream steward Dennis Clark, assisted by enthusiastic volunteers Andy Batcho, Jim Buchman, and Dave Evans, organized the project. Accompanying them was a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist, the aptly named Larry Fisher. The B-Town Blog’s own Michael Brunk, who thought he came along merely to take photos, also ended up helping to move the largest logs.

Click below to view his Photo Slideshow:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

Salmon are persistent and agile fish and often can swim under, through, and over what appear to be complete blockages. However, in smaller streams such as Miller and Walker Creeks, some jams are complete blockages that would limit the ability of the fish to reach the upper parts of the stream where they would lay their eggs (spawn). At the same time, tree trunks and limbs in the stream provide an important role in creating pools where young salmon rear. Wood also provides shelter where young fish can hide from predators such as great blue herons. Consequently, the team carefully assessed each log/debris jam before deciding to take action. Larry provided the expertise and authority to determine which jams should be removed. Removal of jams in the stream – and most activities affecting the stream channel – require state approval. Based on their evaluation, the team disassembled two blockages. A third was too big for the equipment they had and they’ll return later this week to disassemble a part of that.

The debris jams on Miller Creek were on private property and the team thanks the various property owners who graciously granted property access.

This work complements ongoing efforts to improve streamside habitat, both by private property owners and through organized volunteer projects stretching from the Cove in Normandy Park to the restoration site on Miller Creek at S. 144th St. in Burien. October offers volunteer restoration opportunities on Miller and Walker Creeks on three Saturdays:

• Oct. 3rd
• Oct. 10th
• Oct. 17th

Learn more at the volunteer webpage here.

If you’re interested in volunteering on future stream blockage removals, contact Dennis at 206-296-1909, or via email: dennis.clark@kingcounty.gov.

This is the beaver's dam home. The yardstick is used (by humans) to monitor water levels, which are affected by the beaver's dam.

This is a beaver in its home. Any dam questions?

A recent posting in our forums from Sue (one of the beaver’s neighbors) is worth a note as well, expressing her concern for the safety of the animals if they’re relocated:

“We have recently had a couple of beavers decide to move into our pond area off of Desmoines Memorial Drive.

But, because they’re affecting the culverts under the roadway, the city may relocate them to avoid having to pay to keep them in their protected habitat.

We’ve had a guy from King County out a couple of times, and they’ve lowered the levels of the dams and cleared out the culverts.

They have warned us that if the beavers keep being beavers, that they will have to be relocated.

I’m not sure if anyone knows this but the mortality rate of a beaver, once relocated, is very slim. Please help us keep our wild life!!“

According to King County’s Miller/Walker Creek Basin Steward Dennis Clark:

As for the beavers, they are still there doing their dam beaver thing. I now TRULY understand the term “busy as a beaver.”

I’m the “King County guy” that Sue refers to, of course. Her characterization of the issue isn’t entirely accurate, unfortunately.

Right now, the City of Burien is reviewing how to manage the beavers. While it’s exciting to have the beavers and they provide ecological benefits, they also in their dam way cause some big drainage problems. The key challenge is keeping the culverts under Des Moines Memorial Drive free-flowing so water doesn’t back up and flood over the road and the neighbors to the north.

What makes the decision for the City particularly hard is that the costs of different options vary considerably and the outcomes of the more costly options are uncertain. WILDlife is unpredictable in its response to our efforts to “manage” it.

At this point, I don’t know when the City will make its decision.

previously, Clark has also written on his blog:

Per yesterday’s entry, further work was needed to clear the Walker Creek culverts under Des Moines Memorial Drive in Burien. Overnight, the beavers were as busy as — well, beavers — and they had partly replugged one culvert and rebuilt a dam.

My clearing efforts did raise the water level flowing downstream by 2 p.m. Friday. As occurred yesterday, shortly after I concluded my work, the water flowing downstream became clear. Any longer-lasting turbidity downstream likely is due to sediment in the stream being mobilized by the temporarily higher flows. Reports from people in Normandy Park confirm that turbidity decreases once the flows do.

This clearing of the culverts and the attendant flow fluctuations downstream hopefully should occur no longer than for a few days next week. This manipulation of the stream is not desirable and is only occurring as a byproduct of efforts to protect public property (a major road) and private property (a septic drain field).

So…what do YOU think the city should do with these beavers? Please take our poll, or leave a Comment below…

Dennis Clark, Miller/Walker Creek Basin Steward.

Just got word from Dennis Clark, Miller/Walker Creek Basin Steward, that Workshop #3 on monitoring coordination for Miller and Walker Creeks has been changed from this Wednesday, Nov. 19th to Thursday Dec. 4th.

The new date is Thursday, December 4, 7 – 9 p.m.  The workshop will run from 7pm-9pm and will be at the ERAC Building, 15675 Ambaum Blvd. SW.

This date change will allow more interested people to participate.

To catch everyone up-to-date, Workshop #2 focused on coordination of monitoring of water flow, water quality, and habitat conditions on Miller and Walker Creeks. Workshop #3 will continue those discussions.

WHAT: Miller/Walker Creeks Monitoring Coordination Workshop #3

WHEN: Wednesday, November 19, 7 – 9 p.m.

WHERE: Educational Resource and Administrative Center, 15675 Ambaum Blvd. S.W., Burien (note – this is  new location for these workshops).

INFO: New participants are welcome.  However, if you did not participate in Workshop #1 (Sept. 24th) and/or Workshop #2 (Oct. 29th), please review the materials for and from the first workshops:

• Workshop #1 Agenda (Word .doc)
• Workshop #2 Agenda (Word .doc)

Reviewing these materials in advance (along with others located here) will make your participation more productive for both you and the rest of the participants.

Workshop #3 will focus on:

• Finalizing and prioritizing answers to question #1 discussed at Workshop #1: What water quality/quantity/habitat issues are we concerned about?
• Brainstorm ways to better manage and coordinate monitoring

Please let Dennis know if you have any questions or suggestions:

Dennis Clark
Dennis.Clark@kingcounty.gov
206-296-1909

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