Methow Riparian Protection
Phase III

Tributary Committee Index

Contact Us

• E-mail Tracy Hillman
• Email Becky Gallaher

Project Sponsor:
Methow Conservancy

Funding:
Wells Tributary Fund

Project Location:
Located in the Methow River valley between Winthrop and Mazama.

Project Description/Purpose:
The Methow Subbasin watershed has historically been one of the most productive salmon spawning tributaries of the Columbia River. Currently spring Chinook, steelhead, bull trout, coho and summer Chinook use the subbasin for spawning and rearing. While much of the subbasin remains in excellent condition, in 1998 the Methow and Twisp rivers were listed on the State 303(d) list due to high water temperatures and inadequate instream flows. According to the Methow Subbasin Plan, many of the stresses on riparian areas result from residential development on private lands in the lower half of the Methow basin.

The Limiting Factors Analysis (Andonaegui 2000) ranks protecting properly functioning habitat, through conservation easements or acquisition, as the top priority to protect threatened and endangered anadromous fish in the Methow Subbasin. Conservation easements offer a tangible and permanent incentive to protect forested riparian buffers, maintain channel migration zones, limit the detrimental effects of roads and residential development, educate landowners and identify restoration opportunities. In contrast to property acquisitions by public entities, with conservation easements, the properties remain in private ownership contributing to the local tax base.

This project wll protect with conservation easements 236 acres of riparian lands on three separate, privately owned properties on the Methow River. These three properties are within a section of the Methow River that annually contains the highest density of spring Chinook redds in the subbasin. Floodplain habitat along nearly 10,000 linear feet of the Methow River channel will be protected from disturbance as a result of this project, including riparian forests and and active side channels.

 Press Release:

Methow Conservancy Works With Heath Family to Protect Wetlands, Forests and Floodplain for Wildlife and Fish

For more information, please contact Keith Truscott or Becky Gallaher at (509) 663-8121, or Tom Kahler at (509) 884-8171.

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