Cherry Creek Restoration Project

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: 01

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT: 45

WRIA: 7

CITY, COUNTY: Duvall, King County

COST: $703,000

PROJECT SUMMARY

Cherry Creek is the Snoqualmie River’s lowest major tributary; its location provides high recovery-benefit potential for Chinook, Coho, and other salmonids. Because Puget Sound’s agricultural occur mainly in active floodplain, many farming areas are exposed to more frequent and prolonged flooding due to oversaturated soils. The installation of a dike and pump station in Cherry Creek disconnected the Creek from the mainstem to prevent farmlands from flooding, but disrupted floodplain processes that create and maintain natural habitat for wildlife. Reduced availability of off-channel habitat eliminated habitat where fish can rest during high and low flows, juvenile can rear, and adults can spawn. This restoration project was designed to improve both salmon habitat and access, while improving drainage for surrounding agricultural lands. By increasing stream habitat and hydraulic complexity in the lower Cherry Creek and its floodplain, fish have access to historic floodplain habitat and riparian condition was improved for native birds and wildlife. The realignment of the Creek provided a larger channel to meet agricultural drainage requirements of surrounding lands.

Wild Fish Conservancy

Key Actions:

Stagnant drainage ditches were consolidated into a reconfigured 4,100 foot long naturalized stream channel, adding two miles of stream accessible to salmon
Installation of a bridge across the downstream end of the Creek to improve fish passage
Woody debris placed within the newly constructed stream channel will improve fish habitat, slow water flows
Replacement of a conventional pump system on Cherry Creek with a fish-friendly system designed to improve fish passage and reduce fish mortality
3 acres of native trees and shrubs planted as riparian buffer

Benefits:

Improved drainage of floodwater from adjacent farmlands
Maintains protection of farmland infrastructure and existing Cherry Creek levee
Improves fish and wildlife habitat within the Cherry Valley Wildlife Area
Recreational opportunities such as hunting and wildlife watching maintained
Complements other restoration projects in the area, including levee and pump removal

Project Partners: