Conserving land along our waterways protects vital habitat and helps keep rivers healthy, clean, and more resilient to drought. Riparian protection projects restore both freshwater and saltwater environments while safeguarding fish habitat. These efforts also help ensure clean water for families, farms, and fisheries across Washington.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is using a $119,100 grant to restore 0.4 miles of West Foster Creek within the Wells Wildlife Area in Douglas County. This area lies on the ancestral lands of the škwáxčənəxʷ (Moses-Columbia), Syilx (Okanagan), Yakama, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla peoples.
This stretch of the creek is currently in degraded condition due to an incised stream channel and active headcuts. The project aims to halt the incision process, improve water quality, enhance stream habitat, and restore the surrounding riparian vegetation. To accomplish this, WDFW will install beaver dam analogs and implement native restoration plantings.
The primary focus of the project is riparian habitat restoration, crucial for supporting wildlife, improving stream function, and building long-term watershed resilience.
