Edmonds…

Too bad they stripped out all the native alder and salmon berry that shaded the creek prior to this project. Spawning chum are now totally exposed in bright sun. The article hoping for chinook salmon to spawn in Lund's creek is laughable. Chum and coho were planted by scouting groups many years ago, but only a few chum return to spawn now. I was also disappointed they engineered the creek channel into a straight line, where once it meandered into shaded cut banks and deep holes under root balls. Overall, I applaud the new bridge design and tidal pool design.

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It will take at least 5 years for native vegetation to shade the spawning gravel. This chum was one of the few I saw this November.
 
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DimeBrite said:
Too bad they stripped out all the native alder and salmon berry that shaded the creek prior to this project. Spawning chum are now totally exposed in bright sun. The article hoping for chinook salmon to spawn in Lund's creek is laughable. Chum and coho were planted by scouting groups many years ago, but only a few chum return to spawn now. I was also disappointed they engineered the creek channel into a straight line, where once it meandered into shaded cut banks and deep holes under root balls. Overall, I applaud the new bridge design and tidal pool design.

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It will take at least 5 years for native vegetation to shade the spawning gravel. This chum was one of the few I saw this November.
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A little harsh perhaps. But I understand the sentiment. Fresh stream restoration can look pretty ugly. If you think that’s bad, don’t go watch it in progress! Shocking. Stuff definitely dies in the process. The idea is a net benefit over the long run. It’s not immune to criticism.
Live stake willows, dogwood, and cottonwood could shade that creek in a couple years. I can’t speak to this exact design but it looks “process based” to me; give the channel the space and type of bed materials and form that it can work and re-work to create habitat. And I don’t think they’re expecting spawning Chinook; they’re more focused on the rearing that area juvenile Chinook will do in non-natal streams, I believe. Some will duck in from the saltchuck and hang out for a period of time.
 
It has been a very important SRC stream. Cutthroat numbers are less robust these days on that beach, but hopefully will improve now that the project is done. I've visited the project throughout and wish they placed a few large boulders and root wads to slow the stream and form deep pools.
 
DimeBrite said:
It has been a very important SRC stream. Cutthroat numbers are less robust these days on that beach, but hopefully will improve now that the project is done. I've visited the project throughout and wish they placed a few large boulders and root wads to slow the stream and form deep pools.
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We can hope! Maybe it’s a template for BNSF and all the rail line’s myriad impacts on north Puget Sound; like the article mentions, they have not been too receptive in the past.

Just a guess that BNSF had something to do with the lack of placed wood upstream of the tracks.
 
Other have probably seen yhis already, but in case you haven't and want more info on this project:


Meadowdale Beach Park and Estuary Restoration Project (2023) | Snohomish County, WA - Official Website

This project restored a historic (pre-railroad) 1.3-acre estuary that provides essential rearing habitat for ESA-listed Chinook (threatened), Chum, and Coho salmon as well as Cutthroat trout; and restored nearshore processes key to Puget Sound recovery.
snohomishcountywa.gov snohomishcountywa.gov
 
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Zak said:
Other have probably seen yhis already, but in case you haven't and want more info on this project:


Meadowdale Beach Park and Estuary Restoration Project (2023) | Snohomish County, WA - Official Website

This project restored a historic (pre-railroad) 1.3-acre estuary that provides essential rearing habitat for ESA-listed Chinook (threatened), Chum, and Coho salmon as well as Cutthroat trout; and restored nearshore processes key to Puget Sound recovery.
snohomishcountywa.gov snohomishcountywa.gov
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Says they installed 21 pieces of large wood in the creek. Maybe they didn’t put them in the right places, maybe they got covered up, I don’t know. Show @DimeBrite the As-builts!
 
Matt B said:
S

Says they installed 21 pieces of large wood in the creek. Maybe they didn’t put them in the right places, maybe they got covered up, I don’t know. Show @DimeBrite the As-builts!
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Most of the root balls they installed are in the lower tidal flood pool region, which is great for young smolts seeking shelter A+ grade. Sadly, in my opinion, the main creek channel upstream has a straightened out gravel bottom section that looks like a Todd Hofmann Gold Rush sluice. Chum can spawn there if water is high enough, but it would be vastly more productive if they installed additional large boulders or root wads to slow the flow and create some pools. It would have cost an extra $2,000 to do.

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I love the new rail bridge. A+ grade

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Nice new tidal flood pool for salmon smolts and cutthroat, includes woody debris for shelter. A+ grade. This used to be a grass field that flooded in winter.

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The main stream channel (lower section) was straightened out and lacks sufficient pool forming big boulders and/or root wads. This creek gets low in cold snaps and those small pools are vital for salmon spawning and young cutts to find cover. Lack of shade is a temporary problem, assuming they planted all the right native shrubs and trees. Salmon berry thickets here are vital cover. C- grade.

A new viewing bridge upstream will provide cover until the vegetation matures.
 
Zak said:
The Seattle Times article in the original post has a picture that shows large woody debris and planted cuttings:

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This photo captures the Todd Hofmann gold sluice stream channel redesign. It is shallow and swift. Low creek flows won't allow passage. Insert big boulders and anchor root wads to slow the flow here, says me.
 
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DimeBrite said:
if they installed additional large boulders or root wads to slow the flow and create some pools. It would have cost an extra $2,000 to do.
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If only that were true. More like $20,000, in part because engineers demand a high degree of certainty in this kind of situation.
 
DimeBrite said:
This photo captures the Todd Hofmann gold sluice stream channel redesign. It is shallow and swift. Low creek flows won't allow passage. Insert big boulders and anchor root wads to slow the flow here, says me.
Click to expand...
Looks like a deformable channel to me. Maybe give it some time to evolve and reach some equilibrium.
 
DimeBrite said:
Most of the root balls they installed are in the lower tidal flood pool region, which is great for young smolts seeking shelter A+ grade. Sadly, in my opinion, the main creek channel upstream has a straightened out gravel bottom section that looks like a Todd Hofmann Gold Rush sluice. Chum can spawn there if water is high enough, but it would be vastly more productive if they installed additional large boulders or root wads to slow the flow and create some pools. It would have cost an extra $2,000 to do.

View attachment 50135
I love the new rail bridge. A+ grade

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Nice new tidal flood pool for salmon smolts and cutthroat, includes woody debris for shelter. A+ grade. This used to be a grass field that flooded in winter.

View attachment 50140
The main stream channel (lower section) was straightened out and lacks sufficient pool forming big boulders and/or root wads. This creek gets low in cold snaps and those small pools are vital for salmon spawning and young cutts to find cover. Lack of shade is a temporary problem, assuming they planted all the right native shrubs and trees. Salmon berry thickets here are vital cover. C- grade.

A new viewing bridge upstream will provide cover until the vegetation matures.
Click to expand...
Went down this morning at around high tide. The tide forecast was for 11 ft plus and there was a south wind pushing water. Things looked a bit different but still a pretty cool situation.
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Looks ugly. Sad really. I grew up around those parts and this might be bright note in the history of that area. Considering that the whole lower area was a country club at one time. There even was a swimming pool just upstream from the old railroad bridge. When the clubhouse burned down all of us high schoolers were bummed that our favorite hangout was gone. Hope they know what they’re doing with this so called makeover.
 
DimeBrite said:
It has been a very important SRC stream. Cutthroat numbers are less robust these days on that beach, but hopefully will improve now that the project is done. I've visited the project throughout and wish they placed a few large boulders and root wads to slow the stream and form deep pools.
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I imagine this is why I consistently saw Cutthroat caught into late winter at that beach. I also imagine that’s why it fished better for me than a few other beaches in the area.

It should be noted that the project is going to continue into Spring 2023. Maybe more woody debris, boulders, and vegetation will be added? Regardless, to my uninformed eyes it seems like an improvement over the narrow concrete culvert
 
I visited the park yesterday to see the project and am generally pleased with the concept and implementation, but my concern was that only the very highest tides would inundate the tide pool constructed upstream of the RR trestle. Vandelay's images at an +11' tide show that it looks like it will work at least at tides of 8' and up. The storms this winter have deposited a bunch of new large woody debris in the creek starting just above the project area, which already had quite a bit to begin with. More woody debris in the reconstructed tidal estuary would have been nice, but I suspect that part of the project is considered done now. What remains is mostly the landscaping and construction of picnic shelters, etc. for visitors.

I used to hike down to the beach frequently when my grandson was little, but it has been a while since I've been there. I was surprised by the crowds. Maybe the Seattle Times article influenced others to go, as it did me, or maybe it was just the holiday. Parking seems to be a problem now. The small lot was full with several more cars waiting for someone to leave. Overflow parking used to be readily available in the streets just outside of the park, but the recent development just outside of the park has resulted a proliferation of 'no parking' signs. I ended up parking 3-4 blocks away.
 
Parking has been tough for many years now with the no residential park parking, almost impossible to find a spot any nice summer evening or weekend afternoon. Now if you go early in the am, like I use to, parking wasn’t such an issue. I’ve had some good days fishing there but as the parking got worse so did the fishing 😆

Last time I was there for fishing was pre covid summer and there were 100+ kids running around in wet suits, kayaking, sailing, boating, etc. in 2014 or 15 they started sunset bay marine summer camp. It just North of the creek at Meadowdale.
 
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