Half the recent funding will pay for the tribe to study spawning and incubation success in the north fork. This will include monitoring redds, the nests where salmon lay their eggs, to see which habitat is preferred, and what factors could impact the eggs' survival. Too much fine sediment can choke off the eggs' air and nutrient supply, while overly coarse gravel doesn't offer adequate protection. Other factors include channel stability and the availability of protected areas for the fish to lay their eggs. As 70 percent of south fork juveniles spend their first year in the river, Coe said the other study will try and learn where they are rearing and what habitat factors are limiting their survival.
Healthy habitats restore healthy runs.
By understanding what habitat is most limiting for young fish we can know where to target funding. Information gathered in the two studies will help the tribe plan projects that make the river naturally more fish friendly. We need to get at the root causes of degradation to get there. Three other project in the county received a portion of the salmon recovery funds. The Nooksack tribe will work with the land trust to restore the forest along 2.7 miles of chinook habitat.