Bingo, jack salmon finds way to college's KNOLL
Posted: 1/11/2012
It may not be much but the single jack salmon carcass found in the Centralia College KNOLL section of China Creek, part of the Chehalis River system, is an important sign. The reconstruction of that portion of the creek appears to be suitable for spawning salmon.
"This is really a clear indication that salmon like this section of the creek," said Dr. Steve Norton, Centralia College professor in biology. "The efforts made to restore China Creek are bearing fruit." Norton said that one jack (a salmon that has spent one winter at sea) may not be overwhelming evidence that China Creek will return as a major spawning creek, but "if one salmon liked it, we've done something right." The restoration of the spawning grounds is a major reason why the college worked so hard on cleaning up China Creek.
The college cleaned the China Creek bed and reshaped the banks as part of the creation of the Kiser Natural Outdoor Learning Lab (KNOLL), a lab environment that features the ecological regions of the state; the fact that a coho spawning creek runs through it was a bonus. The college wanted to demonstrate that the improvements would give fish an inviting habitat and, long term, set a standard for improvements along additional sections of the creek.
The area of the stream running through KNOLL will also be improved as flora along the creek takes hold and grows and as trees grow to provide shade to keep the water temperatures lower. Norton said that salmon returning to the KNOLL section of the creek could be dependent on the quality China Creek downstream.
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