Issaquah Creek Project is Underway

As you may have noticed lots of trees and rocks have been piled up at Lake Sammamish State Park in the last few weeks. Those trees and rocks are being used to help improve fish habitat along Issaquah Creek this summer. Led by Mountain to Sound Greenway Trust the project seeks to reconnect Issaquah Creek to its floodplain and add large woody debris back into the channel.

Improving Issaquah Creek will improve outcomes for salmon in the watershed. Reconnecting the creek will improve water quality and adding large woody debris helps create essential refuge for salmon, keep stream temperatures cooler and helps regulate water levels throughout the year. Later this fall together with volunteers the stream sides will also be revegetated with native plants to help both fish and wildlife habitat.

Contractors will be working throughout the in-water work window (June - early August) to complete this project. You may see closure signs on some of the public trails at Lake Sammamish State Park. Contractors will be operating heavy machinery in the area to move debris, and lift and move large trees and rocks into place. The closures ensure the safety of the public and contractors. Please respect the trail closure signs and allow the contractors to complete their work safely.

The result of all this work will be a healthier ecosystem—for fish, for wildlife, and you too!

To learn more and to register for public walking tours and volunteer opportunities please visit our partners Mountain to Sound Greenway Trust here: https://mtsgreenway.org/lower-issaquah-creek/