Sloan-Witchert Slough Habitat & Irrigation Improvements

This project will eliminate a surface water diversion by converting irrigators to wells thereby allowing more water in the channel for fish habitat. Long term goals will provide unrestricted fish passage throughout the Sloan-Witchert Slough and provide educational signage on the community trail system.

Description: This project is located in the Upper Methow drainage, and targets spring chinook salmon (endangered), summer steelhead (endangered) and bull trout (threatened). The project will provide additional late season flow to the two mile long side channel by eliminating one surface irrigation diversion and converting the users to more efficient permanent ground water wells for irrigation. A second surface diversion will be converted to late season wells, to allow more water use for fish benefits during late season critical low flows and for irrigators when flows are adequate for fish. Restoring channel complexity will increase and improve the condition of existing spawning and rearing habitat, and provide for additional riparian plant recruitment.

Long term goals for the project propose to hydraulically re-connect the channel, wetlands, and floodplain back to the mainstem, allowing fish reliable access to valuable habitat for rearing and other sensitive life stages. Projects such as these are viewed as crucial to overall salmon recovery and this project specifically is considered permanent given that the site is protected due to voluntary development restrictions on nearby lands. The project lies adjacent to the Methow Community Trail and includes interpretive signage to inform the public of the efforts of this and other recovery projects in the Methow Basin.

Funding Status: Funding approved through Salmon Recovery Funding Board. Project design will begin summer 2002.