From: Steve Boessow

To: "JPAC461@ECY.WA.GOV".SMTP.GWDFW

Date: 11/01/2005 11:04:15 AM

Subject: Re: FW: Cascade Creek Orcas Island

Jim,

The conditions Mr. Evans describes in Cascade Creek could also be stated of many Washington streams: High winter flows and low summer flows controlled by storage and diversion structures. Fall spawning pacific salmon and spring spawning sea-run cutthroat trout are well equipped to deal with variations in flow when the habitat is intact. Chum, especially, do not require year round flow for rearing since they outmigrate soon after emergence.

In the absence of the two diversion dams (Olga and Rosario) more water would flow to Buck Bay, thus through the spawning area. Given the large amount of gravel we saw upstream of the dams and the gravel starved bedrock downstream I am wondering what the falls would have looked like in their natural state? It is possible that in it's natural state the waterfall was passable at some flows and to some salmon species. There have been a lot of changes to the entire length of Cascade Creek and few of them were beneficial to fish.

Storage in Mountain Lake is almost entirely managed to keep Cascade Lake full, provide for the Olga and Rosario water rights and provide recreation in Mountain Lake itself. Remember that we saw significant flow being released from Mountain Lake and no flow at all below the Rosario diversion. However, the creek picked up 1.25 cfs in the reach between the lower dam and the falls (June, 2005). Even without the Mountain Lake Dam there is likely some level of base flow providing water into the creek. As we have seen in other systems, the absence of flow in some reaches does not preclude the presence of fish where there is water.

The bottom line is that there are fish there and there have been fish there for a long time. How long and from what source? I don't know, but it really doesn't matter.

Steve Boessow, Water Rights Biologist

Department of Fish & Wildlife

Habitat Program

(360) 902-2410 voice

(360) 902-2946 FAX

boesssnb@dfw.wa.gov

>>> "Pacheco, James M" <JPAC461@ECY.WA.GOV> 10/31/05 12:31 PM >>>

Hal and Steve:

I am developing a response to this email and would appreciate a few

quotes from F&W as to the presence of coho and chum in Cascade creek

(the only source I have is the 1976 stream catalogue), the rational F&W

uses when making a SWSL recommendation, and any hydrology or geology

information you have relevant to Mr. Evans' concerns.

Thank you both

Jim

-----Original Message-----

From: John Evans [mailto:johnevans@orcasonline.com]

Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 7:06 AM

To: Pacheco, James M

Subject: Cascade Creek Orcas Island

Mr. Joe Pacheco:

As a citizen on Orcas Island and as a former San Juan County

Commissioner for three terms, (1993-2005), I am surprised and concerned

to learn that Cascade Creek in Olga is being considered as a salmon

stream in terms of the water right allocations now under review.

Natural conditions are not at all suitable for salmon in this stream.

An upstream waterfall that blocks salmon passage means that possible

spawning areas for salmon is very small. Even more critical is the

simple fact that the natural stream flow is often very intense during

the winter rains only to become virtually non-existent during the

summer. These extremes are a natural factor of Orcas Island geology,

typography and the seasonality of rainfall on the island.

The stream flow that does exist in the summer is primarily due to

releases from the dams and water retention facilities that were built

nearly 100 years ago by Robert Moran who donated Moran State Park to the

citizens of Washington State.

There have been a series of efforts to establish a sustainable salmon

run in Cascade Creek dating back nearly 100 years. The efforts have

failed simply because the conditions for salmon are not available under

natural circumstances in this stream. The watershed's relatively thin

water-retaining top soil conditions, extreme typography, the bedrock

structure, the lack of natural water-metering wetlands on the East side

of Mt. Constitution combine to mean that most of the water that arrives

during the winter rains flows directly off the mountain and into Puget

Sound. The water that is retained is located behind the man-made dams a

Cascade lake and Mountain Lake. Prior to the building of these dams by

Robert Moran, Cascade Creek was largely dry in the summer.

If we could turn back the clock of history to a time prior before

settlement of the Orcas Island by Europeans, there may have been two

locations...Westsound and Deer Harbor... that possibly had native salmon

runs. In both these locations the geology, typography, soil conditions

and natural wetlands may have created conditions that allowed salmon to

spawn and return. These combinations of factors are not present for

Cascade Creek.

I would strongly encourage you to take another look at the natural

conditions in the Cascade Creek drainage. I think you will find that

the only successful salmon effort that could be considered is a man

assisted hatchery program. That is what one person is doing now. He is

following in the footsteps of many prior similar hobbyists who loved to

work with salmon. His effort and desire are not enough to meet the

criteria for classifying Cascade Creek as a viable natural salmon

stream.

There is adequate water within the Mt constitution watershed to meet the

needs of our communities as we plan under the Growth Management Act.

Meeting this need means that we will need to develop more storage

capacity and continue to use the water that is available wisely.

Storing water that otherwise will be racing into Puget Sound during the

winter does not have a negative affect on the plants and animals that

are native to the island. Trying to establish a non-native salmon run

with this seasonal water flow will have a huge affect on all of us who

live here. Please review your data and assumptions. Best available

science means science, not politics and not wishful thinking.

Sincerely yours,

John B Evans

Orcas Island

CC: Hal Beecher