The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office is providing a labor force to help restore salmon habitat in the Nooksack Watershed. The Alternative Corrections program allows individuals to work off court fines as an alternative to monetary restitution and, in some cases, jail time.

This year, Whatcom County received a 22-month Centennial Clean Water grant from the WA Department of Ecology to fund restoration projects on Drainage Improvement Districts, using Alternative Corrections program participants. Partners in this grant are the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA), Whatcom County Sheriff's Office and Whatcom County Public Works Department. Several planting projects along lowland streams and ditches that feed the Nooksack River have been identified. Riparian (streamside) revegetation of past flood-control projects has also been planned along the Nooksack River.

Larry Nims and Gary DeBeeld, field supervisors with the Whatcom County Sheriff's Department, are directing work of the corrections crew. The crew will work to restore and maintain 35,000 lineal feet (6.6 miles) of riparian vegetation for the next two years. This is a challenging task, especially where new plant materials are growing in areas infested with reed canarygrass, a hard-to-control weed that often chokes stream channels and outcompetes native riparian plants.

These projects have merit as salmon habitat projects. Most of the work is located in lowland tributaries of the Nooksack River, which provide important overwintering habitat for young salmonids. Schneider Ditch, for example, is primarily designed and used for agriculture drainage purposes without considering its important function for young salmonids. The key will be to establish vegetation along this section, making it hospitable habitat for juvenile salmonids.

Shannon Moore, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association's project coordinator for the Drainage Improvement District projects, is responsible for setting up landowner agreements to work on private land and for supervising all materials and work done on the projects.

Mr. Moore states, " These lowland tributaries have the potential to be important wintering habitat for juvenile salmonids. If we can increase the holding capacity, making the ditches function properly as streams, then we are on the road to recovery. The challenge we have before us today in Whatcom County is preserving and enhancing what we have left. The health of the resource (salmon) is directly proportional to the health of the habitat."

For more information on this program, please contact the following:
Shannon Moore, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association 715-0283
Larry Nims, Whatcom County Sheriff's Office 676-6650
Paula Cooper, Whatcom County Public Works Dept. 676-6730