The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is reeling in locals with a public meeting about giving fish more freedom. They are setting their sights on the Talbot Dam, a barricade on Green Creek in Pacific County that has been blocking our finned friends for too long. The plan? Yank the 20-foot-high earthen blockade to restore some 2 miles of swimmable habitat for various salmon and trout varieties.
Anyone with a stake or just plain interest is invited to join the discussion at Willapa Valley High School at 6 p.m. on May 23. If you think this is some covert operation, think again. Melissa Erkel, a fish passage expert at WDFW, made it clear: "We recognize the importance of Green Creek and the surrounding area to the local community," she told WDFW's newsroom. By that, she means your input could help steer the project as they work on the dam.
Built for the timber wolves of yesteryear and later serving the down-to-earth agricultural crowd, Talbot Dam has played its part. However, it has also been the one thing holding back plenty of fish from reaching their spawning hotspots, not to mention interfering with sediment and debris flow crucial for a healthy creek life.
Opening up the creek's wallet for this isn't a catch-and-release situation, though. Thanks to the Salmon Recovery Funding Board, which has been awarding grants to projects like these since 1999, the design of this dam makeover got the green light. The Board, an initiative of the Washington State Legislature, provides funds to restore salmon habitats, benefiting both aquatic life and us landlubbers in the long run.
It's clear the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife isn't just about preserving the old way of doing things; they're about ensuring that Washington's fish, wildlife, and habitats continue to thrive. So, whether you're in camp "Save the Salmon" or simply enjoy being involved in nature's affairs, this meeting is your chance to dive in.
