Preserving the Forests and Rivers of the Upper Yakima River Basin
If our forests, rivers, wildlife and fish could talk, what would they say? Our conservation and habitat restoration work have given us a picture of what that might be. We give their important stories a platform through our blog and videos. We also share stories about the work we are doing to ensure critical habitat in Kittitas County remains accessible and healthy for wildlife, fish, and people.
Blog Posts
Tis the Season for Salmon Spawning!
Starting in September, a stroll across Cooper Bridge off Highway 903 will reveal lots of spawning sockeye salmon. These fish, which used to run up to the Cle Elum River every year in the tens of thousands have only recently returned to these waters. Prior to 2009, they had been
Cougar Gulch – Protecting Fish and Roads
Through the end of September, we will be working on a fish habitat project. The project will replace two culverts located in Cougar Gulch near Liberty, WA. This relatively small project will benefit fish by removing culverts that are too small for the stream at higher flows. Furthermore, the project
Bull Trout in the Food Web
By the time they are adults, bull trout can measure over 2 feet in length and weight over 20 pounds. Their large size lends itself to them being the apex predator in lake and river ecosystems. However, as young fish they are an important part of the food chain as
Biologists Rescue Stranded Bull Trout in Kachess River
Team of Biologist Rescue Stranded Fish In Kachess River The Daily Record wrote a great story about the efforts of KCT and our partners to keep bull trout from disappearing from the upper Yakima River Basin. Only three populations remain in the upper Yakima River Basin, one of which is
Protecting Bull Trout in the Upper Yakima River Basin
Kittitas Conservation Trust (KCT) is working hard to protect bull trout! They are important for maintaining the unique ecosystem of the upper Yakima River basin and are a primary indicator of climate change impacts – a canary in the coal mine. Bull trout are currently listed as threatened by the US
Floodplain Connections
Way long ago, the Yakima River flowed unobstructed from the high mountains of the Cascades to the hot arid landscape of the Columbia River. Wide swaths on both sides of the Yakima were covered with cottonwood, quaking aspens, chokecherry and currents. The rivers and streams became swollen in the