In to the Wild Side of the Green-Duwamish River

In to the Wild Side of the Green-Duwamish River

I recently returned from a seven day whitewater rafting trip down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho.  Seven days immersed in a the largest roadless area in the lower forty eight states.  The Middle Fork of the Salmon seven day rafting trip starts in the mountains near Stanley Idaho and winds and drops over 98 miles from forested mountains to the tawny grass covered hills of desert country.  In between is a wildness that pulses with the life of the plants and animals that call it their home.  At night from the river you can see the lights of the Milky Way overhead.

Once back home I returned to the Green River Gorge to look for more Otters in one of the last relatively unfragmented east / west corridors of open space near over two million people living in King County.  The gorge has few roads that cross over it’s fourteen mile length.  Three to be exact and a river runs beneath their tall bridges.  The wildlife can travel through the gorge without having to cross a road to get from the Cascade foothills to the lowlands of the Green river valley.

The Otter Report

The Otter Report

If I were an otter this is where I would want to live.  This secluded spot on the river is the equivalent of a country estate or a riverside vacation home for otters.  Giant sandstone cliffs create seclusion.  Giant rocks poke above languid deep green pools of slow moving water.  The rocks are perfect places to eat a catch or rest from the safety of a lofty perch.  Otters can see what is coming. If there is danger they can slide quickly into the water and make a get-a-way.  Water carved sandstone creates pools perfect for cray fish, an otter food source.  The deep water hides sandstone caves and mazes of rocks to swim in between.  Yes, if I was an otter I'd want to call this my home.

Boulder Hopping Otter Spotters

Boulder Hopping Otter Spotters

Michelle and I headed out to a more remote section of the Green River Gorge to search for river otters.  This was the most remote area that I have spotted otter sign and it isn't easy to get to, as we found out on our hike. 

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day

Today I hiked with my parents out to one of my favorite places in the Green River Gorge.  A deep river gorge created by timeless processes and intermixed with short human stories; both created by the flow of water through stone.  It is times like this, as I get older and realize that my parents won't be around forever, that I drink in the companionship and snap a photo in my mind for later on when they won't be there to follow me bravely down the trail.

Exploring the Gorge as an Otter Spotter

Exploring the Gorge as an Otter Spotter

Exploring the Green River Gorge is a challenge.  There are very few “official trails” and those lie at either end in the established Flaming Geyser and Kanaskat State Parks.  In between lies uncharted territory made up of fishermen, game, and locals trails that lead down to various locations along the river...

In Search of Otter Poop

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In Search of Otter Poop

Yesterday I spent the day as a guide and documentary photographer for a scientist, Michelle, doing an Otter study on the Green Duwamish river. Michelle, along with my friend Sylvia and I were scouting the Green River Gorge looking for signs of Northern River Otters. My knowledge of the landscape in the river gorge w/ Michelle's knowledge of otter signs led to three latrine sites. That was in one small section of the river. 

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Green River Cleanup

Green River Cleanup

"Did you know the Green River Clean-Up was conceived by Volunteers for outdoor Washington. In 1985 they removed over 100 tons of trash, pollutants, cars, tires, appliances etc. on 130 miles of river banks from Tacoma’s Headworks to Elliot Bay. The 14 mile Gorge reach was organized by Washington State Parks Dennis Meyers, then Ranger At Kanaskat Palmer. Included Washington Kayak Club, Paddle Trails Canoe Club, Boing Whitewater and Touring Club and the fledgling Washington Recreational River Runners".

— From Green River Cleanup website.

Upstream at Icy Creek

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Upstream at Icy Creek

Yesterday I attended the inaugural Green / Duwamish Watershed Symposium. It was a pivotal event for our watershed. Over 240 people came to share ideas and see how they can collaborate together to protect, conserve, and restore our river.

This comes on the heels of a recent event that I uncovered while I was out taking some photographs at Icy Creek. An area that I had explored, a large forested bog surrounded by deep forest, was altered in a way I never expected. The entire area around the wetland had been clear cut and into the bog. They left a few remaining cottonwoods that will most likely come down in the first big windstorms we have.

I had no idea this was even legal but apparently the State logging rules are very lax and may allow for this type of deforestation and destruction of wetlands and subsurface water channels.

This bog is one of the areas where Icy creek spring surfaces as it flows along sandstone channels and then surfaces and tumbles 300 ft down into the Green River Gorge where it flows into the Green.

This spring feeds cold, unpolluted water into the Green and supplies water to a hatchery.  Salmon, both wild and hatchery, spawn at it's lower reach.  It has very little protection because it is not an above surface stream for most of it's length.  Even though salmon spawn along the section of the spring at the base of the Gorge it is not considered important enough to warrant studies.  This spring along with at least six others on the south side of the Gorge supply a significant amount of cold unpolluted water into the Green River, a river that already has significant temperature and waters quality issues because of all the urbanization downstream.

The big unanswered question is how is this going to affect water quality and quantity?

For before and after photos click here.

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Winter Bog
Winter Bog

Icy Creek during highwater flood event.  The ground water formed an above ground channel that flowed from the southeast through a ravine and into an old creek bed that flowed into the bog and above ground.  I wonder if at one time these springs didn't flow above ground year round?

Trees in the Bog During the Dry Months
Trees in the Bog During the Dry Months

During the summer months much of the ground bog dries up but never completely.  The mud hosts a tapestry of critter prints who come to use the area to drink the water that is left. 

Bog After Clearcut
Bog After Clearcut

Underground spring emerges as surface water in this bog.  Then it goes underground again as it crosses the Enumclaw Franklin Rd and again emerges as a year round pond.  Then it goes underground again and emerges from the ground as it slopes towards the gorge and becomes an above ground spring that tumbles down the Green River at the Pautze pond hatchery.

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