Skagit Valley temperature water quality improvement
Clean, cool water is the backbone of the Skagit Valley's ecosystem. The Skagit River runs through forests, fields, and cities, sustaining wildlife and providing a safe habitat for animals to live and grow. The river is home to all five species of salmon in Washington state and produces over half of all wild Chinook salmon — the preferred food of southern resident orcas — in Puget Sound.
The Skagit River is essential to people as well as wildlife. Communities include the local Tribes in the area — the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe, and the Samish Indian Nation — farmers, and recreational users.
To make sure this river and its tributaries remain healthy for generations to come, we’re committed to undertaking and supporting efforts to help us reach water quality goals.
The problem: water temperatures are too high
Cold-water fish, like salmon and trout, in Skagit streams thrive at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. For reference, that’s about 20 degrees colder than a typical outdoor swimming pool! When temperatures climb above 72 degrees, salmon and many other aquatic species face life-threatening conditions.
Right now, the Skagit River and its tributaries have higher water temperatures than they should. As a result, many major creeks flowing into the Skagit River were placed on Washington’s list of impaired water bodies, called the 303(d) list.
Many streams in the Skagit Valley sit at lower elevations and don’t receive cold water from mountain snowmelt during the summer months. They rely on groundwater to keep flowing through the hotter months. Land-use changes that remove trees and alter stream channels have significantly contributed to rising water temperatures in these waterbodies.
Keeping Skagit Valley Wild and Cool: The Impact of Warm Streams
Learn more about high water temperatures and how it threatens the wild nature of Skagit Valley and beyond in this video.
Our plan to address temperature impairments
To address these water quality impairments, we conducted a 2004 study and, in 2008, we developed a total maximum daily load (TMDL) improvement report. In 2020, it was clear that progress was not happening fast enough to meet the restoration goals set in the TMDL, so we developed an implementation strategy, which is an update from the 2008 report. This updated plan refocused efforts and launched an outreach campaign to connect Skagit residents with information about the water quality problem and the actions that can help.
These documents describe the best methods to help the Skagit River and its tributaries meet state water quality standards.
One of the most effective ways to cool water temperatures is to shade streams by adding or retaining streamside trees that block direct sunlight. Riparian restoration works even better when paired with other approaches that create cold-water refuges, including:
- Adding large, woody debris to stream channels
- Restoring side channels
- Reducing impervious surfaces in the watershed
- Reducing erosion and sediment runoff
- Encouraging beaver activity and beaver dams
Why temperature matters for salmon and aquatic wildlife
When salmon swim through water that is too warm, it affects their metabolism, making them more susceptible to disease and predation. Warm water also holds less dissolved oxygen, making it harder for the fish to breathe. If temperatures are too high for too long, salmon can die before they ever get a chance to spawn.
Keeping Skagit Valley Wild and Cool: How to Keep Streams Cool
We can all help keep the Skagit River cool. Watch this video to learn about different ways to help fix the high-temperature problem and protect local wildlife.
What we're doing now
We perform annual watershed evaluations within the Lower Skagit River watershed to prioritize sites for implementing best management practices (BMP) and riparian restoration. We look for nonpoint pollution from agricultural, forestry, and residential sources that impact streams, and identify site conditions that cause — or have the potential to cause — pollution of surface water or groundwater.
We help protect and improve water quality by working directly with landowners to implement BMPs. We provide technical assistance for site-specific concerns and connect landowners with organizations such as the Skagit Conservation District and the Voluntary Stewardship Program to design and carry out pollution prevention projects.
The Voluntary Clean Water Guidance for Agriculture outlines our recommended BMPs. This guide offers practical advice for applying BMPs and gives farmers a range of options to help protect water quality. It’s designed to support healthy farm operations while helping producers meet clean water standards.
We provide financial assistance to local partners and landowners to help put water quality solutions into practice. Our funding programs support streamside vegetation and other work that helps waterways meet water quality standards. We are always exploring new funding opportunities with our partners to keep water clean and cool.
How you can help
We work with a wide range of partners to address high water temperatures in Skagit waterbodies, and everyone can play a role in improving water quality conditions.
Some key actions that groups and individuals can take to help reduce water temperatures include:
- Planting trees and native vegetation in floodplain and forest areas.
- Installing and maintaining vegetated buffers near streams and wetlands on your property.
- Keeping livestock out of streams and riparian areas.
- Controlling soil erosion in the watershed.
- Managing stormwater runoff from roads, fields, and developed areas.
To help you get started or for more information, please reach out to any of the following sources:
- Kaylin Gentz, nonpoint source water quality specialist: kaylin.gentz@ecy.wa.gov
- Matthew Colston, TMDL lead for the Skagit watershed: matthew.colston@ecy.wa.gov
- Jenn Johnson, Skagit County Natural Resources Division: jennej@co.skagit.wa.us
- Skagit Conservation District: skagitcd@skagitcd.org or 360-428-4313
Related links
Contact information
Matthew Colston
Watershed Cleanup Specialist
matthew.colston@ecy.wa.gov
425-200-8252