Lower Cowiche Creek Restoration and Protection Advocacy

Lower Cowiche Creek Restoration and Protection Advocacy LCC-RAPA is an advocacy for ecological restoration and protection of Lower Cowiche Creek near Yakima, WA.

COWICHE CREEK HAS STANDING…"The river, for example, is the living symbol of all the life it sustains or nourishes—fish, aquatic insects, water ouzels, otter, fisher, deer, elk, bear, and all other animals, including man, who are dependent on it or who enjoy it for its sight, its sound, or its life. The river as plaintiff speaks for the ecological unit of life that is part of it.”… William O Dougla

s. Lower Cowiche Canyon Creek is critical habitat for endangered species with high priority for restorations and preservation. The unique combination of floodplain and upwelling of aquaferial waters near the confluence with the Naches River creates precious wetlands and side flows, essential habit for native fish, fauna and plants. The influence of this riparian zone extends vastly… …through the Yakima and Columbia river basins to the ocean. LCC-RAPA’s primary mission is to enhance and preserve the ecology of Lower Cowiche Creek. Restoration and protection of the river and the floodplain; including its animals, plants and water, especially endangered salmon spawning grounds; is the primary mission. Through discussion, advocacy and action; stakeholders cooperate to foster optimal human ecology among adjacent landowners, conservationists and recreational users of the river and its floodplain. The Advocacy seeks to promote, monitor and report development activities in the river and its floodplain from the trailhead at Cowiche Canyon Conservancy to the confluence with the Teiton River, where several restoration and trail development efforts are planned and underway. Restoration projects seek to remove the ecologically destructive remnants of the defunct railroad berm, water diversions and flow restraints to release the river and reduce flooding by reconstitution of a normal flow and floodplain, while enhancing the value of properties for adjacent landowners. Proposed trail projects seek to expand the Yakima Greenway to connect with Cowiche Canyon Trail. Native plant restoration projects are key to river restoration, floodplain function and faunal re-establishment. Careful trail placement and native landscaping can provide beauty, privacy and security for trail users and local residents alike while promoting ecological health for crucial spawning grounds. Actions:
• Protect the river and the floodplain
• Promote, monitor and report issues with restoration and development
• Publicize and advocate preservation and restoration activities
• Recruit benefactors and sponsors for protection and ecological development
• Sponsor and promote equal access, education and appreciation of the critical area
• Sponsor and promote long-term scientific studies of the restoration activities
• Assess impact of public-use through scientific monitoring of the complex

Principles:
1. Restoration and preservation of habitat for fish, wildlife and plants is the primary, ultimate goal
2. Recreation, education, and public access are a most powerful tool to foster, propagate and perpetuate long-term stewardship of ecologically sensitive areas
3. Public access must not degrade ecology or inhibit restoration
4. Public access includes facilities to view, enjoy, and educate visitors without encroaching on the fish, fauna and riparian flora essential to habitat health
5. The waterway, especial spawning grounds for endangered species, and associated habitat for riparian fauna, should be isolated as much as possible from human intrusion, illegal fishing, creek bed and bank disturbances by providing, native plant installations that discourage direct human access to most of the creek
6. Landowners with properties adjoining the waterway and restoration areas are ethically compelled to extend and promote the restoration onto their properties as much as possible
7. Landowners should encourage limited access and disturbance of the stream bank as much as possible, with dense planting of native plants on the creek banks and few incursions onto the waterfront
8. Human ecology is an essential component of the preservation and restorations
9. Restoration planning must consider human ecology, including privacy, public access, promotion of education, and wishes of adjoining landowners for long-term sustainability and propagation of the conservations works

Please join us in our targeted concern for precious habitat. Post to Facebook or email us at [email protected].

STOP THE CITY FROM USING THE RAILROAD BERMDear Friend of Cowiche Creek and TrailsIf we build a trail on the defunct rail...
10/30/2020

STOP THE CITY FROM USING THE RAILROAD BERM

Dear Friend of Cowiche Creek and Trails

If we build a trail on the defunct railroad berm in the middle of Lower Cowiche Creek, the damage caused by the railroad will never be repaired. We will lose major funding for salmon spawning ground improvement, for restoration of the creek. A good trail plan has been publicly approved, that allows restoration. But the trail plan is in danger, please help stop the destruction of your natural heritage…

On Lower Cowiche Creek is a section of defunct railroad berm, in the middle of a critical wetlands and salmon spawning ground. The berm, tons of gravel, leaches old motor oil into the spawning grounds. The berm also constrains the water flow and channelized the stream, causing flooding and degrades riparian function in an extended area, near the confluence of Cowiche with the Naches River. Thus, the berm has received funding ($220K), through MidColumbia Fisheries Enhancement Group (MCFEG) for removal and restoration. But…

The restoration project was delayed because Willian O Douglas Trail Foundation (WODTF) wanted to build a 10 foot wide greenway trail on the berm. WODTF also wanted to build a bridge, a poorly designed structure destine for washout. The original train bridge washed away decades ago, and a new bridge in the same location is a liability. If trail and bridge construction occurs inside Cowiche Creek, on the berm, the damage from the old railroad will never be repaired. A better trail alignment has already has already received a multi-agency permit, and the trail will go through, but… lawyers and engineers are working, in defiance of the permit, to keep the trail on the railroad berm.

Granted putting a greenway trail on the old railroad berm is the cheapest, easiest path to development of and asphalt sidewalk in the middle of creek, exactly the logic of North Yakima Railroad, over a hundred years ago: “just ram the railroad down the middle of the creek”, WTF? But we know better now the extended environmental impact of damage to critical waterways. We can stop perpetuation of the egregious insult, now, we can make amends to the Land.

A complete, approved alternate trail and 180-foot bridge spanning the wetlands was already publically and ecologically vetted, a Permit has issued. The permit allows a more beautiful trail, a trail not over-looking backyards and barking dogs, a trail with a view of the wetlands. https://services3.arcgis.com/.../0/417270/attachments/2315

Nevertheless, City Engineering department are building on the railroad berm. The City is clearing the berm and surveying for a bridge on the railroad right now. How can they just violate the permit? Please, stop them. Tell them they are wrong. Tell them we want repair not more, permanent damage.

Please help stop The City from disregarding our critical concerns.
Message the City of Yakima with your concern. Use your power as the rightful stewards of your fish, fauna, and flora. If you use Nature, if you hike, bike, hunt, fish, bird, then protect and beatify, rather than invade and defile, the most sensitive areas. Promote restoration, defeat further desecrations our Lands.

10/22/2020

TOXIC WASTE ALERT!

William O Douglas Trail Foundations (WODTF) has taken numerous actions to delay or hinder restoration of Lower Cowiche Canyon Creek. WODTF promotes saving and preserving the defunct railroad berm for use as a trail bed. The remaining berm is piles of gravel in the path of the creek. No bridges remain in the railroad conduit here. The WODTF states its prime directive is to carry out “fiduciary responsibility” to use the railroad berm purchased by the City of Yakima for the purpose of trail building. Therefore, WODTF’s interest is AGAINST to riparian and floodplain restoration, AGAINST repair and clean-up of railroad damage, and AGAINST removal of decrepit bridge pilings in this critical area. WODTF has acted AGAINST improving the function of the wildlife corridor between Snow Mountain, Cowiche Canyon and the Naches River. The motives, in the case of WODTF against Cowiche Creek Restoration, are also antithetical to the ecological ethic put forth and expounded by Justice William O Douglas himself. William O Douglas would be AGAINST William O Douglas Trail Foundation. Who will stand up for the wetlands and stream now? We need you now to defend your the natural ecology of YOUR trail and stream.

The WODTF has also implied that interests of the landowners in the area is ephemeral, while the interests of the trail foundation are permanent. The implication is for a strategy of persistent intrusion and disregard for landowners, who will eventually move away in deference to the trail users. Landowners in the area have attested to blatant disregard for their interests in their interactions with WODTF.

Against river restoration, WODTF did the following:

Opposed the project permitting process or commented in opposition to most permits and approvals by regulatory agencies.
Filed more than a 10 public disclosure or Freedom of Information Act requests regarding the restoration project with The City of Yakima and Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group
Solicited letters from the Yakama Nation to support the importance of the defunct railroad conduit as a cultural resource
Filed an application for historic preservation of the railroad conduit
Appeal to Governor Jay Inslee’s economic impetus initiative
Implied that a functional railroad conduit still exists, when bridges clearly do not exist and were removed by the railroad decades ago in this area

WODTF clearly supports further development inside the wetlands, floodplain and riparian corridor of Lower Cowiche Canyon Creek in deference to restoration. The WTF! is apparently is more interested in preserving railroad artifacts and trail history than in restoration and protection of ecology of the Lower Cowiche Canyon Creek.

Given the extreme importance of this area’s limited corridor for fish, flood water and fauna; Justice William O Douglas would be ashamed of political maneuvers against fish and stream ecology in his name. River restoration monies are scare: a terrible delay and waste of public monies for restoration is immediately toxic to our wildlife and human communities.

Dear Friend of Cowiche Creek and TrailsIf we build a trail on the defunct railroad berm in the middle of Lower Cowiche C...
10/22/2020

Dear Friend of Cowiche Creek and Trails

If we build a trail on the defunct railroad berm in the middle of Lower Cowiche Creek, the damage caused by the railroad will never be repaired. We will lose major funding for salmon spawning ground improvement, for restoration of the creek. A good trail plan has been publicly approved, that allows restoration. But the trail plan is in danger, please help stop the destruction of your natural heritage…

On Lower Cowiche Creek is a section of defunct railroad berm, in the middle of a critical wetlands and salmon spawning ground. The berm, tons of gravel, leaches old motor oil into the spawning grounds. The berm also constrains the water flow and channelized the stream, causing flooding and degrades riparian function in an extended area, near the confluence of Cowiche with the Naches River. Thus, the berm has received funding ($220K), through MidColumbia Fisheries Enhancement Group (MCFEG) for removal and restoration. But…

The restoration project was delayed because Willian O Douglas Trail Foundation (WODTF) wanted to build a 10 foot wide greenway trail on the berm. WODTF also wanted to build a bridge, a poorly designed structure destine for washout. The original train bridge washed away decades ago, and a new bridge in the same location is a liability. If trail and bridge construction occurs inside Cowiche Creek, on the berm, the damage from the old railroad will never be repaired. A better trail alignment has already has already received a multi-agency permit, and the trail will go through, but… lawyers and engineers are working, in defiance of the permit, to keep the trail on the railroad berm.

WODTF is interested foremost in rails to trails. WODTF worships railroads, so much so, that it dismisses the pre-eminence of the natural waterway. Railroads are symbol of eminent domain, of dominion, of conquest of the West, and taming of its native environment and culture. The creek is considered “drainage”, just a utility alongside the railway, a convenient trail conduit for horses, bikers and hikers. Yet, the Lower Cowiche Creek is a precious fish nesting ground, a sacred corridor for fish, flora and fauna traveling from the highland steppes to the Naches and Yakima Rivers and beyond. There is no reason to build and tromp through this most sensitive area, except the worship of choo choo trains. We that care for ecology and have humility for Nature can just walk around the spawning grounds, and not disturb the essential ecological functions of the river.

Granted putting a greenway trail on the old railroad berm is the cheapest, easiest path to development of and asphalt sidewalk in the middle of creek, exactly the logic of North Yakima Railroad, over a hundred years ago: “just ram the railroad down the middle of the creek”, WTF? But we know better now the extended environmental impact of damage to critical waterways. We can stop perpetuation of the egregious insult, now, we can make amends to the Land.

A complete, approved alternate trail and 180-foot bridge spanning the wetlands was already publically and ecologically vetted, a Permit has issued. The permit allows a more beautiful trail, a trail not over-looking backyards and barking dogs, a trail with a view of the wetlands.
https://services3.arcgis.com/9Qz94N8Zml9hnG84/arcgis/rest/services/Permits_ViewLayer/FeatureServer/0/417270/attachments/2315

Nevertheless, City Engineering department are building on the railroad berm. The City is clearing the berm and surveying for a bridge on the railroad right now. How can they just violate the permit? Please, stop them. Tell them they are wrong. Tell them we want repair not more, permanent damage.
Please help stop The City from disregarding our critical concerns.

Message the City of Yakima with your concern. Use your power as the rightful stewards of your fish, fauna, and flora. If you use Nature, if you hike, bike, hunt, fish, bird, then protect and beatify, rather than invade and defile, the most sensitive areas. Promote restoration, defeat further desecrations our Lands.
https://www.yakimawa.gov/council/contact/

Sincerely,
Paul D. Matthews, Ph.D.
Founder, Lower Cowiche Canyon Restoration and Protection Advocacy

In addition to Council Business Meetings, the Council conducts Study Sessions, Special Meetings, Retreats, and other meetings. While Council Business Meetings generally take place on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month beginning at 5:30 p.m., meetings are occasionally scheduled at other times and....

10/13/2020

Pools of motor oil are everywhere in the creek, amongst the salmon and trout spawning nests: the oil leaches from the old railroad berm gravel. The contamination begs to be removed and river restored. Do you use the Trail down there? Can you help?

EcoCorridor restoration by Midcolumbia Fisheries Enhancement Group, Summer 2020
06/02/2020

EcoCorridor restoration by Midcolumbia Fisheries Enhancement Group, Summer 2020

02/17/2020

Five-year study of animals in Devon finds measurable benefits to wildlife and people

Lower Cowiche Creek Ecocorridor Winter 2019 📸 Dr. Paul Matthews
12/08/2019

Lower Cowiche Creek Ecocorridor Winter 2019 📸 Dr. Paul Matthews

Spring
03/26/2019

Spring

Fall update in restoration
10/16/2018

Fall update in restoration

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