04/15/09 Sisters
 
The Healthy Waters Institute (www.healthywatersintitute.org) and Wolftree (www.beoutside.org) will be engaging local Sisters students in the restoration of Whychus Creek. Working with assistance from the Sisters Ranger District, Three Sisters Irrigation District and The Freshwater Trust, Sisters High School Interdisciplinary Environmental Expedition students will participate in a unique project to enhance fish and bird habitat for reintroduced steelhead.
 
The restoration approach is unique in that the planting will primarily involve plants salvaged from a soon-to-be piped ten-mile McKenzie Canyon/Black Butte Canal System. This nearly 100-year-old canal system diverts water from Whychus Creek to irrigate local farms. It boasts mature willow and alders, hardy riparian types of plants, which will soon be lost in the construction of the pipe. Significantly, the piping project will restore six cubic feet per second (cfs) of streamflow to the historically dewatered Whychus Creek.
 
The Whychus Project is an innovative long-term education and restoration project that is part of the educational programs offered by the Healthy Waters Institute. Participation in the Whychus Creek Student Stewardship Project provides students with an opportunity to better understand their home creek while actively contributing to the restoration of it. Together, Wolftree and the Healthy Waters Institute work with Sisters High School teachers to facilitate the connection between education and restoration.
 
Whychus Creek historically boasted robust runs of salmon and steelhead. With current improvements to the Pelton-Round Butte Dam due to its Federal Energy Relicensing agreement, the reintroduction of historic migratory steelhead is on the horizon. When these iconic fish return to Whychus Creek, it is of critical importance that habitat conditions along Whychus Creek are intact and healthy. The re-establishment of vegetation along the creek will dramatically increase habitat by stabilizing streambanks and providing shade - especially in conjunction with the increase of streamflow as a result of the piping project. A healthy riparian area will also significantly benefit forest birds that forage and nest in riparian areas. It will also improve the special recreation value of the creekside areas that are very near to town.
 
By actively involving students in the planning and implementation of the restoration of their creek, we will enhance their connection to their watershed and thus increase the watershed literacy of the community. Education Coordinator, Kolleen Yake recently commented on the project: "Our hope is that with more connection to the creek, there will be a greater likelihood of a legacy of community watershed stewardship for these iconic returning steelhead."