The Edmonds Stream Team, working with adult and student volunteers from Meadowdale and Edmonds-Woodway High Schools, has been surveying local creeks for salmon – – and the team reports many adult salmon are returning to Shell and Lunds Gulch Creeks.
The returning salmon can be seen by the public in Meadowdale Beach Park from either of the bridges in the park (Meadowdale Beach Park is located in both Edmonds and Lynnwood). Visitors to the park are asked to report sightings by texting 425-319-8386 to augment the Stream Team’s salmon surveys.
According to team leader Joe Scordino, the “Salmon SEEson” in Meadowdale Park goes from mid-October to early December and many public sightings have been reported since late October.
Thank you for work on protecting salmon. Since Shell Creek is mentioned, I’d like to point out again that upstream along Shell Valley Road and in Yost Park, the stream is not being protected. The stream is an open ditch along Shell Valley Road. Storm water catchment is not working. Along the north side of the street, run off from the street flows directly into the stream bed, along with all the dripped oil and other micro-pollutants from cars. Storm drains on the south side are poorly installed and miss much of the runoff. In Yost Park, the stream bed is not protected and a significant amount of sediment–due to trampling by youth groups and trails that run perpendicular to the slope–runs into the stream. The Draft EIS did not adequately address these concerns, which will be exacerbated by more development at Five Corners, which sits atop a very complex hydraulic system from Goodhope Pond to many underground feeder streams in the Shell Creek watershed. So good luck, Shell Creek Salmon. Your counterparts down in Carkeek Park have better support.
So awesome
Thank you for the wonderful story and photography. In “minds eye” each landmark is seen, sparkling fresh water, divided by fin of fish…certainly to enhance a future dish. Youth of America joining hands, guaranteeing the future
of verdant lands.
It would be great to have some presence of knowledgeable people that could educate the public about the salmon that are returning to this ‘new’ estuary and creek. Pipers Creek at Carkeek Park in Seattle is having a sizable chum salmon run right now, and many volunteers there that engage the public about the salmon life cycle.
This makes me so happy because 9 years ago I did a temporary social practice art installation addressing this very issue and look how far we have come! So proud of the efforts of a multitude from our youth to retirement!
https://myedmondsnews.com/2014/11/artfully-edmonds-profile-marni-muir-uses-art-shine-light-plight-salmon/
I moved to the Meadowdale Beach Park neighborhood during the rebuild process for the park…a year later what an utter joy to see the fruits of all the labors. I was there yesterday and saw the magic of the salmon returning home to bring forth future generations… If we think we have a challenging life keeping our future alive..have a look at these mighty beings…awe inspiring..thank you to everyone who helped make this regeneration of our stream happen.
Well Said Donna! I totally agree!
Are there public areas to view the spawning salmon in Shell Creek? I know it goes through Yost Park but haven’t heard if that’s a good place to spot spawning salmon. Thanks for the great article!
Unfortunately , there essentially are no public areas to see adult salmon in Shell Creek. The adult salmon that come into the lower portions of the creek cannot get upstream to Yost Park due to a manmade waterfall west of 7th Avenue and an impassible pipe under 9th Avenue. We have placed juvenile coho salmon in the creek in Yost Park, but when the survivors return as adults they end -up spawning in the lower creek because they can’t get past the manmade waterfall.
Joe is correct. The man made waterfall is about 5’ in height and was placed in Shell Creek years ago. The city has been trying for years to encourage the property owner to work with us to modify the waterfall so salmon can pass upstream toward Yost Park—to no avail. But we will continue to try, since this is important to local and regional salmon recovery efforts.
I don’t understand would you explain it to me Dave? Do these property owners own Shell Creek? Is it an actual creek? I don’t expect you to know why the property owners don’t want to modify the waterfall they built? Did they build it, or did they buy it with it already in place? No judgement here just curious. Thank you for anyone willing to explain this to me. I live near Yost Park so I am interested. Thank You.