The Cemetery Creek and Salmon Park habitat restoration projects are located at the confluence of Cemetery Creek and Whatcom Creek. The Salmon Park project covers over 100 meters of the Whatcom Creek stream bank to the north, while Cemetery Creek encompasses approximately 75 meters along the south bank of Whatcom Creek and over 400 meters along the east and west forks of Cemetery Creek.
These projects were implemented to mitigate damages following the Olympic Pipeline Explosion along Whatcom Creek in 1999. During this event, the fishery and aquatic resources of Whatcom Creek were severely impacted. The goals for rehabilitation and enhancement center on mitigating damages by creating and improving salmonid habitat associated with Whatcom Creek.
Habitat objectives implemented in the projects include:
- Increased salmonid rearing habitat by creating off-channel ponds and backwater habitats.
- Improved habitat complexity for all life stages of salmonids in the lower portion of Cemetery Creek.
- Reduced erosion in the lower portion of Cemetery Creek.
- Removed portions of anthropogenic gravel berms to restore geomorphic function of stream processes.
- Provided enhanced habitat conditions, while minimizing impacts to surrounding vegetation and ground surfaces.
Salmon Park restoration site immediately following construction (left) and after replanting (right)
Cemetery Creek channel before (left) and after reconstruction (right). Restoration created rearing pools for juvenile salmon and increased habitat complexity and channel diversity.
Cemetery Creek North Pond before restoration (top), 2006 after restoration (middle), 2013 after restoration (bottom)
Restoration Site Monitoring
The City completed 10 years of monitoring for the Cemetery Creek and Salmon Park restoration projects. Monitoring was conducted in accordance with The Monitoring and Maintenance Plan Associated with the Whatcom Creek Restoration Plan Developed for the June 10, 1999 Olympic Pipe Line Gasoline Spill (Plan). The purpose of the Plan was to create protocols for early restoration projects to document environmental recovery, evaluate long-term performance, and provide a routine for appropriate maintenance activities using an adaptive management approach. The Settlement Agreement for the Whatcom Creek Pipeline incident provided funding for long-term monitoring of the restoration sites.
As required in the 2006 Plan, the City monitored the Cemetery Creek and Salmon Park restoration sites for a period of 10 years. Monitoring began in 2007 after project construction and continued through 2016. Monitoring for the Cemetery Creek and Salmon Park projects focused on seven elements:
- Vegetation
- Fish
- Macroinvertebrates
- Riparian and terrestrial wildlife (amphibians, birds and mammals)
- Hydrology and Habitat
- Water Quality Photo-points
The final monitoring report is now available:
