| A Tale of Floods, Droughts, Forest Practices, and Climate Change |
| Environmental Speaker Series |
| Thursday, November 30, 2023 | 4:30-5:20pm PT |
| In-Person at WWU: Academic Instructional Center West, Room 204 and Online on Zoom The Chehalis Watershed In Peril : Western Washington University (wwu.edu) |
The Chehalis watershed has been in crisis for decades. Additionally, misguided farmers along the river have taken it on their own to “address” the problems, causing even more destruction. This should be an interesting discussion. I talked to Senator Van De Wege years ago about bills to open up gravel mining on the river, thankfully stopped by the Tribes.
About the Event
The Chehalis watershed is the second largest watershed in Washington State. From its headwaters in the Willapa Hills, it runs about 130 miles in a circuitous path to the Chehalis River estuary. It is a rain-fed watershed that has been heavily logged since the 1850s. Tree plantations, both privately and publicly owned, dominate the watershed. Only 14,000 acres of older, structurally complex forests remain in the watershed, where there are no National Parks or other protected areas.
In the summer of 2023, the Chehalis River experienced the lowest water levels in 94 years – since recordkeeping began. Clear-cut logging of old forests has a huge impact on stream and river hydrology, with flows reduced by as much as 50% in summer as water is sucked up by young plantation trees. Clear-cut logging also has a clear connection to the devastating floods that dominate the watershed in the last 30 years.
In this talk, Lee will give a general overview of environmental issues in the Chehalis watershed, as well as highlight the connection between forest practices and water quality. She will highlight the importance of preserving the last of the older, structurally complex and diverse forests that remain in the watershed.
The Environmental Speaker Series is free and open to the public. Talks are held each Thursday at 4:30pm in Academic Instructional Center West, room 204. Join us at WWU or online on Zoom!
Brought to you by:
College of the Environment
The Foundation for Western Washington University & Alumni
Event Speaker
Lee FirstTwin Harbors Waterkeeper
Lee First has a BS in Environmental Studies (Western Washington University) and a Professional Certificate in Wetland Science and Management (University of Washington). She has worked in the Waterkeeper movement for almost 20 years. As the Twin Harbors Waterkeeper, she works to advocate for, protect, and prevent pollution in the Chehalis, Willapa watersheds, as well as watersheds on the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula. Her past job experience includes managing environmental controls at a Superfund Cleanup Site, collecting water quality data for cities and counties, delineating wetlands and developing mitigation plans for Tribal governments, and controlling aquatic invasive species. Her passion for canoeing and kayaking (especially exploring new waterways) has led her to completing 17 sea kayak expeditions on the Inside Passage.
Filed under: Environmental Protection, Environmental Science, Events, Olympic Peninsula | Tagged: Chehalis, Chehalis River, Lee First, WWU | Comments Off on The Chehalis Watershed In Peril
