S.O.S. in Gales Creek –
Surveying Our Steelhead begins this spring

By Ric Balfour

A group of nine volunteers gathered together at Gales Creek School on Saturday March 18th to learn how to conduct steelhead spawning surveys. They were there at the invitation of the Tualatin River Watershed Council (TRWC) a local leader in the effort to bring back native fish once plentiful in this part of the watershed. Surveys were conducted last fall on the creek conditions and streamside habitat quality with the intent of identifying potential places for tree planting, log placement and invasive weed control. To monitor the effects of these efforts over time, volunteers are being trained to look for spawning winter steelhead and other fish in the study area. The training session was organized by TRWC and taught by Jeff Fulop, the ODFW Salmon and Trout Enhancement Program biologist for this region. Volunteers were there representing both NW Steelheaders, Tualatin Valley chapter members and Trout Unlimited, Tualatin Valley chapter members.

Joyce Sauber, a Gales Creek community member, assisted with the set up and participated in the training.  Joyce provided an interesting history on the valley, community and past fish runs, and said “I get so excited when people are doing good things for our Gales Creek area and restoring fish runs is one of those. I love this valley and anything that makes our environment a better place. I really enjoyed the variety and backgrounds of the people attending Saturday’s meeting, they bring so much experience and knowledge together, we can all learn so much from each other.” Several landowners also expressed interested in participating and Ric Balfour will follow up and provide them with the training information and survey sheets on which they can record their observations. 

During the training, Tualatin River Watershed Council coordinator April Olbrich provided background on the project and the purpose of the volunteer monitoring program. As stream enhancement projects are developed over the next few years, salmon numbers need to be tracked. No systematic count of spawning salmon has ever been undertaken in Gales Creek so this survey has been organized to provide baseline count.

Jeff Fulop, the ODFW Salmon and Trout Enhancement Program biologist, provided the group with some history of fishery management in the region and survey training. He also answered the question, “How does one identify a spawning winter steelhead trout?” Winter steelhead trout are very good at being difficult to see and shy (ask anyone who fishes for steelhead trout) and as a result of these traits through to be few in number in this watershed. However, these spawning fish do make a distinct redd or depression in the streambed gravel that has the tell tale sign of washed gravel.  (insert file photo) Even if few winter steelhead trout redds are counted this spring, it will be important data to compare with future survey records. The volunteers will make note of other species, conditions and features along the creek that has been divided into two stretches; one from the Gales Creek Store to Roderick Road bridge and the other from Roderick Road Bridge to Stringtown Road. Like the other surveys conducted last fall, access to the stream is based on cooperation from the landowners. In planning the survey, project manager Ric Balfour has taken care to avoid any need for volunteers to walk outside the stream bed or park on private property.

Ric Balfour, the TRWC project manager, provided information on the Lower Gales Creek project, the need for the survey information, etiquette with the landowners and the spawning survey kits which the volunteers will use.  Ric will be the coordinating hub, keeping track of the volunteer sign up dates, and letting landowners know when volunteers will be out doing the surveys. Volunteers are scheduled to conduct spawning surveys every week or two over an eight week period from April to May. These surveys are dependent upon the stream levels.  Currently the water flow level is too high to safely navigate the stream and many stream edges are overgrown with blackberry or too steep to negotiate around pools. Safety is the main concern and volunteers were instructed in what to do and what to avoid. The volunteers will travel in pairs and Bill Hundley of the Gales Creek store is generously helping by keeping a sign in sheet to record when volunteers go out and come back. Survey gear backpacks are kept at the store as well.

The training included identifying the types of stream reaches to look for spawning activities. The group met at the Gales Creek Highway and Roderick Road site owned by Washington County as a “hands-on training” site.  An added bonus for the group was observing a river otter upstream. “That was a big surprise and bonus to the day for me,” said Ric Balfour, “I’ve been working and recreating in the Tillamook and Clatsop State forests since 1991 and never spotted a live one!”