WE MAKE THE WENATCHEE – ENTIAT – METHOW WATERSHEDS HEALTHIER – JOIN US !
Since 1982 the Icicle Valley Chapter began working to care for and recover rivers and fisheries in the Eastern Cascade Range. Beyond our home waters, we work together with TU staff and partners to advocate for rivers, restore stream habitats, plant native trees in riparian zones, help connect kids to the outdoors and so much more.
Our conservation and restoration work relies on volunteers and supporters to be successful and thanks to all of you, we are able to help with:
- Blackbird Island fishing pond. The initial construction and the ongoing maintenance and infrastructure revitalization.
- Key participant in the acquisition of the Peshastin Mill Site, securing permanent public ownership for nearly a river mile of Wenatchee River shoreline. Now and forever available to everyone to enjoy without fear of development or fences.
- Assist with salmon spawning at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery
- Advocate for suction dredge mining reform and other regulation changes to protect threatened and endangered salmon, steelhead and bulltrout in the Wenatchee River watershed.
- Sponsor major river restoration projects, including an important side channel project on the Entiat River.
- Riparian planting projects on Icicle Creek, Cold Creek and the Wenatchee River.
- Fundraising events to support conservation efforts. Chapter Conservation Banquets, sale of smoked salmon, fund raising salmon dinners, Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce ambassador program at the Fest Hall and along the Wenatchee River.
- Litter cleanups on Icicle Creek and Fish Lake.
- Scholarships for mid and upper Wenatchee Valley high school seniors who plan to pursue degrees in fisheries or other natural sciences.
Protect, Reconnect, Restore & Sustain
Our river restoration work uses Trout Unlimited’s “landscape approach” to conservation in order to address the many issues impacting the health of our rivers, streams and the watersheds in which they flow. It is not enough to simply plant trees along a river to reduce erosion and shade and cool the water. Nor is it adequate to just focus on removing dams and culverts that block fish migration. And just reducing the volume of polluted stormwater runoff flowing into streams – while positive – on its own is not enough to turn the tide.
To truly restore our local rivers, we must do all of the above – and more – so that the entire ecosystem is brought back into balance.
Not only are we working to repair the damage caused by historic activities such as fires, logging, agriculture, and development, but now we are also driving to build resilience into our rivers and streams so they can withstand the coming pressures of man-made climate change and the expected increase in droughts, floods, temperature and volatility in the coming years and decades.