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<br />While still well below historic levels, in more recent years
<br />anadromous fish populations improved through a combination of
<br />fisheries management, habitat, facility improvements, hatchery
<br />supplementation, and reintroduction efforts. Habitat conditions are
<br />improving for steelhead. Yakama Nation efforts using hatchery fish
<br />re-established naturally reproducing coho salmon. Yakama Nation
<br />and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) have
<br />begun reintroduction of sockeye and summer Chinook salmon.
<br />
<br />Terrestrial habitat
<br />Terrestrial areas are the upland lands located above the Yakima
<br />River freshwater water zones. The zones may extend from the level
<br />lowlands that border marsh or creek banks to the tops of the bluffs,
<br />hills, or foothills located around the river corridor.
<br />
<br />Plants - Washington plant communities are divided into 3 major
<br />vegetation groupings including:
<br />¥ Forests
<br />¥ Grasslands and shrub/grass communities
<br />¥ Timberline and alpine areas
<br />
<br />The upper reaches of the Yakima River include some forested
<br />vegetation zones. The zones are defined by the different climates
<br />created by different elevations and the distinctive vegetation type
<br />that becomes dominant in a climax forest after the forest has
<br />progressed through successive stages of natural development. The
<br />dominant species defined by the zone usually reproduces to
<br />maintain dominance until some disturbance, such as fire, alters the
<br />zone's environment.
<br />
<br />Deciduous tree species such as red alder or big leaf maple or golden
<br />chinkapin are generally dominant on the lands that have been
<br />cleared for urban and agriculture uses in the lower reaches of the
<br />Yakima River. Black cottonwood and Oregon ash, along with red
<br />alder and big-leaf maple, tend to grow along the Yakima River’s
<br />major watercourses.
<br />
<br />Portions of the Yakima River corridor include several second growth
<br />lowland forested cover types including coniferous, deciduous, and
<br />mixed coniferous/deciduous forests. This forest type has marginal
<br />value as commercial timber or as unique vegetation. The majority
<br />of commercially important timber resources have been harvested,
<br />usually along with associated residential land development.
<br />
<br />The Yakima River’s lowland areas are covered by grasses,
<br />agricultural crops, and riparian vegetation that is prevalent along
<br />creek floodplains and at the edge of wetlands or open bodies of
<br />water. Deciduous hardwood trees including red alder, cottonwood,
<br />Oregon Ash, willow, and associated understory species are
<br />dominant within the wetland areas.
<br />
<br />Animals - urban and agricultural developments within the Kittitas
<br />Valley substantially reduced wildlife habitat through the years.
<br />However, valuable habitat qualities still remain in undeveloped,
<br />large native vegetation tracts and around the remaining wetlands
<br />and riparian (streamside) forests along the Yakima River.
<br />
<br />The Yakima and Cle Elum Rivers wooded areas support a wide
<br />variety of large and small mammals, birds, reptiles, and
<br />amphibians. The most common mammals include chipmunks,
<br />rabbits, marmots, skunks, and raccoons. A small number of larger
<br />mammals including mule deer, elk, mountain goat, coyote, wolf,
<br />bobcat, and cougar likely occur at the edge of the upper reaches of
<br />the Cascade foothills where large contiguous forested areas remain.
<br />Bighorn sheep inhabit the high cliffs overlooking the Yakima River
<br />in the Lower Canyon.
<br />
<br />Crows, jays, nuthatches, woodpeckers, sparrows, winter wrens,
<br />ruffed grouse, blue grouse, quail, band-tailed pigeon, turtle dove,
<br />pheasant, partridge, Merriam's turkey, owls, hawks, Osprey, and
<br />eagles find suitable habitat for feeding and nesting in the upland
<br />forested areas and stream valleys along the Yakima River. Many of
<br />these species can tolerate adjacent urban developments in and
<br />around Easton, Cle Elum, and Ellensburg so long as some habitat
<br />and connecting migration corridors remain undisturbed.
<br />
<br />Important terrestrial habitat elements include tall trees along the
<br />Yakima River shorelines, mature forests with snags and fallen trees,
<br />and undisturbed mature forest near or surrounding wetlands. These
<br />habitat elements are primarily important to bird species that nest
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