Salmon Stream sign signifying church creek as the salmon stream

Where is Church Creek?

Church Creek is a tributary to the Old Stillaguamish Channel. It's home to several species of salmon, provides recreational opportunities, and contributes water to Port Susan, a shellfish harvest area.

What's the problem with Church Creek?

Loss of forest cover in the Church Creek watershed has resulted in a variety of water quality problems and has limited salmon recovery in the Stillaguamish basin. Church Creek is currently on the Department of Ecology’s 303(d) list of impaired waters for dissolved oxygen and fecal coliform bacteria contamination. Low levels of dissolved oxygen are caused by a lack of streamside forest and are harmful to fish and aquatic creatures. Fecal coliform bacteria contamination is caused by human, pet, and animal waste, and can make water unsafe for swimming, recreation, and shellfish harvest.

What’s being done to clean up Church Creek?

The Snohomish Conservation District will restore riparian habitat and improve water quality in the Church Creek basin. We plan to restore 7 acres of prioritized riparian forest, install 2,500 feet of fence, prioritize stormwater problems and target outreach to those areas, and implement farm Best Management Practices to reduce nutrient and bacterial pollution.  We hope to increase awareness and build a sense of community within the basin that will promote long-term water quality benefits through stewardship.  

Project Highlights & News

Featured
Doing the Right Thing(s)
Doing the Right Thing(s)

Back in August, we went back to visit one of our cooperators, Bill Cayford, who is the type of guy who just wants to do the right thing with his land.

Bill has 20 acres total, half of which is pasture and open space

Read More →
Local Businesses Beautify and Restore Stormwater Ponds
Local Businesses Beautify and Restore Stormwater Ponds

The Snohomish Conservation District gathered dozens of local volunteers last Thursday behind the Stanwood Camano Village to help restore a bare and degraded landscape right in their own backyard. Volunteers included employees from local businesses, including the YMCA, the Everett Clinic, Port Susan Dental Care, Subway, and Process Solutions.

Read More →
Making Progress on Church Creek
Making Progress on Church Creek

Improving watershed health takes everyone. It takes landowners of all types – urban, rural, farmers – coming together and figuring out how they can do their part to keep the watershed healthy for the near- and long-term. Since 2013, the Snohomish Conservation District has been working to accomplish exactly that in the Church Creek sub-basin, thanks to a grant.

Read More →
Grants Awarded to Help Landowners and Local Streams
Grants Awarded to Help Landowners and Local Streams
Read More →

Upcoming Events

There are currently no events planned in Church Creek.