Skagit River Relicensing Project: Geomorphic Assessment Between Gorge Dam and the Sauk River

Fain Environmental is performing a geomorphic assessment of approximately 30 miles along the Skagit River, between the Gorge Dam and the Sauk River for the Skagit Relicensing Project. Fain Environmental used historic air photos to identify the spatial distribution and variability of large wood over time.  We collected field data for aquatic habitat and large wood in the main river, 50 side channels, and 20 tributaries. Fain Environmental is characterizing the current condition of aquatic habitat in the reach and how Skagit River dam operations-related changes in peak flows affect geomorphic processes and cumulative effects in the reach. Additionally, we are tracking large pieces of wood during storm events in 2021 and 2022 to determine the distance of wood movement and where large wood augmentation would be most effective.