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Ten Tips for Fish-Friendly Living

Ten Tips for Homebuilders

These suggestions are practical changes we can consider making in our daily lives to help salmon. This information does not substitute for any local, state or federal legal regulations. Reprinted with permission from the Oregon Governor’s Natural Resources Office at 503-378-3589.

1. Activities that affect erosion
When planning where to place a house, think about activities that will occur both during construction and once people live there that could affect erosion. Erosion increases the amount of sediment that enters streams either directly or indirectly through storm drains. This increased sediment load acts to cover gravel spawning and rearing beds needed by salmon and reduces the amount of oxygen available to fish and other aquatic life.

2. Value of streams and streambanks
Consider the economic and aesthetic value of healthy, fish-bearing streams and shady streambanks. Natural, pristine riparian areas and waterways can be desirable to homebuyers, and preserving these areas benefit aquatic life by reducing erosion, providing shade and enhancing habitat for fish and wildlife.

3. Silt barriers
Use and maintain silt barriers during construction such as straw bales, bio-filter bags and silt fences to trap sediment and keep it out of storm drains. Build retention areas or use reverse grading to trap water that could otherwise carry soil from the building site into the drainage system.

4. Soil and debris runoff
Avoid grading during rainy periods and plant vegetation as quickly as possible to reduce the amount of soil and debris that can wash away from a site. Vegetation helps stabilize the soil to keep it in place and filter the water that runs off a construction site before it reaches the stream.

5. Equipment use
Keep heavy equipment away from streambanks and out of the stream channel. Equipment use near streams can increase erosion, disturb riparian vegetation, damage wetlands and degrade instream habitat needed by fish and other aquatic life.

6. Yard and lawn debris
Keep yard and lawn clippings away from streambanks. Debris piles can suffocate native streamside plants that stabilize the bank and shade the water, keeping it clean and cool. Yard and lawn clippings can also introduce exotic plants or weeds to the waterway, which can alter the aquatic community and reduce levels of dissolved oxygen in the water when they begin to break down.

7. Large woody debris
Leave large wood in streams. Naturally occurring woody debris creates pools and refuge areas where fish spawn, hide and rest. The instream structure created by large wood also provides important habitat for aquatic insects, which are an essential food source for fish and other aquatic life.

8. Construction waste
Quickly dispose of construction waste by recycling or making materials available for reuse. Chemicals and other wastes drain to streams and pollute the water that fish and people need to survive.

9. Stream channels
Seek advice and learn about protective regulations before altering stream channels. The course of a stream affects the water speed, temperature, amount of sediment transported and various other factors that affect instream habitat for fish and aquatic life.

10. Share intentions
Communicate your intent to prevent erosion and protect riparian vegetation to construction workers. On-the-job workers may come up with new ideas for doing the job better with less impact on the watershed.

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