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SallrtOll R@COV@I~/ ! In November 1999, the City of Eugene The:'"decline of salmon and steelhead runs formed the Eugene ESA/Salmon Team to rn northwest rivers is another story with' 'proactively look for ways to protect and aid ; -i .roofs in the arrival of Euro-American' the recovery of listed salmon species, i immigrants (see Chapter 2). Two major' Among the many City programs and ' factors have contributed to this; One is a policies that already contribute towards a ' decline in water quality, which began with healthy river, the Salmon Team was charged ~ i agriculture and logging. These activities with assessing habitat, and reviewing City ~ reieased soil intothewater, and contributed activities and City policies. For more Skinner Butte Park to flooding and dramatic cuffing ctf'stream information see the Eugene/ESA Salmon provides a good beds. `-0ther effects of agriculture include Recovery Program at http;// opportunity to high levels of nutrients #lowing into the river www•ci.eugene,or.us/salmon. contribute to the from livestock, and, later in the 20th century, health of the aquatic wi.~lespread use offei~ilizers and pesticides. Given the reduction in the river's overall com lexi throu h channelization a hi her ecosystem, and fo UrbaRzatign and industry such as'"paper P tY 9 ~ g educate the mills have.. also greatly impacted the river burden is placed on the remaining community about through chemical toxins riverbank areas to realize plans for salmon salmon recover sewage. ofd and 9~i Y~if~~~ recovery. Skinner y gasoline from cars Butte Park lies and increased runoff . adjacent to a stretch r from -paving ar~d of the Willamette i buildings. River nearly a mile long. Particularly in an urban area, this provides The the other major factor contributing to a good opportunity to contribute to the the decline of salmon is the rapid health of the aquatic ecosystem. The use disappearance of diverse habitat needed and management of land near the river affects a uatic habitatthrou h water uali by salmon during different stages of their q g q ty life cycle WhFle early logging practices and the transfer of healthy levels of nutrients ' 3 destroyed breeding areas in upland into the aquatic system. Development streams, the Willarnefte River has also been efforts, recommended through the master changed dramatically by construction of plan: should proactively respond to these numerous flood control and hydroelectric' issues both in terms of land use and the ` dams. Over the years, the channel has details of cdnstruction. been transformed through engineered banks and dams from a meandering, mile- Perhaps more importantly, the park's ~ } wide system of diverse sloughs, gravel bars.: prominent Ipcation near downtown, as well and flood plains, to a single channel (a as ids diversity of habitat types, make process called "channelization"), often S#cinner Butte Park an excellent place to ~ s flanked by urban development of educate the co'rnmurity about the agriculture (see "Riverbank Stabilization," relationship of human :use and this chapter). This drastically reduced the management of land to salmon recovery amount of other aquatic habitat types andwater quality"issues in general :Clearly,: needed by salmon - in particular young the basis for change in the community rri:ust salmon. be effected through its irdivid~als. Basic concepts, such as how salmon use tfie The cumulative effect of these factors has lower river terraces, why salmon are present been devastating to salmon populations, in the river year-round, how land use affects i and in March of 1999, the spring Chinook water qualify and habitat, and how the river salmon in the upper Willamette River basin we see today has changed over the last ~ was listed as a threatened species under 150 years, are all good candidates for the federal Endangered Species Act. The interpretation in the park. final protective rules for the Upper Willamette Spring Chinookwere published on July 10, 2000 and became effective on January 8, 2001. ' 40 Chapter 3: Inventory and Assessment -