By Eli DeWitt, Instream Project Manager

Terrell Creek is a shoreline stream that originates from the 200-hectare Lake Terrell in northwest Ferndale. It flows just over 7.5 miles through a mix of agricultural, residential, and conserved lands before emptying into Birch Bay in Blaine. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) owns the Lake Terrell Wildlife Area, which is used for waterfowl hunting and fishing.

Much of Terrell Creek is under conservation due to efforts by British Petroleum (BP), WDFW, and Birch Bay State Park, as these entities own large portions of the watershed. The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) has collaborated with approximately half of the landowners along the creek, working to restore its habitat since the early 2000s. Over the years, we have partnered with local groups such as Chums of Terrell and Birch Bay Water and Resource Management (BBWARM) to improve the Terrell Creek watershed.

Historically, Terrell Creek supported healthy runs of coho and chum salmon, as well as steelhead and cutthroat trout. However, these populations have declined due to habitat loss, degradation, and human alterations such as the removal of beaver dams, wetland drainage, and channel dredging. One major issue NSEA has worked on is removing fish passage barriers. Since habitat loss is a key factor in the decline of salmon populations, improving access to suitable habitat is essential for their recovery.

NSEA has taken multiple steps to improve access for migrating fish in Terrell Creek:

2007: We removed a concrete dam from private property, improving access to upstream habitat in Terrell and Fingalson Creeks and their tributaries.
2012: In partnership with WDFW, the concrete dam just downstream of Lake Terrell was removed. While a small check dam remains to stabilize the lake level, this project restored a more natural water flow and improved fish access to the lake and its tributaries.
2014: We replaced a barrier culvert with a concrete bridge on private property, improving fish passage while ensuring landowner access to their property.
2019: Removed barrier culverts and installed concrete bridge on a Lake Terrell tributrary to improve upstream access for fish, and again ensuring access for the landowner.
2021: We retrofitted a concrete box culvert with flexible rubber baffles, which slow and back up water flow, allow sediment accumulation, and create resting areas for fish. We also placed logs for habitat and sediment control on the reach between Brown Rd. and Aldergrove Rd.

Thanks to these efforts, fish passage along Terrell Creek has significantly improved over the past two decades. Chum salmon have been spotted just downstream of Lake Terrell, signaling the restoration of fish access at least to the lake.

Join us on Friday, April 25th, for a Terrell Creek Habitat Tour to learn more about our restoration efforts and their impact on salmon recovery.

Stay tuned to Fish Tales as we continue the tale of Terrell Creek with the addition of large woody debris!