It takes a watershed to raise a salmon

Published on March 4th, 2010

By TRACY NUZZI

Each summer salmon return to their natal watershed to reproduce and continue the lifecycle that has been occurring for generations. In Cordova's back yard, sockeye, coho, and pink salmon swim up Eyak River to spawn in Eyak Lake and the lake's tributaries. Here the next generation of salmon will mature for up to two years before embarking on their journey into the Pacific Ocean. Eyak watershed, the area of land that drains to the lake, includes much of the community of Cordova. Our actions on land will be captured by rainfall and snowmelt and funneled down to the lake, what is known as storm water runoff.

Living on the steeply sloping foothills of Mt. Eyak where soil development is young with poor drainage qualities and heavy precipitation, Cordova's neighboring water bodies are deeply affected by storm water runoff. Storm water is precipitation that is unable to percolate into the ground, running over impervious surfaces (e.g. cement, pavement), picking up pollutants and discharging to receiving water bodies. Cordova's receiving water bodies are Orca Inlet, Eyak Lake and Odiak Pond.

Storm water pollutants may include sand, gravel, suspended and dissolved solids, oil, grease, antifreeze, chemicals from engine wear, heavy metals and incidental trash. In addition to the more obvious pollutants such a hydrocarbons, oil, and heavy metals, high nutrient loads and sediment input should also be considered when assessing salmon habitat quality.

Not all sediments are the same. While glacial silt is fine enough to not adversely affect fish or their habitat, larger sediment does pose a threat. Sediment is a pollutant that can clog and abate fish gills, irritate scales, suffocate eggs and aquatic insect larvae, and compromise lives of aquatic insects that cannot live in turbid water. Sediment input can be caused by erosion that happens when vegetation is cleared from upland or riparian areas or when carried by storm water.

Polluted storm water runoff is now widely recognized as the single largest threat to water quality in the United States. Our community's culture and economy is closely linked with the sustainability of salmon and therefore the health of their habitat. As our community grows, protecting our waterways from polluted runoff is a priority to be addressed.

The City of Cordova Planning and Zoning Commission and the Copper River Watershed Project invites you to participate in a discussion concerning storm water runoff in our community. The meeting will be held 7 p.m. today, March 4, at City Hall.

Please help Cordova become more aware of storm water. Don't run off salmon, and keep storm water clean.

For more information, contact Traci Nuzzi at the Copper River Watershed Project at 907-424-3334.