Beamer, E.M. and Larsen K., 2006. Effectiveness Monitoring of the Deepwater Slough Restoration Project for Wild Juvenile Chinook Salmon Presence, Timing, and Abundance. Skagit River System Cooperative, La Conner, WA. pp. 10.

The Deepwater Slough Restoration Project is located in the South Fork Skagit
River delta. The project was constructed in August and September of 2000 by removing
2.77 miles of dike and restoring tidal and river hydrology to 221 acres of historic estuary
(Figure 1). These natural hydrologic processes are expected to restore the area to
naturally functioning estuarine marsh and channel habitats over time.
The monitoring plan called for use of “reference” and “treatment” sites after
project construction to answer questions regarding juvenile salmon presence/absence and
abundance within the project area. Blind tidal channels (also called dentritic channels)
and distributary channels were selected near the project area for use as reference sites
(Figure 1). Results from the reference sites were compared to results from treatment sites
located within the area where dikes were removed. Treatment sites also consisted of
blind tidal channels and distributary channels. The treatment sites were located in
channels that juvenile salmon were not able to access until dikes were physically
removed in the summer of 2000 (Figure 1). We sampled both reference and treatment
sites from March through July on a bi-weekly basis. Fyke trap methods were used to
sample in blind tidal channels and beach seine methods were used to sample in
distributary channels. Methods are described in Beamer et al. (2005) and are attached as
Appendix 1 of this document. We also monitored sites throughout the larger Skagit
estuary (Figure 2). We used results from these sites to better interpret the results from
specific Deepwater Slough restoration sites.