A Watershed Approach: Improving the Hydrology and Habitat of Pipers Creek

Urbanization has many detrimental effects on local streams and rivers, including dramatic changes in storm flows and sediment transport, degraded water quality, decreased habitat complexity, and the loss of riparian vegetation. Despite these rapid changes, many of Seattle’s urban streams still support fish and other aquatic biota. Over the past fifteen years, Seattle Public Utilities has infused millions of dollars into stormwater drainage control, water quality improvement, and habitat restoration projects for the purpose of urban creek rehabilitation. This mobile session will tour one of these areas; the Pipers Creek watershed.

Located in northwest Seattle, Pipers Creek and the area it drains has been the focus of extensive research and design activities intended to reduce the hydrologic impacts of urbanization on receiving waterbodies and improve habitat conditions for fish and wildlife. Two stops within this session will be in the upper watershed where low impact design strategies have been employed at the street and neighborhood scale to reduce runoff. The final two stops will be along the stream channel where work has been completed to improve the instream and riparian habitat of Pipers Creek for salmonids and where the flow of Pipers Creek meets the Puget Sound.

Registration Fees:
Members: $35 early-regular/$45 late
Non members: $40 early-regular/$50 late

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