Skagit River Salmon Festival 2013

Skagit River Salmon Festival SALMON FESTIVAL

Saturday, September 7 10 am - 6 pm Edgewater Park in Mount Vernon SkagitRiverFest.org

A supplement to the Skagit Valley Herald and Anacortes American

SwinomiSh honorS the Sacred Salmon with all of you, who help to ensure that this mighty resource is here for generations to come.

W

e are honored to be a leading partner who is committed to restoring and protecting the salmon. Just as

our Children do, the salmon need just a few important elements to survive: an abundance of clean water and a healthy home and habitat. Swinomish People have lived in the Skagit for over 10,000 years, and it has been our sacred responsibility to ensure that our ancestral lands, waters and resources are sustained, so that our children’s children will have an opportunity to live the life we know and love in the Skagit.

The Northwest has a wonderful golden star in the Lower 48, and we need to work together to restore and protect our salmon.

Fact: the Skagit is the only river in the lower 48 that spawns all five species of wild salmon.

Photo courtesy of Swinomish tribe

We must stand together and shout to the World our message, “Salmon is important to the people who call Skagit their home and it is an element that sustains a way of life for many people. Not to have that salmon would be tragic.�

Photo by: John Scurlock courtesy of Swinomish tribe

May the Creator bless you all for your kindness and consideration. ~ chairman Brian cladoosby For more information contact: www.swinomish-nsn.gov Chairman Brian Cladoosby, bcladoosby@swinomish.nsn.us (360) 708-7533 Debra Lekanof, Government Affairs, dlekanof@swinomish.nsn.us (360) 391-5296

What’s Inside…

SKAGIT PUBLISHING

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Welcome

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Be Water-Wise and Garden-Hip with a Rain Barrel

1215 Anderson Rd., Mount Vernon, WA 98274 P: 360.424.3251 F: 360.424.5300 Restocking: 360.424.3251 ©2013 by Skagit Publishing LLC All rights reserved.

editor: Kevin Tate Advertising director: Mark Dobie Display Advertising Manager: Deb Bundy design & layout: Jody Hendrix operations: Holly Chadwick, Fawn Floyd, Julia Matylinski, Dana Perry, Karen Sheppard

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Something ‘Fishy’ Going On

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Festival Map

media consultants: Stephanie Harper, Abby Jackson, Danielle Koagel, Kathy Schultz, Katie Sundermeyer, Paul Tinnon, John Williams

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Entertainment Schedule

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Edgewater Park Habitat Restoration

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Stewards of the Skagit Test Your Knowledge Salmon of the Skagit Skagit Valley Herald Coloring Contest Skagit River Salmon Festival Spawnsors

Skagit River Salmon Festival 2013 3

Welcome to Second Annual!

C

ould you ever imagine our beautiful Skagit County without the Skagit River? It’s almost impossible for most of us to do. The Skagit River touches just about everyone who lives here.

The quality of life we enjoy comes from the Skagit River—electricity for our homes and businesses, quality water to drink and irrigate our crops, livelihoods for our fishermen, and recreational areas for our families to play, picnic, camp and hike.

It’s for these reasons that so many of us have worked together to create the Skagit River Salmon Festival—a celebration of our amazing river, its rich history and to inspire conservation of its resources.

The Festival, in its second year, continues to grow and improve thanks to a tremendous outpouring of community interest and support. This year we are thrilled to be partnering with Mount Vernon Parks & Recreation to help host the Ray Reep Salmon Derby.

Kevin Tate Here’s what you can expect at the festival: Board President - Great bands and musicians to entertain Skagit River Salmon Festival - Local breweries on tap to keep you refreshed - Tasty food choices to select from and enjoy - Artisan wares to browse and purchase - Demonstrations and cultural activities that will inform - Arts, crafts, and games for the whole family On behalf of the board of directors, our festival planning team, sponsors, vendors and volunteers, we thank you for your support and participation in the second annual Skagit River Salmon Festival. Enjoy the day!

Upper Skagit Indian Tribe is a proud sponsor of the Second Annual

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Skagit River Salmon Festival 2013

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Be Water-Wise & Garden-Hip with a Rain Barrel

D

id you know that a family of four can use 400 gallons of water per day, and about 30 percent of that is devoted to outdoor uses? It’s true. More than half of that outdoor water is used for watering lawns and gardens. Nationwide, landscape irrigation is estimated to account for almost one-third of all residential water use, totaling more than seven billion gallons per day. Other residential outdoor uses include washing automobiles, maintaining swimming pools, and cleaning sidewalks and driveways.

Although it may seem as if it rains all year, in fact, approximately two-thirds of the Pacific Northwest’s precipitation occurs during half of the year (October-March). Precipitation declines from late spring to early fall, generally keeping the Northwest

fairly dry.

Because we get very little rain during the summer, it’s a good time to consider how we use water.

What is a rain barrel?

A rain barrel is a container that collects and stores rainwater from downspouts and rooftops for future use watering lawns and gardens.

Generally a rain barrel is made using a 55-gallon drum, a vinyl garden hose, couplings, a screen grate to remove debris and keep insects out, and other materials found at most hardware stores.

Rain barrels can be constructed in a number of ways, but they all serve the same purpose—to collect rainwater and decrease the amount of stormwater runoff that leaves your property. Using rain barrels is one way to decrease your household’s

continued on pg. 6

Dedicated to restoring wild salmon populations for future generations Help Save Salmon, Become a Volunteer

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities:

• October 5 - Spawner Survey workshop. Volunteers trained to help count salmon returning to local creeks.

• November 2, 9, 16, and 23 - Planting Parties. Saturday work parties for volunteers of all ages planting native trees and shrubs along local waterways.

• December 7 - Volunteers trained to help lead tours of the Marblemount Hatchery facility during eagle season weekends

To learn more visit us at www.skagitfisheries.org Like us Contact us at: 360-336-0172 or sfeg@skagitfisheries.org goskagit.com

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Be Water-Wise & Garden-Hip with a Rain Barrel impact on local waterways and to become a good steward of the local watershed.

Why use a rain barrel Collecting rainwater is an easy way to conserve water—and save money on your water bill. A rain barrel collects water and stores it for those times that you need it most— during the dry summer months.

During the summer, when water consumption often doubles, using collected rainwater can reduce the strain on the water supply and keep more water available for fish and wildlife. Rainwater is also naturally “soft” and free of minerals and chemicals, making it ideal for plants and lawns.

The average rainfall of one inch within a 24-hour period can produce more than 700 gallons

of water that runs off the roof of a typical house.

Much of this water runs from gutters onto surfaces that do not allow water to soak into the ground.

These are called impervious surfaces and include concrete, asphalt, and compacted soil. Even commonly used sod has a very low infiltration rate and can be a major cause of increased runoff.

As it flows, runoff collects and transports soil, pet waste, salt, pesticides, fertilizer, oil and grease, litter and other pollutants. This water drains directly into nearby creeks, streams and rivers, without receiving treatment at sewage plants.

Polluted storm water contaminates local waterways. It can harm plants, fish and wildlife, while degrading the quality of water.

Rain barrels & rain gardens work together A wonderful way to complement a rain barrel and increase your property’s ability to absorb runoff is through a rain garden.

Rain gardens can be a fun and easy way to learn about beautiful native plants and also help to improve water quality and reduce flooding.

Rain gardens typically absorb 30 percent more water than the same size area of lawn, they are drought resistant, and are less prone to destructive insects and diseases. Rain gardens create a preferred habitat for birds, butterflies and dragonflies.

These specialty gardens are versatile—they can be any size or continued on pg. 7

S

WINOMISH CASINO & LODGE

Gaming Lodging Dining

Explore it all 888 • 288 • 8883

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Skagit River Salmon Festival 2013

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Be Water-Wise & Garden-Hip with a Rain Barrel shape, but to maximize their benefit, they should be built in an existing low spot or near the drainage area of a rain barrel.

A great resource guide is the Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington Homeowners, which is available online at http://raingarden. wsu.edu.

Skagit Public Utility District sells basic blue 55-gallon rain barrels for just $50. Or, for something more fun, be the high bidder on one of the Festival’s nine Artistic Rain Barrels at the silent auction.

“Hippy Dippy Rain Barrel”

by Jeannie Yovetich Burham

Artistic Rain Barrel Project 2013 Painted rain barrels will be sold via silent auction on September 7 at the Skagit River Salmon Festival. Auction proceeds will benefit environmental education and outreach through the Children’s Museum of Skagit County.

“Eelgrass: Eccentric & Essential”

“Colorful Salmon”

by Madison Elementary School Fourth-Grade Dual Language Program

by Mark Wilson

“Allied Force of Love”

“Mermaid Garden”

by Brittney Nansel

by Ellen Clark

“Tulip Rain Barrel”

“Rhapsody in Green”

by Madison Sullivan

by Deirdre Czoberek

“Mosaic Garden”

by Madison Melcher

“Of All the Fish in the Sea…”

by Brenda Cunningham

Shell Puget Sound Refinery is a proud sponsor of the 2nd Annual

Skagit RiveR Salmon FeStival www.shell.us/psr

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Something ‘Fishy’ Going On…

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uget Sound Energy hosted a Community Celebration & Open House at the Lower Baker Visitor’s Center in Concrete in July to celebrate the conclusion of several years of redevelopment work at PSE’s Baker River Hydroelectric Project. Last on the list of redevelopment projects was constructing a second powerhouse at the Lower Baker Dam. This new powerhouse will not only generate an additional 30 megawatts of clean hydroelectricity, but it will also provide higher minimum water flows for fish downstream from the dam, and enable a slower, more gradual, fish-friendly change in river flows whenever the dam reduces or suspends power generation. Prior to completing the new powerhouse, much of the redevelopment work at PSE’s Baker River Hydroelectric Project focused on efforts to enhance the fish populations in the Baker Basin, and to improve the continued on pg. 9

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PSE’s Baker River Hydroelectric Project migration of salmon—both upstream and downstream—around PSE’s two Baker River dams.

The first major improvement was an innovative “floating surface collector” (FSC) completed in 2008 behind Upper Baker Dam to improve downstream migration of juvenile salmon. The 1,000-ton structure, the first of its kind in the world, is a halfsubmerged, 130-foot-by-60-foot barge that safely lures and holds juvenile salmon for transport downstream around PSE’s two dams using trucks nicknamed ‘fish taxis.’ The FSC replaced a comparatively modest, decades-old fish-attraction barge on Baker Lake. Key FSC features include a shore-to-shore, surface to-lake PSE fish biologists sort juvenille salmon at new FSC (floating surface collector) on bed guide net, a specially designed Shannon Lake. “net transition structure” linking the guide nets with barge-like FSC, four massive, variable-speed water pumps to simulate an outgoing stream and enhanced fish loading facilities and fish hauling transport tanks to move migrants around the dam. To complete improvements for downstream migrants, an additional floating surface collector was completed earlier this year and now is in operation behind the Lower Baker dam.

In 2010 PSE completed construction of a large, advanced fish hatchery Taste the Skagit Valley... It’s Fresh near Upper Baker Dam which has A dining experience, like no other! dramatically increased the basin’s production of young salmon. The new hatchery and a refurbished sockeye-spawning beach are capable of producing 11 million salmon fry annually.

To improve upstream passage, PSE also completed construction of a new, enhanced fish trap below Lower Baker Dam in 2010 to capture migrating adult salmon for upstream transport around both Baker River dams. The

September 1-30

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Something ‘Fishy’ Going On new trap-and-haul facility replaced the original trap, completed in 1958, that required substantial manual operation.

Key features of the new trap include a 60 foot tall water-filled lock that operates like an aquatic elevator for raising captured fish from river level to the trap’s elevated facilities and a programmable control system and operator’s booth for sorting fish by species. The new updated trap was installed in time for a record Sockeye adult return in 2012 with over 48,000 fish from the Skagit River, 28,407 of which were collected at the trap.

With the contributions of fish production from PSE’s new hatchery and the collection efficiencies at the Upper Baker and Lower Baker floating surface collectors, new records have been set this year for juvenile out migrants with more than 816,000

PSE’s Baker River Hydroelectric Project spawning beach. fish collected as of mid-July! Fisheries agencies predict that PSE’s investments and the collaborative efforts between PSE, federal and state fisheries agencies, local Native American

tribes, and others, have the potential to produce substantially higher sockeye runs on the Baker River—even higher than the record returns we’re now seeing. We hope they’re right.

is a proud sponsor of the

Skagit River Salmon Festival

1215 Anderson Road, Mount Vernon, WA 98274 • 360.424.3251 • goskagit.com 10

Skagit River Salmon Festival 2013

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Skagit River Salmon Festival

STREAMSIDE LANDOWNERS NO COST TO YOU! Funding available for streamside plantings, bank protection, invasive removal, fencing to keep livestock out of the stream, and more!

JOIN YOUR NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE ALREADY • RESTORED OVER 2 MILES OF STREAMSIDE HABITAT • INSTALLED NEARLY A MILE OF LIVESTOCK FENCE • PLANTED OVER 6,000 NATIVE PLANTS

SKAGIT COUNTY’S NATURAL RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM To find out if your property is eligible, visit:

www.skagitcounty.net/nrsp Or contact Dan at 360-336-9400 • danb@co.skagit.wa.us goskagit.com

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Festival Map To Anacortes

W. Division St. / Hwy 536 To Downtown Mount Vernon S Ball Street S Baker St Exit Only Restrooms

Playground

Garfield Street

Fish Derby Weigh-In

Ga

Gate

te

N ens

r Beh

Vendor & Volunteer Parking

Information First Aid

M

t ille

Food Vendors

Rd.

Beer & Wine Garden

Ada Gate

Main Parking Lot

Restrooms

Stage B

Gate

Vendors

Conservation Alley

Main Stage

ing

Boat Launch

ark da P

A

Vendor & ORGANIZATION Booths ARTS | CRAFTS | GOODS

-All About Beads -Designs by Dale -Jessica Newley Photography -Skagit River Tactical -Live Wires!

-Honors Pottery -Twilight Tango Alpacas -Chain Saw Art

Food & Beverage | Breweries

-Reverie BBQ -Bob’s Chowder Bar -Iversen’s Espresso -Judy’s Lunch Box -Lind’s Concessions -North Sound Brewery -Anacortes Brewery/Rockfish Grill -You Found Us -Swinomish Casino & Lodge 12 Skagit River Salmon Festival 2013

Conservation Alley

-American Red Cross–Mt Baker Chapter -Children’s Museum of Skagit County -Coastal Conservation Association -Fidalgo Fly Fishers -Friday Creek Habitat Stewards -Hibulb Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve -Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest -Mount Vernon Parks Dept -National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Program -North Cascades Institute -North Cascades National Park -Puget Sound Energy -Skagit Audubon Society -Skagit Conservation District

-Skagit Conservation Education Alliance and Taylor Shellfish -Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group -Skagit Land Trust -Skagit Marine Resources Committee -Skagit County Public Works -Skagit Public Utility District -Skagit Publishing -Skagit Valley Backyard Wildlife Habitat Team -Skagit Watershed Council -WA Dept Natural Resources -Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife -Washington Environmental Council/ Fidalgo Bay Aquatic Reserve -Washington State Dept of Ecology -Washington Wild -Western Wildlife Outreach

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Entertainment Schedule Phil Hans, Trish &

Festival Events Schedule 10:00 Gates Open/Acoustic Hour

Peter Ali is a Native flutist who creates his music not from notes, but from spirit within so each performance is unique and special. He plays a variety of Native flutes and shares their stories as well as stories of his rich ethnic heritage.

Listen to the sounds of eagle, running river, nature and spirit in the flute’s song. (Stage B)

Wayne Hayton is a singer/songwriter who plays acoustic country rock and folk. (Stage B)

Peter Ali

Hosted by Peter Ali and Wayne Hayton

11:00 Blessing of the Salmon and Native American Dancing by the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. (Main Stage) 11:45 Toby Peck is a talented and exciting acoustic guitar and vocals musician from Bellingham. (Stage B)

Trish, Hans & Phil have a refreshing concept—three voices, tight harmonies, and great jazz interpretations of The American Songbook. They bring their novel approach to the classics, from Cole Porter and the Gershwins to Lennon and McCartney. With the story-line lyrics of Hans, the sultry tones of Trish, and Phil’s dry wit, this exciting group combines their soaring, swinging vocals for a sound that is truly their own. (Stage B)

3:15

Rivertalk plays sophisticated original, world beat dance music inspired by Bob Marley, Carlos Santana, AfroCuban jazz, salsa and Afro Pop. Featuring Jan Foster on vocals and a troupe of accomplished musicians including a three-piece horn section, amazing guitar, and rock solid rhythm. You are guaranteed to be dancing! (Main Stage)

5:15

Ray Reep Salmon Derby Prize Awards

5:30

Dmitri Wagoner gets down and plays the blues on his electric guitar. You don’t want to miss this young man. (Stage B)

*Please note that times may vary.

Trainwreck

2:15

Rivertalk

12:15 Trainwreck is a country and rock ‘n’ roll band who play the music of the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and today. Their unique country rock originals electrify the stage along with danceable covers and rocking hits! (Main Stage)

(Main Stage)

EVENT NOTES

- Festival is free to the public. $5 parking fee for Edgewater lots.

- Over 25 conservation booths with educational activities.

- Be sure to pick up your passport at any booth in Conservation Alley and bring your completed passport page to the Information Booth for a chance to win prizes.

- The Information Booth is also the place to get your Skagit Watershed Letterbox Trail Event Stamp.

- Festival T-shirts, hats, and posters are available for purchase at the Information Booth.

- To volunteer, call (360) 428-5972 or email SkagitRiverFest@gmail.com. goskagit.com

Skagit Publishing LLC

Scan this QR code with your smartphone. Navigate to our goskagit.com full site to view this publication in page-flip format at the bottom of the page.

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Edgewater Park Habitat Restoration

E

dgewater Park is an amazing community resource providing over 4,500 feet of shoreline along the Skagit River as it winds its way through the heart of downtown Mount Vernon. It is the City’s second largest park offering over 65 acres of active, passive and open space recreation opportunities for our community. With both a boat launch and large sand bars, it is a hot spot for fishing activity during the Skagit River salmon season.

In order to help protect salmon, the City has partnered with several community groups including the Skagit Watershed Council and Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group to restore important salmon habitat at Edgewater Park. Restoration has included recreating a functioning side channel at the southern end of the Park and planting over 13,000 native trees and shrubs along the Park’s sloughs and shorelines thanks to the assistance of many community volunteers.

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Edgewater Park Habitat Restoration The newly created side channel provides critical habitat for juvenile salmon species (such as Chinook, coho, and chum). Off channel slough habitat, such as this, is limited in the lower Skagit River due to the vast network of levees and dikes built to protect our community from floods. This unique habitat feature at Edgewater Park provides valuable resting and feeding areas for young salmon as they begin their incredible migration journey from the headwaters of the Skagit River to Puget Sound.

Staff and volunteers with the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group and Skagit River System Cooperative have also been collecting valuable monitoring data to document channel changes and salmon use in Edgewater Slough and determine the project’s effectiveness.

Edgewater Slough is an excellent

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example of local partnerships making a difference to restore and monitor important salmon habitat along the Skagit River. As the largest river in Puget Sound, the Skagit River is of critical importance to the recovery of threatened salmon species in Washington state. Edgewater Park with its large size, central location, and great sport fishing access is the perfect location for our community to celebrate the tremendous salmon resources in the Skagit Watershed and inspire their further conservation.

For more information about Edgewater Slough and other Puget Sound salmon enhancement projects visit www.salmontrails.org.

If you are interested in getting involved with volunteering for salmon projects at Edgewater Park or throughout your community please visit www.skagitfisheries.org.

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Stewards of the Skagit People of th e Sa lm o n, Peo p l e of S w i n omi s h

“Everything starts and ends with the land and the water,” Swinomish elder Larry Campbell said. “These are the Swinomish teachings and

values passed down from generation to generation. We only need to listen, and we will hear their teachings.”

The Swinomish people live in the

fishing isn’t just a lifestyle for us— it’s our livelihood SALMON FESTIVAL

A Skagit business since 2001, we are proud to sponsor the second Annual Skagit River Salmon Festival, in support of fisheries and resource management in the Skagit River and all our waterways.

Custom ProCessing equiPment • industrial & CommerCial estimating & design • Water jet Cutting & maChining field installation & start uP • maintenanCe & rePairs

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Skagit River Salmon Festival 2013

Skagit, rooted along the Salish Sea. They are the People of the Salmon and their way of life is sustained by their connection to the water and the lands where they have fished, gathered and hunted since time immemorial.

The Swinomish people carry 10,000 years of knowledge about their ancestral lands and waters.

They combine their knowledge with contemporary science to care for and protect the natural environment on behalf of their people.

“We paddled the waters of the Skagit and the Salish Sea long before anyone applied names in English to the places we call home,” Tribal Chairman Brian Cladoosby said. “To us, we live at the most beautiful place on the planet, and I give thanks to our Creator every day for the blessings bestowed on the Swinomish people by Mother Earth.”

The Swinomish honor their ancestors representing four aboriginal bands: Swinomish, Samish, Lower Skagit and Kikiallus, who joined together to form the present-day Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. Seven generations ago, in 1855, Swinomish Chiefs

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Stewards of the Skagit

A River Runs Through the Port of Skagit

Commissioner Kevin Ware District One

Commissioner Bill Shuler District Three

The Skagit River runs through all three commissioner districts of the Port of Skagit, giving meaning and focus to the port’s vision. That vision is to lead efforts to build a strong economy in Skagit County while valuing the area’s natural assets and great quality of life.

First People of the Skagit Courtesy of Swinomish Tribal Archive and 81 other tribal Chiefs gathered at Múkl-te-óh (present-day Mukilteo) to sign the Treaty of Point Elliot, which ceded land from the Cascade Mountains to the Olympics, from south of Seattle to the Canadian border. In that treaty, the Tribe reserved their right to hunt and gather on all open and unclaimed lands.

Swinomish are committed to restoring and protecting not only the six wild runs of salmon in the Skagit, but all the resources of the Salish Sea region. A healthy habitat, with a clean and abundant water supply, allows salmon to survive and return home.

Swinomish believe the health of

Commissioner Steven Omdal District Two

the Skagit is not only important for its people, but all the people who call the Pacific Northwest home. As a community, they are committed to protecting, restoring and enhancing: - Skagit River wild salmon; - Habitat necessary to sustain wild salmon; - The surface and ground water of the Skagit and surrounding watersheds; - The vast land and forests that make up the Skagit Region.

They work today so that generations will grow ever stronger, and so they, the Swinomish people, will always be the People of the Salmon.

We applaud and support the efforts of the Skagit River Salmon Festival to bring attention to this most valuable of Skagit County resources. Not only does the river lend our county its name and give us an unrivaled sense of place, but it also provides drinking water, salmon habitat, recreation and clean energy. It is a natural treasure.

The Port of Skagit welcomes new or expanding businesses and their employment opportunities at our facilities, and we look forward to working with advocates for the Skagit River as we move forward to achieve our mission of Good Jobs for Our Community.

Prebook your holiday party by the end of September and receive a 10% discount on your entire order*!

Call (360) 707-2115 for a quote today! *discount on cost of rental goods only

2 Convenient locations to serve you:

455 Pease Rd. Burlington, WA (360) 707-2115 goskagit.com

2007 N. State St. Bellingham, WA (360) 392-8720

Inspiring Success, Delivering Excellence P.O. Box 348 • 15400 Airport Drive Burlington WA 98233 www.portofskagit.com

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Skagit River Salmon Festival

Is a Proud Sponsor of the 2013

Skagit RiveR Salmon FeStival

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Skagit River Salmon Festival 2013

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2013 Festival Poster A bou t the Ar t i st

Photographer Jessica Newley is the 2013 Skagit River Salmon Festival poster artist. The image used for the poster was taken of coho salmon that returned to spawn in Clark Creek near Marblemount.

Newley likes to work underwater and has taken some amazing photos of salmon spawning in the Skagit watershed. Through her photography Newley hopes to bring awareness to people everywhere about the wonder of the underwater world and share the beauty found under the surface in our backyards.

Skagit River Salmon Festival Board of Directors The Skagit River Salmon Festival celebrates diverse partnerships between local, state and federal governments, Tribal Communities, local utilities, businesses and nonprofit organizations to inspire conservation of the amazing Skagit River, its rich cultural history and abundant natural resources.

Our board of directors are: Kevin Tate, Skagit Public Utility District

You can purchase the 2013 Skagit River Salmon Festival poster at the Information Booth. Signed prints by photographer Jessica Newley are also available.

Skagit River Salmon Slayer Hooded Sweatshirts and T-Shirts Humpy season is here! Are you a Skagit River Salmon Slayer or do you know someone who thinks they are? Show off your angling prowess with a Salmon Slayer hoodie or t-shirt. Makes a great gift and there is always FREE gift wrapping at Oliver Hammer Clothes Shop!

Highest Quality • Local Shrimp

Shop Here for LOCAL Gift Items:

Cory Ertel, Puget Sound Energy

Local Jams • Jellies • Salsas • Honey • Sauces

Alison Studley, Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group

Dungeness Crab • Fresh Fish • Clams • Mussels • Oysters for Every Taste Shrimp • Scallops • Smoked Fish

Deb Davis Bundy, Skagit Valley Publishing Chris Kowitz, Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group goskagit.com

DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS WITH LOCAL SEAFOOD! Locally owned & operated by local fishermen & women.

360.707.2722 | 18042 Hwy 20 | Burlington | www.SkagitFish.com Skagit Publishing LLC

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Test Your Knowledge

1. The Skagit River supports the largest wintering population of what bird in the continental United States?

A. Trumpter Swans B. Snow Geese C. Seagulls D. Bald Eagles D. Bald eagles feed on chum and coho salmon that have returned to the Skagit and its tributaries to spawn. The eagles arrive in late October or early November and stay into February.

2. How much water flows through the Skagit River every day?

A. 10 Million Gallons B. 10 Billion Gallons C. 1 Billion Gallons D. A lot.

B. 10 billion gallons of water is drained every day from over 2,900 streams in the Skagit River watershed. Enough to fill 500,000 swimming pools.

Celebrating wild salmon every chance we get!

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Skagit River Salmon Festival 2013

3. Can you name the five salmon species found in the Skagit River?

5. Can you name the hydroelectric dams located on the Skagit River?

Chinook (King), Coho (Silver), Pink (Humpie), Chum and Sockeye (Kokanee, Red). The Skagit is the only large river system in Washington that contains healthy populations of all five native salmon species and two species of trout—steelhead and cutthroat.

The Diablo, Ross and Gorge hydroelectric dams, which are built above a natural barrier to salmon, supply about 25 percent of the city of Seattle’s power demands.

Puget Sound Energy’s Upper Baker and Lower Baker Dams are located on a tributary of the Skagit River. The dams’ reservoirs, Baker Lake and Lake Shannon, are fed by runoff from the flanks of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan.

4. The Skagit River basin has supported human populations for how long?

A. 400 years B. 2,000 years C. 11,000 years D. A long time C. People have lived in present-day Skagit County and its environs for over 11,000 years. Today, there are over 118,000 people living in the county including the Indian tribal communities of the Swinomish, Upper Skagit, SaukSuiattle and Samish.

6. How many different kinds of wildlife species live in the Skagit River watershed?

A. 50 B. 102 C. 276 D. 400 C. Not including humans, the Skagit watershed is the home to approximately 276 wildlife species—25 fish, 17 amphibians, 10 reptiles, 73 mammals & 174 birds.

7. True or False: The Skagit River is the longest river on the west coast of the United States?

A. True B. False

open daily in downtown Mount Vernon www.skagitfoodcoop.com 336-9777 Skagit Publishing LLC

B False. The Skagit River is more than 160 miles long and the third largest river on the West Coast after the Columbia and Sacramento rivers. It provides about 30 percent of the fresh water flowing into Puget Sound and it’s a main source of our drinking water for Skagit County residents.

It’s also home to about 30 percent of all salmon entering Puget Sound. goskagit.com

Salmon of the Skagit Chum Salmon (Oncorynchus keta)

Coho Salmon

(Oncorynchus kisutch) Â Coho or silver salmon are generally silver in color with dark spots confined to the back and upper lobe of the tail fin. During spawning, the lower body color changes to red, especially in males. As in all spawning, male Pacific salmon, the upper jaw develops a distinct hook.

Tails are noticeably forked when the fish are younger but may develop to nearly square at maturity. Teeth are set in whitish gums in a gray or black mouth.

Spawn Oct-Jan

The chum or dog salmon most closely resembles the sockeye, but has no specks on its back, silver sides, or on its fins. The tips of the lower fins are black and the base of the tail is slender. During spawning the body color is dark olive dorsally with pale red (purple) sides mixed with olive-green blotches. The tips of the lower fins turn white. Spawn Nov-Jan

Pink Salmon

(Oncorynchus gorbuscha)

The pink or humpy salmon is the smallest of the Pacific salmon due to a two-year life cycle. The body is dark blue-black with silver sides and heavy oval spots on tail and upper body, with very small scales. During spawning, the body of males develops a distinct dorsal hump; the color changes to pale red mixed with olive-brown blotches. Spawn Sept-Oct

Sockeye Salmon (Oncorynchus nerka)

Chinook Salmon

(Oncorynchus tshawytscha) Â Chinook, also known as king salmon or blackmouth, are silver in color with dark spots, which generally cover all of the head, back, dorsal fin and adipose fin as well as all of the squared tail.

During spawning, the body color changes to olive-brown, darker in males. Teeth are set in black gums inside a gray or black mouth. Chinook are generally the largest of the Pacific salmon and any salmon over 30 pounds is likely a chinook.

Spawn Aug-Oct

The sockeye or kokanee (when landlocked) has a greenish-blue back and dorsal fin with silver sides, and a few tiny specks on the back.

During spawning the overall body color changes to bright red, especially in males, and the head is a greenish olive. Spawn Aug-Nov

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Skagit River Salmon Festival 2013

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Phone or Email: ___________________________________________

Coloring Page Complimentary of: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Submit your entry at the Skagit Publishing booth at the Skagit River Salmon Festival (Saturday, September 7, 10am to 6 pm) or to Skagit Publishing, (1215 Anderson rd., P.O. Box 578, Mount Vernon, WA 98274) via mail or in person prior to Friday, September 6, 5pm. Winning entries will be printed in the Skagiit Valley Herald. Must be 14 years or younger to enter.

Name:_______________________________________ Age:_________________

Skagit Valley Herald Coloring Contest

SKAGIT RIVER SALMON FESTIVAL

Spawnsors King Spawnsor

Silver Spawnsors

Sockeye Spawnsors

Steelhead Spawnsors

Humpy Spawnsors

Anderson Electric City of Anacortes Samish Indian Nation Sound Ocean Metal Fabricators Ltd Swinomish Casino & Lodge United General Hospital

Cabela’s Fidalgo Fly Fishers Pacific Party Canopies Shell Oil Products - Puget Sound Refinery Skagit Valley Food Co-op Tesoro Refining and Marketing Whidbey Island Bank

Chum Spawnsors Skagit Conservation Education Alliance (SCEA) Skagit Watershed Council

SALMON FESTIVAL

Working together

to conserve the resources of our mighty

Skagit

Your local POWER & WATER Utilities Proud spawnsors of the Skagit River Salmon Festival

24 Skagit River Salmon Festival 2012

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