Piper’s Creek and its tributaries have not been able to sustain natural salmon runs since perhaps 1927. In 1979 a committed and sustained effort was undertaken to restore the creek system. In that same year Carkeek Watershed Community Action Project (CWCAP) was founded. The CWCAP founders pushed for reforms to storm water management practices with the goal of restoring water quality and returning salmon to the park and community. The 1980s saw the creation of the Carkeek Salmon Enhancement Program with the help of the Suquamish Tribe, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and what are now Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle Parks. The program resulted in the return of salmon to spawn in Piper’s Creek for the first time in over 50 years.
- For a brief history of Carkeek Park and the how the original salmon run in the Piper’s Creek Watershed became locally extinct, visit this Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife page.
For more on the story of Piper’s Creek check out the slideshow below that was created by a CWCAP volunteer.