Illabot Creek facts for kids
Illabot Creek is a very special river located in northern Washington. It's known as a National Wild and Scenic River, which means it's protected by the government because of its amazing natural beauty and importance. This creek is a vital home for many types of fish, including chinook, coho, chum, and pink salmon. It also provides a safe place for steelhead and bull trout to lay their eggs and for young fish to grow.
Illabot Creek is part of the larger Skagit River area. Some of the fish living here, like the Puget Sound chinook, steelhead, and bull trout, are listed under the Endangered Species Act. This important law helps protect animals and plants that are in danger of disappearing. Illabot Creek is especially important because it has the largest number of chum and pink salmon in the entire Skagit River watershed. In winter, many bald eagles come to the creek to feed on the salmon, making it one of the biggest gatherings of bald eagles in the United States.
Protecting Illabot Creek
Illabot Creek is mostly looked after by the U.S. Forest Service, specifically the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. About 14.3 miles (23.0 km) of the creek are protected. The government officially recognized Illabot Creek as a National Wild and Scenic River in December 2014.
In 2018, a big project invested $4.4 million to help restore the fish habitat along the creek. This money helped make the creek an even better home for salmon and trout.
Where the Creek Begins
Illabot Creek starts high up in the mountains, at about 7,500 feet (2,286 meters) elevation. It flows through the beautiful Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest. The creek eventually joins the larger Skagit River near the town of Rockport, Washington.
In 2017, a group called The Nature Conservancy bought 262 acres (106 hectares) of land around the creek. This land was then given to the Skagit Land Trust, another group dedicated to protecting natural areas. This helps ensure that the land around Illabot Creek remains wild and healthy for all the animals that depend on it.
