Indian Creek (Elwha River tributary) facts for kids

Indian Creek is a small stream, also called a tributary, that flows into the Elwha River in Washington. It's an important part of the local environment, especially for fish.

What is Indian Creek?

Indian Creek is a natural waterway. It's like a smaller river that joins a bigger one. In this case, Indian Creek flows into the Elwha River. This river system is found in the state of Washington, which is in the western part of the United States.

Where Does Indian Creek Flow?

Indian Creek starts its journey from a lake called Lake Sutherland. From there, it flows downhill and used to empty into a larger body of water known as the former Lake Aldwell. Lake Aldwell was created by a dam, which we'll talk about next.

Fish and the Elwha Dam

For many years, Indian Creek was a home for different kinds of salmon and trout. These fish are special because many of them are "anadromous". This means they are born in fresh water, travel to the ocean to grow up, and then return to the fresh water to lay their eggs.

Life Before the Dam

Before 1913, Indian Creek was a busy place for fish. All five types of Pacific Salmon, along with different trout species, could freely swim from the Pacific Ocean, up the Elwha River, and into Indian Creek to lay their eggs. It was a natural highway for them.

Life During the Dam

In 1913, the Elwha Dam was built on the Elwha River. This dam was a huge wall that blocked the fish from reaching the ocean. It was like closing a gate on their highway. Because of this, the anadromous fish couldn't complete their life cycle.

However, some fish adapted! A type of sockeye salmon called "kokanee" lived in Indian Creek during this time. These kokanee salmon didn't go to the ocean. Instead, they spawned in Lake Sutherland and used the dam-created Lake Aldwell as their "ocean" to grow. Indian Creek also had other fish like coastal rainbow trout, coastal cutthroat trout, and some brook trout that were brought there by people.

A River's Comeback

Something amazing happened in 2012. The Elwha Dam was removed! This was a huge project that opened up the river again. With the dam gone, the native salmon and trout could once again travel to the Pacific Ocean. They started to return to their natural anadromous lifestyle.

By late 2013, just a year after the dam was removed, people saw true anadromous Chinook salmon swimming and laying their eggs in Indian Creek. It was a sign that the river was healing and the fish were coming back home.