Natural Resources - Water

Headgate Park Revegetation Project

Asotin County Conservation District, working in cooperation with Asotin County, received a grant from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) to reduce the negative impacts of recreational vehicle activities in Headgate Park and improve habitat for aquatic species located in adjacent Asotin Creek.

Asotin Creek is home to ESA listed steelhead, spring Chinook, bull trout, resident trout and other aquatic species. Healthy habitat for aquatic species includes clean, cold water, adequate cover and food. Steelhead is the primary species targeted by this project. They spawn and rear in Asotin Creek so various parts of their life cycles are impacted by this project. Steelhead need clean gravels for spawning, pools for resting, cover from predators, high oxygen levels and cool water temperatures. In addition, rearing juvenile steelhead need complex habitat provided by trees that fall into the stream.

Some recreational activities in the Park have detrimentally impacted natural resources. The most damaging activity has been mudbogging. Four-wheel drive vehicles use a wet area adjacent to the stream for mudbogging, which damages the vegetation in the area. Because of the soil disturbance caused by mudboggers, grassy vegetation doesn’t grow. These sites are then populated with invasive weed species.

Camping and individuals leaving garbage in the Park have caused other impacts. The Asotin County Commissioners have passed resolutions to limit the use of Headgate Park. Campers must have a permit and are limited to camping for 10 days at a time. They must be self-contained with toilet facilities and potable water.