Mark Powell, alone and sometimes with guests, has been swimming the entire 85-mile length of the Green-Duwamish River a few miles at a time since last month. The swims are part of a campaign to tell the full story of the Green-Duwamish River – and helping draw the connection between the health of the river and the health of Puget Sound.
A King County habitat restoration site was one of Mark Powell’s Green-Duwamish ‘Swim Up’ locations.
North Wind’s Weir is a popular fishing spot. Pink salmon swim upstream from the Puget Sound to spawn every other year. This year’s run has been promising.
Mark Powell (middle) has had a couple of guest swimmers come out and join him, including Josh Baldi (left), the Regional Director of Northwest Washington for the Department of Ecology and Dennis Robertson (right), Councilmember for the City of Tukwila. Having friends out there on and in the water with him has been fantastic and makes swimming that much better!
A view upstream of the Duwamish River from South Park Bridge.
Plunging back in for the 3-mile swim downstream to the South Park Bridge.
North Winds Weir is an important restoration site. This unique geologic feature is a rocky shelf across the Duwamish that creates vital habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife species, including both juvenile salmon that are headed downstream to Puget Sound, as well as adult salmon that are moving upstream to the spawning grounds.
How’s the water? Josh Baldi (right), the Regional Director of Northwest Washington for the Department of Ecology and Dennis Robertson (center), Councilmember for the City of Tukwila joined Mark Powell (left) during the swim near North Wind’s Weir.
King County and numerous partners have completed extensive habitat restoration projects at North Wind’s Weir, creating 2-½ acres of high quality habitat for juvenile salmon on the Duwamish River, and benefiting migrating adult salmon, shorebirds, and other fish and wildlife. Miller-Walker Basin Steward, Elissa Ostergaard and Land King County Conservation Program Manager, Michael Murphy speak with Mark Powell about the nooks and crannies where fish can rest at the restoration site.
ourgreenduwamish.com 