CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

The Chehalis Basin is the State’s second-largest river drainage system, made up of distinct landscapes: mountain foothills, farms, forests, small towns, and cities. Its elevation ranges from sea level up to around 2,700 feet on its highest mountain. It is the region’s economic engine, a prime recreational destination, and home to many communities and tribes with deep cultural connections to the land. It is also the home of important and rare species of fish and aquatic wildlife that live in its wetlands, streams, and rivers. The Basin provides crucial nesting grounds for migratory birds and a wildlife corridor connecting the Cascades to the Olympics, and it is one of the state’s most important wild salmon strongholds.