SEPTEMBER: Critters in the Rivers

September 2019

The 2019 ‘Living with the Methow River Calendar offers monthly information about our river habitat. It also showcases students’ artwork created in Methow Arts Education Programs after learning about our rivers from biologists. Learn more about our critters by visiting some the following sites: Twisp Ponds Discovery CenterCottonwood Trail, The Winthrop Barn Trail, and Whitefish Island.
(This month’s artwork by 6th grade student, Silas Wilson.)

Spring Chinook

SEPTEMBER FEATURES: Spring Chinook and Steelhead are anadromous. Anadromous fish are born in fresh water, spend their adult Lives at sea, and then return to freshwater streams to spawn at The end of their lifecycle. These fish need cold, clean water to survive. (This month’s artwork by 6th grade student, Brent La Rue.) 

SPRING CHINOOK (shown above) live up to eight years: one year in fresh
water and two to six years at sea. In August and September, salmon can be seen using their bodies to dig redds. Males will often aggressively defend their spawning areas from other males.


Steelhead Trout

STEELHEAD TROUT (shown left) can live up to nine years. They spend one to three years in freshwater before entering to the ocean. Some
steelhead repeat their ocean journey more than once.


The Living with the Methow Calendar is available each year at Methow Arts and numerous location. These are free to the public with funding and support is provided by Washington Department of Ecology and Bonneville Environmental Foundation. Additional support from Methow Salmon Recovery Foundation, MRC partners, Bureau of Reclamation, the Methow Valley School District, Washington State Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Community Foundation of North Central Washington, Methow Valley Fund, PSFA, Icicle Fund, and generous members of Methow Arts.