Telling the Tale of Steigerwald
Written by Beth Marlin Lichter
Work is nearing completion at Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. A recent announcement by the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership confirms the removal of the levee and that is huge news. We are witnessing the restoration of a supremely unique and significant habitat, involving multiple agencies, and for the first time since 1966, Gibbons Creek is now flowing freely into the Columbia River. Undoing a levee system is no small feat. By Spring of 2022 the refuge will reopen to the public with improved fish passage, restored wetlands habitat and new trails.
Curious to know how a project of this magnitude resounds in the community, I recently met with an individual whose lifelong quest has been to honor, protect and pass along values of stewardship in and around the Columbia Gorge, including Steigerwald Lake...Wilson Cady.
Descended from an Oregon Trail wagon master, Wilson was raised by a mother who was a “crack shot” and an excellent hunter. When his folks took the family camping, they did not bring much, as they foraged for whatever they needed. At the age of eight Wilson acquired his first bird book from a neighbor with beautiful illustrations which inspired him, also that year, to paint his first picture of a Belted Kingfisher. He is still painting.
Wilson Cady in Washougal
Painting: Steigerwald Lake NWR Harvest Moon by Wilson Cady
Photo: Beth Marlin Lichter
WIlson Cady’s work life began in the Camas Paper Mill at age eighteen but his real work has always been about advocating for the preservation and appreciation of the local environment. He explains, “The Columbia River Gorge is more than just a passage through the Cascade Mountains. It’s the only sea level migration route through the Cascades south of Canada and Steigerwald Lake is an important rest stop for migrating birds. It’s a unique crossroads of East-West and North-South migration routes.”
In 1975 Cady helped form the Vancouver Audubon Society. At the very first meeting which he attended with his wife, Susan Cady, he was hoping to connect with other birders but there were none present.
Cady’s words: “Plenty of wildflower people, hikers and conservation people but there were no birders. The speaker that night was the regional director of the Washington Game Department and he talked about what they were doing in the area. Then he asked what we intended to do about Steigerwald Lake. What? We had no idea what he was talking about. Did he mean Robert’s Bean Farm? The regional director knew the value of habitat and the land around Steigerwald Lake was designated as Heavy Industrial. He wanted someone to start surveying the wildlife population there, to report on the importance of the area in question, so my wife and I volunteered since we lived close by. We did our census from the road, so as not to trespass on private property.”
Steigerwald Family Photos
Cady and his wife’s reports about the abundance of wildlife and the significance of the habitat, were instrumental in saving the area from development and in 1987 Steigerwald Lake officially became a National Wildlife Refuge.
Another triumph of local stewardship can also be attributed in great part to the efforts of Wilson and Susan Cady. “In the 80’s there was talk about the only swimming beach in Washougal, Cottonwood Beach, being developed into a barge-turning basin. Everyone kept saying that somebody should do something about that. Well, we’re all somebody. Let’s do something.” And they did. Cottonwood Beach is now Captain William Clark Park.
Deeply appreciated for his work preserving the local environment, lots of awards have come his way, including 2005’s Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership’s Outstanding Steward of the Columbia River, and in 2008 Wilson Cady was named Camas-Washougal Citizen of the Year.
I asked him how he feels about the work that’s nearly completed at Steigerwald.
“I love it, just love it. It’s way more than I ever expected could happen. I was hoping to save a remnant of it, not restore it. The fish run. Giving Gibbons Creek back. It’s one of the rare native fish runs left in the Columbia River system.”
I asked Wilson what kind of advice he would give to young people who love to be outdoors and want to figure out how to start down a career path connected to the local environment. He replied, “Volunteer with any outdoor group, anything you’re interested in...could be a native plant group, birding group, fishing group. ” He explained that when you do this, opportunities begin to arise. If you dive deep into something and apply yourself, good things happen.
According to Cady, “Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.” Well, he certainly is an over-doer. His Linkedn profile proves that. Wilson Cady has so many protective environmental projects of great success, under his belt. He’s a writer, painter, mentor, field trip leader, and most importantly, a volunteer and steward of the land.
Wilson Cady in Washougal
Photo: Beth Marlin Lichter
I had one final question for him. “Wilson, if we went up the hill a bit and looked down upon Steigerwald and all the work that’s been done so far, and we see the creek flowing for the first time in fifty years, reconnected to the mighty Columbia, what would be the first words out of your mouth?”
No hesitation. “Wow! It’s great to see that other people have recognized what a valuable and unique piece of habitat this is.” He was quiet for a moment, contemplating the enormity of the project. “This is beyond my wildest hopes and dreams.”
Let this be a lesson for us all. Dream big and overdo.
Reconnecting Gibbons Creek to the Columbia River/Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Photo: Jared Strawderman
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From The Ranger's Corner:
Fall is For Antlers.....
Most of you may know that CWTD are present at Ridgefield NWR now after first being translocated to the Refuge in 2013 from Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-tailed deer. While I await the annual survey of just how many deer the Refuge is now home to, I can say that at the least, should you visit the River ‘S’ Unit, you are very likely to see one. As we continue to manage the refuge for the success of this species, you may notice that in the fall, antlers may begin to grow on younger deer and large bucks with full racks (adult sized antlers) may be seen.
Continue reading this at our Ranger Corner page: refugestewards.org/rangercorner .
Steigerwald Reconnection Project
With rainy weather means some work will require a pause until the ground freezes or dries out. USFWS, lead project contractors, the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, and Gorge Refuge Stewards representatives attempted to get out on the site in late October to access a new feature to the trail system that the Gorge Refuge Stewards have been working to provide; a new observation blind. However, the area proposed for it to be was not accessible at this time. With soft grounds it was too much even for a UTV to pass (and I hear that is after they were splashed a bit by mud!). But that doesn’t mean the plan isn’t moving forward.
To catch up on project status at our webpage refugestewards.org/rangercorner .
Around the Complex
A reminder that as the days get shorter, so does the Refuge operating hours. The Refuges are open sunrise to sunset (both Ridgefield and Steigerwald when it reopens next spring). When planning a trip, it is always best practice to check the gate for the closing time posted and to plan accordingly.
You can also find the posted gate times on the official USFWS websites. While you might want to bookmark that link for now, come January 2022 the official websites for the Refuge Complex will be changing to a new system and a new look and functionality.
One goal we hope to achieve thorough this change is to make sure the information you need as a visitor and supporter of the Refuge is easy to find and increase awareness about the resources and engagement opportunities Refuges provide.
Some of the updates we are trying to provide, not only on our websites but throughout all communication we develop, are to better help people understand what to expect when they visit. We are working with various partners and engaging with local communities to learn these needs so that our sites can better serve all communities.
Screenshot of the Ridgefield NWR home page with the Alert where gate times are posted on the bottom right hand side of the images.
©USFWS
Ranger Question of the Month
How much do antlers (on average) grow in a day?
A) A Foot
B) A Few Centimeters
C) An Inch
D) Unknown
For the answer and more visit The Ranger Corner at the Gorge Refuge Stewards website
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Volunteering and Community Engagement: Jared Strawderman
Volunteers Remove Invasive Plants Around the Refuge
Photo by Jared Strawderman, Volunteers Steve, George, and Curt in a sea of English Ivy..
In collaboration with the Skamania Noxious Weed Control Program (SNWCP) and with financial assistance from a Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Grant, volunteers prepared sites for blackberry treatment below the Heron Rookery at Pierce NWR. The SNWCP treated a total of 26 acres of Himalayan blackberry and Canada thistle throughout the Refuge to enhance habitat for the elk herd which contains 30+ individuals that live year-round at the Refuge.
Steigerwald Reconnection Project
From the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership Newsletter
View south along west setback levee, and the new trail, showing wind wave overbuild and green hydroseed. Brown areas will be planted with trees and shrubs this winter. Photo by Curtis Helm LCEP
Steigerwald Construction Team Meets Deadline
Heavy construction at the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge is slowing down as fall rains set in and earthwork wraps up. Prime contractor, Rotschy Inc., has finished constructing the east and west setback levees and fully removed the elevated canal and fish ladder that had constrained Gibbons Creek for decades. With Gibbons Creek and the Columbia River now fully reconnected to the site, the team is anxiously awaiting the return of winter/spring floods and salmon and steelhead!
Habitat restoration subcontractor, LKE, has completed the installation of large wood habitat structures in more than a mile of new channels and across more than 100 acres of new wetlands. Rotschy also has finished removing rip-rap and regrading half a mile of Columbia River bank. Crews will spend November and December building trails (as weather allows), installing new trail signage, and beginning this year’s 170-acre planting effort.
Many thanks are due to what has turned out to be a truly exceptional project team – USFWS, the Port of Camas-Washougal, WSDOT, Wolf Water Resources, Murraysmith, Cornforth, Rotschy, and many others. Large construction projects rarely go exactly as planned, and this group has functioned as a cohesive team in working through the project’s inevitable challenges.
Just a reminder that the Estuary Partnership created this virtual tour to bring viewers into the refuge to see construction activities that happened during August and September. Check it out, along with other project videos and updates on their website.
Jared Strawderman, CVA (he/him/his)
Stewardship & Community Engagement Coordinator
Gorge Refuge Stewards - Steigerwald Lake, Franz Lake, Pierce NWR's
Steigerwald Photography Group Meeting was rescheduled to November 7th at 7pm. Our photo focuses this month were Fall Colors and Migration. To join us, sign up here. You can also view and share photos on our public Facebook Group.
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