Three Rivers TU - June 2026 Newsletter
Congratulations to Bamboo Rod Raffle Winner Adam Barley!
Three Rivers Trout Unlimited is pleased to announce that Adam Barley is the winner of our handcrafted bamboo fly rod raffle. This beautiful rod was generously donated by creator Steve Foise in support of our conservation, education, and community engagement programs. Funds raised through the raffle help advance our work restoring local watersheds, supporting salmon recovery, engaging volunteers, and connecting people to the places and fish we all care about.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who purchased raffle tickets and helped make this fundraiser a success. Your support directly contributes to on-the-ground conservation efforts throughout our region.
Congratulations again to Adam, and thank you to our members, volunteers, and supporters who continue to make this work possible.
Pictured: Jonah and Adam Barley with President Max Chase
Thank you again to everyone who supports Three Rivers Trout Unlimited through events, volunteering, and fundraising. Your involvement makes our conservation and community programs possible. Here's a look at what's coming up this summer.
Upcoming Events
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Upcoming Events 〰️
Restoration Volunteer Event w/ Trout Unlimited
at Jubilee Farm
Please join the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe’s Habitat Restoration Team and Trout Unlimited at Jubilee Farm on Saturday, June 20th from 10 am to 1 pm as we restore riparian habitat along this working farm field! We will be removing harmful non-native plants to continue improving floodplain forest habitat on the mainstem of the Snoqualmie River.
Come learn about the continued work the Tribe is doing in the area, how this work connects to salmon and other wildlife, and start a new restoration journey together!
Give back to one of our favorite parks with a post-holiday cleanup!
Join us for this fun and meaningful community event at Lake Sammamish State Park. Meet at 10:00 am on July 5th at the Sunset Beach Bathhouse at Lake Sammamish State Park for a special park clean up. Volunteers will spread out around the park to help pick up trash after one of the busiest park days. Participants will receive an annual Discover Pass for volunteering (limited to one per vehicle/group).
Three Rivers Trout Unlimited Partners with City of Lake Forest Park on Innovative Stormwater Project
For many years, salmon recovery efforts have focused on restoring habitat, removing fish passage barriers, and improving stream conditions. While those efforts remain essential, scientists now recognize that stormwater pollution is one of the greatest challenges facing salmon recovery in urban environments.
How Pollutant 6PPD-q Enters Urban Streams
When rain falls on roads, parking lots, and bridges, it picks up pollutants from vehicles, tire wear, and other urban surfaces before flowing into nearby streams. One contaminant of particular concern is 6PPD-quinone (6PPD-q), a chemical derived from tire wear that has been linked to mortality in coho salmon. To address these emerging threats, communities are increasingly investing in green stormwater infrastructure that treats runoff before it reaches local waterways.
Three Rivers is excited to announce that, in partnership with the City of Lake Forest Park, 6PPD-q can be removed efficiently and economically from road runoff using a filtration system.
The ‘Box of Rain’ system functions much like a natural wetland. Stormwater is diverted into a treatment area where it passes through layers of filtration media before continuing downstream. The installation near Lyon Creek was strategically selected to support the City's Stormwater Action Plan while improving water quality in a watershed connected to Lake Washington and Puget Sound.
"One of the things that excites me most about this project is that it creates a meaningful role for volunteers long after construction is complete," said Max Chase, President of Three Rivers Trout Unlimited. "Our members will help assist with filter maintenance, collect water quality samples, and monitor performance so we can better understand how these systems function over time. This builds on work we're already doing to maintain and monitor a Box of Rain installation along the I-90 corridor, where volunteers play a hands-on role in stewardship and data collection. We see Lake Forest Park as a model for how communities can take practical action to address stormwater pollution and protect salmon. We're eager to partner with additional municipalities interested in implementing their own Box of Rain Systems, and I encourage public works directors, stormwater managers, and local leaders to reach out directly to Three Rivers Trout Unlimited to learn how we can help bring these innovative solutions to their communities."
The project is being implemented under state and municipal permits and represents a practical, community-scale approach to reducing stormwater pollution before it reaches critical salmon habitat.
In addition to improving water quality, the site will include educational signage and native landscaping to help residents understand the connection between stormwater, watershed health, and salmon recovery.
"This project is especially meaningful because it is community-led and rooted in something we all care about: clean water," said Katey Queen, Conservation Science Manager at Trout Unlimited. "Whether you're a salmon, an angler, a kid exploring a creek, or someone enjoying a walk along the trail, we all benefit from healthy waterways. I spend a lot of time in streams collecting data and talking with community members, and many people are surprised to learn that one of the biggest threats to salmon can start in a parking lot or on a neighborhood road. Every time it rains, pollutants are carried downstream. Projects like this give me hope because they show what can happen when communities come together to protect the places we love."
As Three Rivers continues expanding its work on emerging contaminants such as 6PPD-q, partnerships like this one demonstrate how local action can create lasting benefits for both communities and fish. We are grateful to the City of Lake Forest Park for its leadership and look forward to sharing updates as the project moves forward.
6PPD-q is a chemical created when a common tire preservative called 6PPD reacts with ozone in the atmosphere. During rainstorms, particles from tire wear wash off roads and into streams where the chemical can be lethal to coho salmon. Research throughout the Pacific Northwest has identified 6PPD-q as a major contributor to urban coho mortality, making stormwater treatment projects like Box of Rain an important tool for salmon recovery.
This project demonstrates an important principle: every storm drain is connected to a stream, and every stream is connected to the future of salmon.
Connecting with the South King County Community
On June 10th, Three Rivers Trout Unlimited joined community members at the Fairwood Night Market for an evening of conservation conversations, fishing stories, and community outreach.
Throughout the event, volunteers connected with residents from across South King County, sharing information about local salmon recovery efforts, watershed stewardship opportunities, youth education programs, and ways to get involved with Trout Unlimited. Events like the Fairwood Night Market provide an important opportunity to meet people where they live, build new relationships, and introduce more community members to the work being done to protect and restore our local watersheds.
We were encouraged by the interest and enthusiasm shown by attendees and enjoyed meeting both longtime supporters and people learning about Trout Unlimited for the very first time.
If you missed us in June, we hope you'll stop by our booth at the next Fairwood Night Market on July 8th 4 pm - 8 pm. Whether you're an angler, a conservation enthusiast, or simply curious about the rivers, streams, and salmon that make our region special, we'd love to meet you. Bring your questions, learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities, and discover how you can help make a difference for fish and clean water in South King County.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Fly Tying Night at The Avid Angler
Members learn to tie dry-dropper rigs during a recent Fly Tying Night hosted at The Avid Angler. The event brought anglers together for an evening of hands-on learning, fishing conversation, and community.
Three Rivers Trout Unlimited members recently gathered at Avid Angler for an evening of fly tying, learning, and community. Participants had the opportunity to learn how to tie a dry-dropper rig, a versatile and effective setup that allows anglers to fish both the surface and subsurface simultaneously. Beyond the flies themselves, the event provided a chance to connect with fellow anglers, exchange fishing stories, and strengthen the sense of community that makes our chapter special.
We extend our sincere thanks to Avid Angler for hosting the event and providing a welcoming space for anglers to learn and connect. We also appreciate everyone who attended and helped make the evening a success.
Keep an eye on upcoming chapter communications for future fly tying nights, educational programs, and opportunities to connect with fellow anglers both on and off the water. Want to learn a specific fly? Have a place you want to have us host? Connect with us!
Have great fishing, conservation, and adventure photos this summer? Please share them with the leadership team so we can feature them on social media and in our next newsletter. Send photos to admin@threeriverstu.org
Tight Lines!