Healing Washougal’s watershed

An effort to improve the quality of the lower Washougal River and its salmon habitats could pay some homeowners to plant native vegetation and create “rain gardens” along the river’s edge.

The Vancouver Watersheds Alliance is asking homeowners with property along the lower Washougal River to participate in the voluntary streamside enhancement program, which seeks to increase the number of native plants, trees and shrubs along the shoreline and create rain gardens to reduce runoff into the river.