The Nisqually Valley News ran this story on Friday, May 16,

“In an effort to restore Yelm Creek to its former glory, Yelm resident Barb Wood and the Yelm Creek Stewards are looking for creek history and various grant opportunities.

Currently, Wood has a grant application pending to renovate and restore the 900 feet of Yelm Creek that runs through her property near First Street and Railway Road.

The goal is to get other people interested in other restoration projects, Wood said. Were trying to provide information about your backyard stream that was once viable.

Woods application is to remove silt, which is full of nutrients, but congesting the creek, as well as to transfer trees planted in a previous restoration attempt.

The grant is for matching funds in the amount of $30,000.

The goal of the project is to conduct adaptive management of a 1990 restoration project that was not successful, Wood said. The past project was initiated to control an agricultural grass (reed canary grass) that invaded the active channel of Yelm Creek. …

Wood said she hopes that her restoration project will help increase the flow of Yelm Creek and allow nutrients to deposit to neighboring fields, rather than sit as silt deposits in the creek.

By removing berms created by the backup, Wood said she hopes to create an active connection with the floodplain.

Wood, who has owned Yelm Creek property since the 1980s, is hoping her restoration project will spark other property owners to restore the creek as well…

As part of her restoration project, Wood is looking for historical information on the creek. Currently she has several photos of a Yelm Creek Flood Control Project, from which she is trying to identify the locations…

If you have any information about Yelm Creek history or would like to participate in restoration efforts, e-mail Wood at parkwood@ywave.com.”