Chelan-Douglas Land Trust protects nearly 100 more acres along White River

CHELAN COUNTY — Along the upper reaches of the White River, where water spills out of the Cascades and braids through forest and floodplain on its way to Lake Wenatchee, nearly 100 more acres of river corridor will now remain exactly as the river needs them to be.

Chelan-Douglas Land Trust has completed the acquisition of two additional properties along the White River in the Wenatchee watershed, permanently protecting close to 100 acres of wetlands, forested floodplain, and river habitat in one of the region’s most ecologically important stretches of water.

The White River, which originates at White Pass and flows southeast all the way to its mouth at the lake, provides spawning and rearing habitat for endangered spring Chinook salmon and supports one of the largest sockeye runs in the Upper Columbia. The newly protected lands include low-lying wetlands and forested areas that play a critical role in both fish recovery and flood protection.

With the new acquisitions, the land trust now permanently protects 704 acres and 6.4 miles of river corridor along the White River. In addition, conservation easements protect another 73.7 acres and 3.7 miles of riverfront, ensuring long-term stewardship of a watershed that has become increasingly important as climate and weather patterns grow less predictable.

Conservation Director Mickey Fleming said the December 2025 high-water event underscored exactly why these kinds of landscapes matter.

“The recent high-water event in December of 2025 is a reminder that these floodplains and wetlands perform a vital function to soak up the excess water and reduce downstream flooding,” Fleming said. “CDLT works with landowners to protect their streamside property as important zones for conservation.”

The properties were acquired from the Ohme and Landin families, and the project was supported by funding from the Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board and the Grant PUD Priest Rapids Coordinating Committee.

While the newly protected lands are not developed for recreation, and visitation is not encouraged due to sensitive habitat and challenging conditions, public access is not restricted. The focus, however, is firmly on letting the river do what it has always done best when given the space: move, flood, reshape, and sustain life.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media