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THE POWER OF A LOGJAM

I first created these cutaway illustrations for a story about the Lower Elwah Klallam Tribe restoring Elwah River with engineered logjams. Then, several months later, I made some modifications to the graphic for similar story about the Tulalip Tribe restoring the Pilchuck River. Logjams to help restore Pacific Northwest rivers to their natural state, slowing the flow and reintroducing ecosystem complexity (braided channels) and nutrient cycling. The logjams are already attracting chinook, the largest salmon species.

Read more in The Seattle Times:
The power of a logjam: A vision of the Northwest’s rivers of old, published November 17, 2025
How the Tulalip Tribes are using a helicopter to restore a salmon river, published July 14, 2025

Tribes are adding logjams to the Elwah and Pilchuck Rivers to accelerate their transition to the way rivers used to be—before they were simplified for agriculture, development and power production at huge cost to fish habitat. (Illustration by Fiona Martin / The Seattle Times)

Process

Here’s some of my preliminary sketches and color drafts:

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