New WDFW map explores aquatic species across Washington watersheds, including Wenatchee

OLYMPIA — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) recently launched a new online map showing freshwater ecosystems statewide and allowing users to explore where aquatic species live in Washington's major river systems, including the Wenatchee.

The interactive map is part of the agency’s ongoing Aquatic Biodiversity Study; it displays species distribution and serves as a planning tool for conservation districts, land-use planners, municipalities, and tribal governments statewide.

It aims to help inform permitting and development decisions by letting managers know which of these often-under-studied species occur within their watershed, allowing them to account for and protect those species in planning. It also helps prioritize habitat restoration and fish passage projects by identifying which species have been recently detected in specific watersheds.

Beyond land management, it serves as a resource for the public to learn about the diversity of aquatic life in their local rivers, while seeing how the information supports conservation and restoration efforts.

"As part of the Aquatic Biodiversity Study, our goal is to conduct a census in every major river in Washington over the next seven years. This map documents our work as we survey Washington’s rivers,” said Marie Winkowski, WDFW’s Native Aquatic Species Unit Lead. “The intent is to make complex genetic data understandable and useful for everyone involved in protecting our state’s waterways."

The multi-year Aquatic Biodiversity Study will survey major river systems statewide. The study has already covered nine watersheds — more than 10 percent of the state — and detected more than 1,000 species including fish, amphibians, and insects. This initial version of the map displays inland fish and shellfish, including more than 30 species of greatest conservation need. The public can find the current list of focal species on the WDFW Aquatic Biodiversity Study webpage.

Included in the study’s early iteration is the Wenatchee River watershed, offering a look at how focal species are distributed throughout the 850,267-acre drainage area.

As part of the study, scientists identify species by matching environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples with reference databases that contain DNA barcodes for thousands of species. This process is called “metabarcoding.” It is a non-invasive method, and an efficient alternative to snorkeling or electrofishing, that allows scientists to detect rare species without disturbing their natural habitats.

“We’re getting a level of detail about aquatic biodiversity that was simply not possible before,” said Vince Butitta, WDFW study co-lead, in an agency blog post. “This technology lets us detect not just fish, but shellfish, freshwater invertebrates, amphibians, and even signs of animals that live near rivers, such as beavers, snakes, loons, ducks, and others.”

The Aquatic Biodiversity Study is supported by state biodiversity and climate resiliency funding. During the 2025-2027 biennial and supplemental sessions, the Legislature cut WDFW's funding for biodiversity by $2 million per fiscal year. The agency said the cut drastically reduced its ability to conduct this type of eDNA work into the future.