Executive Summary

The population in Orting is growing as people are attracted by the small town feel and beautiful scenery of the valley. Housing developments are being built to accommodate the increase in people, and the impervious surfaces that accompany them, combined with tree loss that destabilizes the hillside soil, are increasing the sediment and chemical runoff into the rivers. The increased levels of pollution harm the salmon populations. As the area that humans inhabit grows, forests are cut down and habitat is lost, pushing elk onto agricultural lands, and drawing cougars with them.

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