DESCRIPTION
Ruby Creek flows through a total barrier culvert just south of Glenwood Road crossing. Downstream supports good rearing habitat and upstream supports available habitat including Ruby Marsh and Square Lake. This total fish passage barrier was identified as a high priority by the watershed assessment (ESA, 2017a). Action proposes fish passage improvements, riparian restoration, and LWD placement. There is one culvert (Site ID 931608, Passability: 0%; Total PI 42.53). This project will reconnect isolated habitats and improves fish passage in these areas. Fish passage improvements would restore longitudinal connectivity at road crossings, improving sediment and organic material supply and transport, nutrient cycling, and localized hydrology. Fish passage improvements would also address improvement of instream biological processes such as food chain support, sunlight, and detritus. Riparian restoration (i.e. native plantings, removal of non-native plants) would address riparian processes of long-term wood recruitment, stream shading, bank and floodplain complexity, and food chain support. This action would also prevent further channel incision and improve habitat through placement of in-channel LWD. It would increase the amount of instream wood to increase hydraulic roughness and help restore channel complexity in the intermediate period while riparian forests are developing. Wood placement promotes scour and deposition processes that form complex substrate, pools and bars, and