DESCRIPTION
This fish
passage improvement project will improve fish passage in the upper South Creek
(Muck Creek Drainage) watershed on the Ward property. Three fish passage
barriers on the site impede passage to numerous anadromous and resident species
including coho, steelhead and cutthroat trout. Two of the three barriers are
currently funded by the FFFPP program with a plan to replace one of the barriers
with a fish friendly culvert and to fully remove the other. A third barrier
however is not eligible for FFFPP funding and is thus still in need of replacement.
This scenario poses a challenge in that the un-funded barrier is the most
downstream of the three and is also contributing to flooding for the landowner.
If this barrier goes untreated the landowner may completely pull his support
for the entire project. Additionally, since this barrier is the most downstream,
fish passage will still be hindered up to the other two locations.
The
lower barrier may qualify for the NRCS "Eqip" fish passage program and an
application is pending. However, NRCS will only pay for a portion of the
project. This proposal seeks to fund lower barrier replacement, with the other
two sites being covered by FFFPP. A higher funding amount will be needed if
NRCS does not provide funding or a lower amount may be needed for match if NRCS
does fund the project.
The South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group worked with two private landowners to remove two barrier culverts on their private forestland roads. One was a three foot round culvert, in danger of failing, with an excessive slope that presented a barrier to fish passage. Immediately above this culvert is a small pond that was headed by a barrier dam which has been removed as part of the replacement of the barrier culvert. A 14-foot wide concrete box replaced the culvert and now allows for conveyance of stream flows, movements of materials, and unimpeded fish passage.
The second site, a couple of hundred meters upstream of the first crossing, was a two foot round culvert with excessive slope. It likely posed a velocity barrier during higher flows. This crossing has been abandoned and was not replaced with any new structure to allow for conveyance of higher flows, movement of stream-bed materials, and unimpeded fish passage.
Removal of the two existing structures opens up approximately two miles of habitat as well as access to a large wetland for Steelhead, Coho, sea run Cutthroat and resident trout in this unnamed tributary to South Creek.
