DESCRIPTION
The final objective of this restoration project is full removal the City of Snohomish Pilchuck River Diversion Dam to restore unimpeded fish access to over 37 miles of high quality priority habitat for listed species. The current planning/design project proposed by the Tulalip Tribes under this funding request will include expanded analyses to inform potential downstream effects following dam removal, final designs for full dam removal, all permitting required for full dam removal, and community outreach. The results of this effort will allow dam removal to be shovel-ready once subsequent implementation funding is secured.The City of Snohomish has operated a municipal diversion dam facility at river mile 26.4 of the Pilchuck River since 1912. This dam has consistently been an impediment to upstream fish migration for chinook, steelhead, bull trout, coho, chum, pink, cutthroat, and other species. There were recent efforts to design a roughened channel and dam lowering fish passage alternative that would allow continued water withdrawal. However, the City has now committed to the cessation of water withdrawals at this location, allowing full dam removal as the proposed final project outcome. Removing human-made instream barriers is identified as a priority in both the Middle and Upper Pilchuck sub-basin strategy groups as identified in the Snohomish Basin Salmon Conservation Plan.
Tulalip Tribes used funding to secure construction permits and complete final design to remove the City of Snohomish Pilchuck River Diversion Dam which restored access to over 37 miles of high quality priority spawning and rearing habitat for ESA listed Chinook, Steelhead, and bull trout, as well as coho, chum, pink salmon, and cutthroat trout. Planning work also included analysis of potential downstream effects following dam removal (Dam Removal Analysis for Sediment), cultural resources review and associated permitting, and involved a robust community outreach effort with multiple community meetings and digital media to engage and inform stakeholders.
The City of Snohomish operated a municipal diversion dam facility at river mile 26.4 of the Pilchuck River since 1912, impeding upstream fish migration for more than 100 years. Removing human-made instream barriers is a priority in both the Middle and Upper Pilchuck sub-basin strategy groups as identified in the Snohomish Basin Salmon Conservation Plan. Completion of this planning project allowed the dam removal project to be shovel ready and restoration was completed in the summer of 2020 (funded in part with SRFB #18-167).
Mainstem - Primary Restoration Sub-Basin Strategy Group
