DESCRIPTION
Japanese Gulch Creek is a northern flowing creek along the City of Mukilteo's western boundary. During the early 1900's portions of the stream was culverted to accommodate the Crown Lumber Mill and the railroad, then when the Tank Farm was built in the 1940's the stream was completely enclosed north of Mukilteo Lane. The project goal is to recreate a fish passable stream into Possession Sound. The project has been broken into several phases:
Phase I (constructed 2010)–Fish passage through the BNSF junction box was restored through the placement of baffles and boulders mounted into the floor of the concrete junction box to concentrate flow and simulate stream conditions.
Phase II (constructed 2010)–Built an inverted culvert type fish ladder and a series of internal baffles to enhance fish passage.
Phase III (constructed 2012)–Restored portion of creek to it historic channel, including habitat restoration and enhancements.
Phase IV (constructed 2012)–This phase addressed juvenile fish access to an off channel wetland complex adjacent to lower creek. A series of small steps were installed in the small tributary that drained this wetland complex.
Phase V (ongoing)–This phase entails daylighting of creek into an intertidal pocket estuary on the City's waterfront. Currently the creek flows through three culverts under the BNSF railroad and remains in a pipe until discharged to Puget Sound.
Japanese Gulch Creek is a northern flowing creek along the City's western boundary with the City of Everett. The stream flows through land owned by the City of Mukilteo, the City of Everett, Federal Tank Farm site, Burlington Northern Rail Road and private property.
Over the past 100 years the stream has been significantly altered with fish barriers which have reduced or eliminated fish use and habitat. During the early 1900's portions of the stream was culverted to accommodate the Crown Lumber Mill and the Rail Road, then when the Tank Farm was built in the 1940's the stream was completely enclosed north of Mukilteo Lane. Up stream there are a series of weirs, flumes, catch basins and culverts which have limited fish passage in the upper reaches of the stream.
The goal of the Japanese Gulch Creek Day Lighting project is to recreate a fish passable stream system that feeds into Possession Sound. To do this, the project has been broken into several phases.
Phase 1: Replace the concrete drainage structure north of Mukilteo Lane (on BNSF land) with a fish passable steps or ladder. Phase 1 was completed in July of 2010.
Phase 2: Design and build up to three passable fish structures in the lower reaches of Japanese Gulch Stream between Mukilteo Lane and 4th Street. Phase 2 was completed in October of 2010.
Phase 3: Relocate Japanese Gulch into its historic channel on the west side of the Boeing Rail Road Spur. This project also includes evaluating the possibility of opening the Category 2 wetland adjacent to Japanese Gulch Stream to tidal waters to create a saltwater estuary. Depending of the results, building improvements to create the estuary. Design of the stream relocation in underway. Construction is expected to occur in the summer of 2011.
Phase 4: Design and build passable fish structures in the upper reaches of Japanese Gulch Stream between 5th Street and SR 526. Feasibility study completed in June of 2010 concluded that the costs associated with boring under 5th Street and the limited habitat south of 5th Street was not cost effective. As a result, this portion of the project was dropped.
Phase 5: Daylight Japanese Gulch Creek across the Federal Tank Farm property north of the BNSF rail road tracks. The $4 million cost estimate for this phase of the project is in project number 07-NR-011.
