DESCRIPTION
The Berry Patch Fish Passage Project is on a small unnamed creek that flows north and northeast into the Sauk River north of Darrington near Bryson Road. This project reconnected isolated fish and wildlife habitat and restored some riparian area. An old farm crossing was removed from the stream, and the channel was restored to its natural grade.
The property is used as a single family residence and small farm. Structures include a house, shed, and chicken coop. Approximately 600 feet of creek frontage was planted with a 1.3-acre US Departmet of Agriculture (USDA) Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) riparian forest buffer in 2002.
A 15 inch diameter corrugated metal culvert and associated road fill was removed from the creek in 2004. The fill, totaling about 80 cubic yards, was excavated to the original grade of the creek bed and banks. Approximately 450 linear feet of habitat was opened up as a result of this project, thus providing approximately 6,000 square feet of rearing and spawning habitat that will be reconnected to the creek and Sauk River. The banks of the area were the culvert was removed were planted with 10,000 sq ft or 0.2 acres of plants in 2004.
This restoration project has provided additional habitat access to salmonids including coho, chum, and cutthroat for spawning and rearing; bull trout for feeding; and possibly chinook salmon for periods of brief summer rearing. The on-site habitat is used primarily for spawning and off-channel rearing. The expansion of accessible salmonid habitat is anticipated to be a benefit to species of prey, such as for the bald eagle. In addition long-legged bats and fringe bats (species of concern for logs and downed wood habitat) are indicated as present in the Sauk Valley in the Sauk River and Sauk River Forks Watershed Analysis (1996).