Cowiche Canyon Conservancy acquired 282 acres of the Snow Mountain Ranch that encompass the South Fork Cowiche Creek (tributary to the Naches River), its floodplain, associated wetlands, and the ranch's irrigated agricultural lands. In addition, it removed a fish barrier (diversion dam), placed instream habitat structures (12 rootwads), made instream habitat improvements by breaching dikes, and improved instream flow by filling an irrigation ditch. The removal of the fish barrier opened access to the rest of the Cowiche Basin (20+ miles) for juvenile and adult steelhead, coho, and Chinook. This project protected and enhanced a key section of the important Cowiche Creek system. The Yakima River Basin Watershed Assessment states, "The Cowiche Creek system is considered to have good to excellent rearing habitat with adequate cover, especially in the South Fork." The Northwest Power Planning Council Salmon and Steelhead Production Plan (1990) discusses other habitat factors in Cowiche Creek noting, "Riparian vegetation is dense along most reaches; stream banks are stable and there are sufficient spawning gravels." Pools and riffles are also relatively abundant on the South Fork of Cowiche Creek. The Yakima Basin Limiting Habitat Factors Analysis reported, "Cowiche Creek as having major steelhead and coho production potential, minor spring Chinook production potential, and having high restoration potential if fish passage problems were corrected." The Cowiche Canyon Conservancy worked in partnership with the Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group, the Bonneville Power Administration, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife on this project.