DESCRIPTION
The Kittitas Conservation Trust (KCT) used this grant to design and implement culvert replacement projects to restore fish passage at two road crossings on Cougar Gulch that were partial barriers. KCT also developed a preliminary design to restore fish passage at the Lions Gulch culvert, developed a final design to restore fish passage at the Williams Creek culvert (both culverts are partial fish passage barriers), and worked with USFS to complete the NEPA process to allow future implementation of designs. Each of these streams are located in the Williams Creek Drainage basin in Liberty, Washington. The goals of the project were to expand and enhance available habitat for Mid-Columbia steelhead and other anadramous and resident fish populations. The project is linked to the USFS Swauk Pine Restoration Project that incorporates a watershed approach to restore natural hydrologic processes, reduce the size of the road system, and create a more resilient forest mosaic to enhance habitat for threatened fish and wildlife species.
The original grant proposal included road decommissioning, wood installation, and providing fish passage at four partial fish passage barriers. KCT reduced the grant scope to accommodate greater than anticipates costs for replacement culverts and due to community concern over the proposed wood placement and road decommissioning.
The Kittitas Conservation Trust (KCT) designed and implemented culvert replacement projects to restore fish passage at two road crossings on Cougar Gulch that were partial barriers. In addition, KCT developed a preliminary design to restore fish passage at the Lions Gulch culvert, developed a final design to restore fish passage at the Williams Creek culvert (both culverts are partial fish passage barriers), and worked with USFS to complete the NEPA process to allow future implementation of the designs. Each of these streams are located in the Williams Creek Drainage basin in Liberty, Washington. The goals of the project were to expand and enhance available habitat for Mid-Columbia steelhead and other anadromous and resident fish populations. The project is linked to the USFS Swauk Pine Restoration Project that incorporates a watershed approach to restore natural hydrologic processes, reduce the size of the road system, and create a more resilient forest mosaic to enhance habitat for threatened fish and wildlife species.
The original grant proposal included road decommissioning, wood installation, and providing fish passage at 4 partial fish passage barriers. KCT reduced the grant scope to accommodate the fact that the cost of the replacement culverts was much greater than originally estimated and because public concern over the proposed wood placement and road decommissioning delayed the NEPA permitting process. Additional public outreach is needed to address public concerns.
