Fish Passage Projects Completed

by Perry Welch

SFEG made progress implementing several funded projects this year. Fish passage problems were corrected and thousands of plants were installed and maintained. A review of recently completed passage repair projects includes a bridge over Alder Creek that opens 9 miles of quality anadromous habitat in a relatively undisturbed watershed; bridges over Lorenzan Creek and Lyle Creek; and a culvert replaced on Lake Creek.

Solving the Alder Creek passage problem in Hamilton took several years of planning and trying to find alternative land access. Early this fall, workers began removing the perched and damaged passage barrier on the Crown 800 Road. A partnership with Trillium resulted in removal and replacement of the culvert with an 89-foot long flatcar bridge. Since the barrier was repaired, SFEG spawner surveys have documented several dozen coho, thousands of pink salmon, a dozen chum, and about ten chinook above the crossing.

The Alder Creek culvert presented a barrier to anadromous fish passage.

The new bridge opens
nine miles of quality salmon habitat.

Lorenzan Creek is a Skagit River tributary in Concrete. In September, the crew and Harkness Contracting removed a perched and undersized culvert, based on an inventory conducted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). This project builds on a passage project previously completed by Skagit County on Grassmere Road, which resulted in opening up the mouth of the creek to the Skagit River. A Janicki bridge was constructed to provide passage for coho and cutthroat trout on this spring fed middle Skagit River tributary.

Lyle Creek is a tributary of the Sauk River north of Darrington. SFEG worked with the Skagit Conservation District (SCD) and Rick Carlson of Lorric Logging to install a bridge at Dale Dashiell’s property. The Dashiells are participants in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). The project involved installing a livestock crossing using a recycled 35-foot long truck car bed.

Lake Creek drains into Big Lake in the upper Nookachamps watershed. SFEG replaced an old railroad grade culvert on Mike King’s property, just below Lake McMurray. The project will provide access to quiet off-channel wetland rearing habitat for coho.

Other SFEG partnerships include working with the Skagit System Cooperative to inventory Natural Barriers in the Samish Basin. Stream surveyors are mapping the location of falls and gradient barriers that would limit anadromous fish migration.

The Jobs for the Environment Program ended this November after about seven years of restoration crew funding. The professional crew is able to implement projects that require use and coordination of light and heavy machinery not appropriate for volunteer use. Experienced crew workers can also help SFEG to support volunteer efforts, and they require minimal supervision. I am hopeful that our crew can be maintained in the future with project funding.