~N.P. Creek Project~
N.P. Creek Project
Project Partner: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, local landowners
Estimated Project Cost: $93,100
Project Summary: N.P. Creek drains into the upper Samish River at river mile 25 near Wickersham. The Samish River and its tributaries are known to be an important fisheries resource, draining into Samish Bay. NP Creek is the second most productive stream in the upper Samish watershed and has had record returns since a fish barrier was removed 50 meters downstream of the existing bridge barrier. The creek is known to support coho, cutthroat, and steelhead.
While doing spawner surveys in 2002 for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group (SFEG) noticed a barrier to fish passage in the form of a concrete sill under an old bridge. The SFEG is currently seeking funding to remove this old bridge and concrete sill and replace it with a bridge. Several rock weirs will also be required to provide a step up grade so that fish can access spawning and rearing habitats upstream. This would open up about 1.5 miles (and about 7,400 square meters) of habitat to fish, including the creek and upstream wetlands, which now they are unable to access.
 Fish passage barrier under the bridge at N.P. Creek |
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 The new bridge crossing NP creek will open up miles of salmon spawning habitat. |
