| Willamette Basin |
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| Benton County |
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Beaver Creek Fish Passage and Stream Restoration
Restoration Project (2005)
Salmon License Plate Funds $44,691
Total Project Cost $160,660
Since the 1930s, an irrigation dam on Beaver Creek, a large tributary of Marys River, limited fish passage to over 22 miles of valuable salmonid and resident trout habitat during low seasonal flows. Further upstream, undersized culverts blocked fish passage year round. Using salmon license plate funds from OWEB, the Benton Soil and Water Conservation District recently created a fishway through the agricultural dam, replaced the undersized culverts with larger arch structures, and replanted project sites with native trees and vegetation to provide shade and stabilize the stream banks. Now anadromous and resident species in Beaver Creek enjoy access to high quality habitat throughout the year.
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Agricultural dam blocking fish passage
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Raised streambed with fishway through dam
(photo before vegetation replanting)
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| For more information contact Chris Stebbins, Benton Soil and Water Conservation District (541.766.6821 x4532) |
Blakesley Creek and Woods Creek Fish Passage and Stream Restoration
Restoration Project (2005)
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Salmon License Plate Funds $132,334
Total Project Cost $190,037
The Marys River watershed contains essential, high-quality salmonid habitat. Until recently, however, Blakesley and Woods Creek, two large tributaries of Marys River, were impassable to anadromous species seeking spawning and rearing habitat upstream. With the help of salmon license plate funds from OWEB, the Marys River Watershed Council replaced two crossings with large culverts, installed a bridge at a third location, and constructed a series of rock weirs to restore water levels at a fourth location. Chinook, steelhead, and cutthroat trout now enjoy access to over 17 miles of previously blocked habitat for spawning and rearing.
For more information contact Chris Stebbins, Benton Soil and Water Conservation District (541.766.6821 x4532)
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Undersized culvert blocking fish passage
New culvert with natural stream bottom
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| Clackamas County |
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Clackamas Fish Barrier Identification and Prioritization Model Project
Fish Barrier Inventory (2003)
Salmon License Plate Funds $83,308
Total Project Cost $141,770
Identifying, surveying, and prioritizing road crossing-related problems within a watershed is a critical first step toward watershed-scale restoration. Supported by salmon license plate funds from OWEB, the Clackamas River Basin Council and its partners conducted a model fish passage project in the Clear and Foster Creeks Watershed that lead to a larger assessment of fish passage barriers throughout the Lower and Upper Clackamas River Basin. Field crews surveyed 318 barrier sites, recording outfall drop, slope, fish use, and habitat conditions upstream and downstream of each barrier. This information now aids the local watershed council, government agencies and private landowners in planning restoration efforts to improve fish passage and seeking funding for priority fish barrier removal projects. It also provides a model for other watersheds to use in determining their fish passage priorities. So far, $1 million in federal funds, matched by an additional $1 million from OWEB, has been dedicated to the elimination of fish barriers throughout Clackamas County. In time, this watershed-scale approach to restoration will help bring back depleted fish populations throughout the entire Clackamas River Basin.
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Ford blocking fish passage
discovered during survey
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Small side-by-side culverts
identified as barriers
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Surveyed culvert
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For more information contact Michael Carleson, Clackamas River Basin Council (503.640.0185) |
Oregon City Fish Passage Improvement Project
Fish Passage Improvement (2004)
Salmon License Plate Funds $185,000
Total Project Cost $457,000
In 2001, local and state government agencies began planning for improvements to a highway intersection near Oregon City with the objective of increasing vehicular capacity and safety. During the design and permitting phase, the city refined the project to address a major fish passage barrier to the Holcomb Creek watershed. Using salmon license plate funds from OWEB, the existing box culvert and weir system was replaced by a more fish-friendly arch with natural stream bottom. This replacement marks the first of several local restoration efforts that will open nearly seven miles of high quality spawning habitat for native salmonids.
For more information contact Nancy Kraushaar, Oregon City Public Works Department (503.496.1545)
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Box culvert blocking fish passage
New arch culvert with natural stream bottom
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| Lane County |
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Lane County projects located in the North Coast Basin
Lane County Culvert Project
Fish Passage Improvement (2003)
Salmon License Plate Funds $46,292
Total Project Cost $146,016
Scattered throughout the Coastal Lakes and Siuslaw River watersheds, Harring, Grant, Carle, and Alder Creek all suffered from the same problem, as well as the same possibilities. Each creek contained valuable spawning and rearing habitat for anadromous species, but the habitat areas were blocked by undersized culverts. During high water flows, the small culverts also forced the streams to backup onto adjacent land, causing excessive sedimentation of the stream and decreasing the habitat quality. With the help of salmon license plate funds from OWEB, Cascade Pacific RC&D, in cooperation with Lane County, the USDA Forest Service, and the National Forest Foundation, replaced all four culverts with larger structures, stopping the backup of high waters and allowing the passage of coho, steelhead, and cutthroat trout to over 12 miles of valuable, low gradient spawning and rearing habitat.
For more information contact Jennifer Ayotte, Cascade Pacific RC&D (541.757.4807) |
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| Linn County |
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Mad Creek Stream Crossing Improvement
Fish Passage Improvement (2000)
Salmon License Plate Funds $95,601
Total Project Cost $120,752
In the North Santiam River watershed, over half of the historically available native fish habitat is no longer accessible to anadromous species. On Mad Creek, a tributary of the North Santiam River, undersized culverts at a public road crossing blocked winter steelhead migration to over a mile of badly needed spawning and rearing habitat. The crossing also threatened to give way in high water events, potentially destroying fish habitat downstream and decreasing water quality. Using salmon license plate funds from OWEB, the North Santiam Watershed Council, in cooperation with local, state, and federal government agencies, replaced the culverts with a 16-foot bridge designed to withstand severe flood events. Now winter steelhead in the North Santiam system enjoy access to an additional mile of habitat, while downstream water quality and habitat are protected from a catastrophic crossing failure. The project site also provides a demonstration restoration effort for watershed council education and outreach.
For more information contact Liz Redon, North Santiam Watershed Council (503.930.8202)
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Side-by-side culverts with outlet drop
New bridge a few years after installation
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