Project Spotlight: Cold Creek Tributary Fish Passage Improvement

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This project, completed in 2022, removed an undersized culvert and improved fish passage on an unnamed tributary of Cold Springs Creek in the Nookachamps watershed. This fish passage barrier was removed and replaced with a galvanized steel arch pipe that meets the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) recommendations for fish passage requirements. The WDFW defines fish passage barriers as items like “road culverts, dams, dikes, and other obstructions — [that] reduce the distribution and habitat available to fish, including salmon and steelhead”.

 

Cold Springs Creek Tributary prior to culvert removal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was one of many projects SFEG has taken on to remove and replace such barriers with accommodations that will allow unrestricted fish passage.  Due to the slope of the old culverts, coho, rainbow trout, and sea run cutthroat trout were blocked from migrating 100% of the time, but this new larger culvert on the unnamed tributary now grants these fish access to 2 miles of previously unused spawning and rearing habitat. Funding from the Family Forest Fish Passage Program (FFFPP), a program that supports removal of fish passage barriers on privately owned land, allowed for this project to be mutually beneficial to fish and the landowners alike. 

Inlet after culvert removal and construction of new pipe

Responsible Recreation by Holly Henderson

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Herd of elk viewed from a Skagit Fisheries vehicle

With warm weather finally making an appearance in western Washington (did anyone else feel like this past winter was painfully long?) many folks are choosing to get away this Memorial Day weekend. This time of year, it is more important than ever to take time to consider how you can be a respectful and active steward of the outdoors while traveling or recreating, when spaces are crowded and being used daily. Responsible recreation means different things for different activities – it could look like leaving wildlife alone/viewing from a safe distance on hikes, proper waste disposal, or inspecting/washing off water crafts after each use. No matter which activities you partake in this weekend, there are always ways to consider your impact on your surroundings and the greater environment. Habitat conservation is something that everyone can and should be involved in – do your part by taking small steps to lessen your impact on natural spaces. 

“Leave No Trace” is a phrase used in the greater recreation/conservation community that refers to taking actions to not leave a human “trace” in recreational areas. There are 7 main principles of the concept – read more here!

Another way to recreate responsibly this weekend is to take a micro adventure; a short trip that is environmentally conscious, less than 4 hours car travel from where you call home, enhances the economy of where you travel to, and is generally inexpensive. Anything from a trip to a local State Park for a walk from a weekend trip to Steven’s Pass can be considered a micro adventure. These short and sweet trips are great options for full-time working folks that want to get away for the day or a night (or two). Reframing a short trip as a micro adventure helps put things into perspective – in the Pacific Northwest we are blessed with natural beauty that folks travel incredible amounts of time and distances to see, but these spaces are in our backyard.

No matter how you spend your weekend, we at SFEG hope you have a fun, safe, and environmentally-aware few days! 

swede creek fish passage

Project Spotlight: Swede Creek Fish Passage Improvement

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This project worked with a private landowner to complete a fish passage barrier removal project on Swede Creek; a tributary to the Samish River north of Sedro-Woolley. Using Family Forest Fish Passage Program funds, SFEG removed four undersized culverts that were creating a barrier to fish passage for coho salmon, steelhead trout, and sea-run cutthroat trout. A 40 ft steel bridge replaced these culverts, creating instant passage for salmon upstream. The Swede Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project built upon a previous downstream fish barrier removal project completed two years prior.

swede creek fish passage

This latest project, completed in 2021, opened fish access to an additional 0.7 miles of high-quality spawning and rearing habitat in Swede Creek including a 6-acre pond, and over 80-acres of wetland habitat.

After project completion, volunteers documented over 100 coho salmon spawning in Swede Creek for the first time in many years. Salmon are returning thanks to working with private landowners to remove these fish passage barriers along on Swede Creek at two locations. SFEG completed the first project in 2019, but salmonids did not make their way back into this Skagit tributary until the completion of the 2021 leg of this project. juvenile trout

Juvenile trout found in Swede Creek

Before the fish passage barrier removal project

newly installed bridge over creek

After the undersized culverts were removed and the bridge was installed