This project was proposed as a high priority for funding under the Family Forest Fish Passage Program. It is located on Fairchild Creek, a tributary to Big Creek which flows into the Humptulips River. The CBFTF was awarded a grant of $67,000 from the Family Forest Fish Passage Program, and $35,000 from the Department of Ecology.
The
landowners applied for funds to correct the barrier through the Family
Forest Fish Passage Program (FFFPP) after learning about the program through
a local Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist. To extend the
program funding, the FFFPP applied for additional funds for this project
from the Department of Ecology’s Coastal Protection Fund. The FFFPP funding
process is one of the most simplified and efficient granting programs in the
state at this time. The landowner submits a one-page application to DNR. The
project is reviewed and surveyed by WDFW staff or other technical staff,
then ranked in order of benefit to fish. The landowner and potential sponsor
are notified of funding, and a project agreement with IAC is signed by the
sponsor. The only permit application required is a forest practice
application. From the forest practice application, WDFW writes an HPA and
the project is in its way. The Coastal Protection Funding from DOE is
similar to the SRFB process for reimbursements and administration.
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The Armstrong barrier was a 6 foot squash culvert that was 25 feet long. It
had an outfall drop of approximately 2 feet, and was undersized for the 16.5
foot stream. The correction is a 30 feet long, 14 feet wide Big R bridge.
The culvert survey and barrier determination was made by the Mason
Conservation District, which was funded by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board
to use their trained crew to find and document all fish barriers of the
Chehalis River sub-basins north of the river and Grays Harbor. The survey
determined the Armstrong culvert was 33% passable; this was confirmed by LWC
Consulting. This means that limited passage is possible for adult salmon and
trout, but there is no juvenile passage at all.
During the early part of July 2005 the replacement culvert was delivered to the site, e-mails were sent out for media coverage of project and there was a Department of Natural Resources site tour with the Small Forest Landowner Association. The contractor mobilized the necessary equipment and the bridge was delivered to project location, where project participants worked with an engineer to determine concrete density for bridge footings. Grade stakes for the bridge footing installation were set and the bridge footing locations were surveyed, constructed and completed. By the later part of July 2005, the contractor poured concrete into bridge footing forms, and started excavation for the culvert on the tributary to Fairchild Creek. LWD was hauled from a logging site to the project. On July 21st, 2005, project participants installed an 8ft. culvert on a 2.53% grade per WDFW stream simulation installation design. Backfilling of the culvert was completed and the road grade was brought to 3ft above original elevation to accommodate the new larger culvert. An 18 inch pipe for a stream bypass was installed (for bridge site), afterward removing all fish from the dewatered stream prior to excavation. On the same day the project excavated for a new stream channel between the bridge footings while removing the barrier culvert. Armored bridge footings were installed, LWD was added to the streambed and the plunge pool was filled with gravel, LWD and large rock. Gravel was added to the inside of the new culvert. The culvert area was fertilized, grass seeded and mulched. The bridge was installed on the footings and secured.
This project has been a success.
Some photos of the project during and after the construction phase (click on the photos to enlarge)...
