Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force
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Habitat Projects in the Skookumchuck River Watershed
Coffee Creek
As part of
Washington State’s salmon recovery planning efforts, the Coffee Creek
project was accomplished with financial assistance to the landowner from the
Family Forest Fish Passage Program to remove fish barriers on their
property.
Coffee Creek is
located just north of Centralia, Lewis County. Two fish barriers were
addressed on this property. Two culverts in close proximity, both 0%
passable, were identified by the landowner. The barrier culverts were both
corrugated steel and 1.6 feet in diameter. One was 32 feet long under
approximately
6.5 feet of fill, the other 17 feet long under minimal fill.
The creek had been ditched, and the area had a mud bottom. Because the
creek was slow-flowing it became warm in the summer and was not suitable
habitat for Cutthroat Trout, Coho, and other salmonids. The culvert
barriers were replaced with a round 50 foot long 6 foot wide in diameter
steel pipe, and a 30 foot long 6 foot wide squash pipe. As part a match for
the project the landowner arranged to purchase all the gravel for the
project. The road over the squash pipe required additional gravel and road
fill. The road was finished off with 5/8 minus crushed rock from the local
gravel supplier. Prior to installing the culverts, sediment controls were
put in within the stream below the project site. The CBFTF project
coordinator supervised construction to insure compliance for fish passage,
fish screening and removal. Water controls and diversion were pumped around
the project. All areas with disturbed soils were fertilized, grass
seeded and mulched with a 6 inch layer of cultivated local grass hay free of
noxious weeds. This project opened up 1.5 miles of habitat for
Cutthroat Trout, Coho, and other salmonids.