Salzer Creek Fish Passage Project

Resource Challenge
Numerous stream miles of fish habitat have been disconnected from use by fish of all ages due to improperly installed and/or functioning culverts under private and public roads. The Lewis County Conservation District (LCCD) has completed a culvert assessment for nearly all of the Upper Chehalis River watershed documenting over 500 impassable culverts needing replacement to allow steelhead, salmon, and resident trout to sustain historic populations for future generations.

Project Summary and Results
The LCCD worked with landowners to remove a fish passage barrier with an existing 1.5 meter outfall drop. The barrier was 100% impassable to all fish. A 60 foot steel bridge was installed along with seventeen rock grade control structures to allow fish of all ages to migrate up and down stream through this reach of Salzer Creek, a tributary of the Chehalis River. The grade controls were needed to make up for the large outfall drop. The creek could not be allowed to head-cut because of a natural gas pipeline located approximately 2,000 feet upstream from the project.

The success of the project was made evident during a site visit after the
December 2007 flood event. The newly installed bridge and rock weirs had withstood very large stream flows with no damage, and adult Coho were spawning upstream of the site. Coho fry have been sighted throughout this reach of the stream which will ultimately increase the sustainable numbers of the species that will reproduce in Salzer Creek.

Key Project Partners
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife; Washington State Department of Natural Resources; Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office; City of Centralia Public Works Department.