Habitat Restoration

The project goal is to improve wild fish access to over ten miles of habitat that has been blocked for several decades, restoring a self sustaining wild salmon and steelhead population to Gheer Creek while providing an excellent outreach and education opportunity for the community. In addition to implementing fish passage improvements, Wild Fish Conservancy will work long-term with WA Department of Fish and Wildlife to ensure hatchery practices in Gheer. Creek are compatible with wild fish recovery efforts there.

Removal of a fish passage barrier on this tributary to the Skookumcheck River that will allow salmonids to migrate up and downstream to spawn and rear on habitat that is opened as a result of the removal of this barrier and replacement with a fish passable structure. 

During summer 2011 WFC removed the barrier culvert and intalled a 14′ x 30′ steel bridge. A short section of the channel was realigned to
improve alignment with the road, and bioengineering techniques were used to stabalize the affected banks. During fall 2011, WFC observed
several pairs of adult coho upstream from the new bridge.

WFC removed the undersized culverts and installed a 13’x12’x6′ precast box culvert to restore the passage of fish, water, sediment, and wood through this stream reach.

WFC removed a partial barrier to fish passage (two undersized round culverts) at the Kuhlmann Property on Thomas Creek and installed a
10′ span x 12′ long x 5′ high precast box culvert.