Drone imagery overlooking a project site on Elk Creek by Cascade Stream Solutions
As 2024 comes to a close, we are looking ahead to projects that will be implemented in 2025. During the winter and early spring, restoration project managers are busy applying for funding, developing projects, and finalizing designs for the upcoming season.
We have a few projects on deck for next summer across our service area. On Chicago Creek (RM 0.1) and West Fork Trail Creek (RM 4.2), we are on the path to improve fish passage by replacing two undersized culverts. These culverts have a pronounced scour at the downstream “lip,” (see picture) making passage difficult, particularly for juvenile fish seeking cool water refuge during the summer. RRWC will work with the Bureau of Land Management, NOAA Restoration, Wild Salmon Center, Cascade Stream Solutions, and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to design, permit, construct, and monitor new road & stream crossings that do not impact fish movement.
Culvert on West Fork Trail Creek disrupting juvenile fish movement
Just downstream of the culvert replacement projects, we will be implementing an ecological restoration project on West Fork Trail Creek (RM 1.5) in collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Medford District. Our efforts will involve installing large wood structures in 10 to 15 locations along the creek to enhance habitat and improve stream processes.
Moving into the Elk Creek subbasin, we will partner with the BLM to construct wildlife-friendly livestock fencing along Sugarpine and Hawk Creeks, protecting 1.5 miles of these creeks, aiding in the restoration of natural stream processes and the recovery of the native ecosystem. This project will also include placing gravel in Sugarpine Creek to support the creation of spawning habitat for Coho Salmon.
Additionally, in the Elk Creek subbasin, project manager Lance Wyss will be implementing Phase 2 of an ecological restoration project at river mile 5.6. The project includes large wood placement at 23 strategic locations and 16.8 acres of riparian forest rehabilitation.
Fall views near Elk Creek river mile 5.6
The Wild & Scenic section of Elk Creek has the potential to be excellent habitat and spawning grounds for Coho Salmon and other native fish. Cutthroat and Rainbow Trout have been found throughout the creek and its tributaries. Many of these tributaries provide the cool water and critical spawning habitat that support native fish populations of the Rogue Basin. A decommissioned road stretches for five and a half miles along the Wild & Scenic Elk Creek and is open to recreators for a variety of uses. We recommend checking out the trail, especially the interpretive signs that were installed following Phase 1 of the project!
Lastly, we’ll be working along North Fork Little Butte Creek at river miles 0.9 and 2.9. The Little Butte Creek watershed is a critical part of our drinking water source, and protecting it is a priority for RRWC and our partners. At river mile 0.9, we are upgrading an irrigation system that currently requires continuous assembly and maintenance of a seasonal slotted-board dam. By repositioning the water intake and piping the currently-exposed irrigation ditch, we can eliminate the need for any dam construction– benefiting both wildlife (fish passage) and the landowner. At river mile 2.9, we will be implementing a project with large wood placement, riparian rehabilitation, and riparian fencing. These projects are possible due to the partnership between RRWC and C2 Cattle Company that began with projects on Salt Creek. Our projects would not be possible without the cooperation and excitement of landowners that become thoughtful stewards of the land and waters on their properties.These mutually beneficial partnerships make up the core of our work throughout the watershed.
Slotted-dam in place on North Fork Little Butte Creek
In addition to these projects, we will also be stewarding and monitoring many other projects. Our projects typically follow a set schedule that includes design, implementation (in-water/riparian work), stewardship, and monitoring. Implementation can include barrier removals, large wood placement, and other major construction actions. Following implementation, a project goes into stewardship, which often involves any plantings, noxious weed treatment, and other work that is done in the riparian area. This phase helps ensure that any multi-year treatments are complete and the site has the best chance at recovery. Lastly, monitoring is a long-term investment that helps us assess, and report on, the impact of our restoration. It typically includes water quality sampling, existing vegetation analysis, snorkel surveying for fish and other aquatic organisms, post-restoration surveys, and measuring physical stream features.
Check out this animated video showing how our restoration projects look as the seasons progress, including a visual on how large wood creates habitat and how secondary channels function for juvenile fish!
Interested in supporting these projects? Our annual fundraising campaign began this week, and we need your help! Donate today to help us reach our $15,000 goal.
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