South Fork Ferguson Creek Fish Passage & Aquatic Habitat Enhancement

LTWC improved stream habitat and connectivity for fish migration at three sites on South Fork Ferguson Creek, the largest tributary to Ferguson Creek. The Detering Family, Giustina Land & Timber, and Hull-Oakes Lumber Co. all  voluntarily participated in this grant funded effort to make an important headwater area of the Ferguson Creek basin more accessible for native fish like cutthroat trout.

The Council replaced three culverts and engineered a riffle on the furthest downstream culvert to reduce water velocities. Log jams were also installed to improve habitat for native fish, insects, and other aquatic life using 80 logs donated from Finley Wildlife Refuge and the Detering Family. Finally, an existing 20-acre beaver pond complex was fitted with a pond leveler control system to keep the pond at a constant level, reducing the potential for flooding on the landowner’s fields and roads while maintaining off-channel habitat for juvenile fish.

Date Implementation Complete: October 2014
Funding & Partners: Detering Family, Giustina Land & Timber, Hull-Oakes Lumber Co. (landowners); OWEB; Meyer Memorial Trust; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Finley Wildlife Refuge)