Fish habitat work at Grayback camp site keeping part of area closed for a time
From our weekly issue dated June 4, 2008
A U.S. Forest Service (USFS) project to improve fish habitat at Illinois Valley’s Grayback Campground along Sucker Creek got under way Wednesday, May 28.
Grayback Campground and the portion of Grayback Interpretive Trail leading southwest into the campground along Sucker Creek will be closed through the first week in June to facilitate project implementation. The public is asked to avoid these areas.
The portion of the interpretive trail leading east up Grayback Creek will remain open during this time.
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“This is an important area for our community,” said Joel King, said Wild Rivers District ranger. “When finished,” he added, “these efforts will conserve the big tree values of the area in a natural-appearing condition while improving safety in the high use Grayback Campground.
“The opportunity to use these hazard trees to enhance the fish habitat is an added bonus,” he said.
Large, dead or diseased Douglas fir and Port Orford cedar trees will be pulled over and placed in Sucker Creek through cable yarding equipment using a local contractor. Placement of the trees in Sucker Creek will improve habitat for Coho and Chinook salmon, winter steelhead, Pacific lamprey and other native fishes,” King said.
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“Sucker Creek is one of the highest priorities for watershed restoration in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest,” said USFS.
Said Ian Reid, Wild Rivers District fish biologist and program manager “Pulling these large, hazard trees into the stream with limbs and roots attached will help provide vital habitat components such as deep pools, spawning gravels and cover for fish and other aquatic species while ensuring public safety and protecting campground infrastructure.
“This project,” said USFS, “is part of a larger continuing cooperative aquatic restoration plans in Sucker Creek between the forest service, Illinois Valley Watershed Council and Soil and Water Conservation District, Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife, Middle Rogue Steelheaders, the Nature Conservancy, and other local organizations,” said Reid.
It’s anticipated that Grayback Campground will open shortly after the project is completed during the first week of June.
The public is encouraged to phone their nearest forest service office to determine if there are any changes that might be occurring to forest service campgrounds or trails this season; or they can visit the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Website at fs.fed.us/r6/rogue-siskiyou.
