Sucker Creek salmon habitat project conducted by Forest Service, IVSWCD
From our weekly issue dated August 26, 2009
A two-week long major project affecting Sucker Creek is under way this week as the partnership between the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Illinois Valley Watershed Council/Soil and Water Conservation District continues.
The project is to improve and to create approximately 0.4 miles of high-quality fish habitat on Sucker Creek, an important salmon-bearing tributary to the Illinois River near Cave Junction.
The project is located 12 miles east of Cave Junction along Sucker Creek, upstream of Grayback Campground.
When completed, this project will enhance and reconnect a side channel used for spawning and rearing by Coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead, and other native fish.
The project site previously was altered through historic hydraulic and other mining methods.
“Sucker Creek watershed, an established salmon stronghold, is one of the forest’s highest priorities for watershed restoration,” said Ian Reid, Wild Rivers District fish biologist on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.
“The forest service started partnering several years ago to improve fish habitat in the Sucker Creek watershed with several partners,” he said, “including the Illinois Valley Watershed Council/Soil and Water Conservation District, Perpetua Forests Co., Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, and Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife. This project is the next big step toward increasing fish production and restoring watershed processes in Sucker Creek,” said Reid.
Added Kevin O’Brien, Illinois Valley Watershed Council/SWCD coordinator, “This project has been in the planning stages for about three years with overwhelming support from adjacent land owners and partners.
“It’s great to see it finally come to fruition. We’re really excited to be teaming with the forest service to improve conditions for fish as well as private land owners downstream in the Sucker Creek watershed.”
“The Sucker Creek watershed is a productive primary refuge for salmon and steelhead under the Northwest Forest Plan,” said Joel King, Wild Rivers District ranger on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.
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Using a challenge-cost-share agreement, this project uses skilled, local contractors to install spawning gravel and large wood structures using some 65 whole trees. A meandering side channel also will be excavated, and Coho overwintering habitat such as alcoves and rearing ponds will be constructed.
“The Sucker Creek side channel design relied on a variety of expertise including the Forest Service Enterprise TEAMS and used the best available science and technology in its development,” said Liz Berger, hydrologist on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. TEAMS is comprised of forest service employees who operate as independent, financially self-sustaining units funded by the clients/customers, who benefit from the products and services they offer.
The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of next week. It’s anticipated that the side channel will be used by spawning salmon this fall and winter. After construction work is completed the site will be replanted with native trees and shrubs.
This project is part of future large-scale stream restoration projects in Sucker Creek planned for private and forest service lands. Partial funding for this project was provided through the Whole Watershed Restoration Initiative, of which Ecotrust, U.S. Forest Service, and NOAA Fisheries are major donors. Carlon Gravel Pit LLC is another major partner in this project, providing equipment access across its private property and logistical support.
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