Fish Biologist Joanne Grady and staff of the Mark Twain Nataional Forest discuss opportunities to improve fish passage at stream crossings on the Courtois River. - FWS photo by Tracy Hill

Mark Twain National Forest partnered with the Forest Service’s Northern Research Station to assess impacts of low water crossings in the Courtois River, a major tributary of the biologically unique and diverse Meramec River.

Graduate Student Gonzalo Mendez inventoried 108 crossings within the Salem and Potosi districts of the forest. He surveyed 32 of these crossings using field data and the Coffman model to determine if aquatic organisms could pass through the structures.

Thirteen of these crossings failed to pass Coarse B and Coarse C filters designed to assess organism passage for minnows and darters, respectively.

Project Leader Tracy Hill and Branch Chief  for Fish Conservation Joanne Grady met with biologists and managers of the Mark Twain National Forest and visited several of these crossing sites. 

They discussed funding opportunities including the National Fish Passage Program, state agency and county commission partners, and potential for the Forest Service engineers to provide engineering design for possible projects.

Two crossings on either side of a major Forest Service campground have already been identified in the Forest’s Shoal Creek Project Scoping Report.

Incorporation in this Environmental Assessment will provide NEPA clearance for these crossings when partners and project design have been pulled together for funding proposals.