General Background:

The NOAA Restoration Center plans, implements, and funds coastal restoration projects throughout the United States. Within the Klamath Basin restoration projects include fish passage barrier modifications, sediment stabilization, and invasive species removal. These projects increase accessibility, and improve river habitat for species protected under the endangered species act. In total since the Restoration Center has been involved in the Klamath, and in partnership with various organizations, 65 acres of habitat have been restored and 30.6 miles of stream have been reopened for anadromous fish.

Projects Funded in the Klamath River Basin by NOAA's Restoration Center:

The Shasta River is an important tributary in the Upper Klamath River Watershed in Northern California. Fiock Dam, a summer flashboard dam, had created a 5 acre pond that was lethal to salmonids due to increased temperatures and nutrients. In addition, the dam presented a barrier to salmonid migration in the Shasta River. The Shasta River CRMP removed Fiock Dam to improve fish passage and reduce stream temperatures for fall chinook and coho salmon. The project also replaced an unscreened water diversion, associated with the municipal water supply for the area, with a new water intake valve, pump system, and fish screen. The project opened salmonid access to over 10 miles of spawning and rearing habitat in the Shasta River. Other contributions to this project were made by US Fish and Wildlife Service, CA Dept of Fish and Game, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Land Management, US Environmental Protection Agency, Klamath River Basin Fishery Task Force and representatives of the three irrigation districts using the river.

Moon Creek Barrier Modification:

Moon Creek is a tributary to Ah Pah Creek in the Lower Klamath River Basin. Moon Creek supports runs of coho salmon and steelhead. The goal of the Moon Creek Barrier Modification Project was to improve fish passage and instream habitat in Moon Creek by Improving four partial anadromous fish barriers. The California Conservation Corps installed boulder weirs at four culvert road crossing sites to improve passage through the metal pipe culverts. The barrier removals provided access to more than 1/2 mile of spawning and rearing habitat for salmonids. Project Partners included the California Conservation Corps, The NOAA Restoration Center, local landowner and the California Department of Fish and Game.

Irving Creek Sediment Stabilization:

Irving Creek is a tributary to the Mid Klamath River in Coastal Northern California, and is an important stream for chinook and coho salmon and steelhead. The NOAA Community-based Restoration Program awarded the Karuk Tribe a grant to improve instream spawning and rearing habitat for salmonids. Karuk tribal and other community members implemented the road decommissioning project along Irving Creek in the Six Rivers National Forest, California. The project involved the use of proven decommissioning methods to remove unstable fill at stream crossings and to reestablish the natural hill-slope drainage pattern along the entire road. This road decommissioning project stabilized over 10,000 cubic yards of fill material over several miles of previously unstable and highly erosive road. This project will greatly improve water quality and spawning habitat in Irving Creek, which is a tributary of the Klamath River and supports runs of steelhead trout, Chinook salmon and threatened coho salmon. Road decommissioning projects are vital in forested areas that have high road densities because these roads may be prone to failure and have increased erosion rates and landslide potential. Such protective measures are even more critical in regions that have degraded habitat, naturally high erosion rates, and a presence of threatened species. These factors made this a high priority project. The project was completed during the summer and early fall of 2004, with site vegetation monitoring occurring through pre- and post- excavation photo-points and periodic field visits. Other partners on this project include the Bureau of Indian Affairs, US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Redwood Community Action Agency, and other local watershed volunteers.

Salmon River Cooperative Noxious Weed Program:

The Salmon River is a tributary to the Klamath River Basin and is important spawning and rearing habitat for coho salmon and steelhead. Several species of invasive knapweed had invaded the Salmon River riparian areas and had spread throughout the watershed. This invasive knapweed was preventing riparian vegetation from regenerating along the stream edges, and was reducing habitat quality for fish and wildlife in the River. The Salmon River Restoration Council worked with local community volunteers to successfully eradicate knapweed from the Salmon River Watershed. This involved many hours of mapping and actual removal of the knapweed species. The project was successful, and the community is continuing to identify and remove any new populations of knapweed that recolonize the watershed. Project partners included the Salmon River Restoration Council, local community volunteers, the California Department of Fish and Game, the NOAA Restoration Center and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Parks Creek Fish Passage Restoration:

The NOAA Community-based Restoration Program partnered with American Rivers and the Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District to fund the Parks Creek Fish Passage Restoration project. The objective of this project was to restore fish passage for adult and juvenile salmon and steelhead to 14 miles of Parks Creek upstream of Interstate 5 where access had been limited by a low flow concrete crossing. It allowed adult fish to access extensive spawning habitat and allow juveniles to pass above this point as summer approaches to access cold-water refugia areas in the headwaters of Parks Creek. It also enabled access to essential rearing habitat that aids in the growth of population of Coho, Chinook and steelhead in the Klamath River basin. Among many other organizations, contributions were made to this project by US Fish and Wildlife Service, CA Dept of Fish and Game, and CalTrans.

Terwer Creek In-stream and Riparian Restoration Project:

Terwer Creek is a tributary to the Lower Klamath River, near its estuary in coastal Northern California. Terwer Creek supports four species of salmonids, coho and chinook salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout, and Pacific Lamprey. The lower reaches of Terwer Creek once provided essential spawning and summer rearing habitat for salmonids in the Lower Klamath system. However, the construction of a roadway, past logging practices and other land management have altered the lower reaches of Terwer Creek where there was once abundant riparian vegetation and habitat complexity in the form of Large Woody Debris (LWD). The Yurok tribe helped to restore the lower reaches of Terwer Creek by planting riparian vegetation on the streambanks and in the floodplain, and installing complex LWD habitat structures to provide resting and rearing habitat for fish. Yurok Tribal members were trained to complete the restoration work on their own ancestral land. Other project partners included the California Department of Fish and Game, the NOAA Restoration Center and Green Diamond Timber Co. This project will improve riparian habitat conditions and restore stream channel and streambank stability in lower Terwer Creek (EFH).

Mid-Klamath River Watershed Restoration Project:

The Karuk Tribe Ancestral Territory is in the Mid Klamath River Basin and encompasses portions of the Salmon River and Tributaries to the Mainstem Klamath. These areas are important spawning and rearing habitat for coho and chinook salmon, steelhead and Pacific Lamprey. In addition, tributaries to the Mid-Klamath provide refugia from temperature and disease that is present in the warmer waters of the mainstem Klamath River. The Karuk Trive worked with the US Forest Service to remove and decommission over 11 miles of paved road in the Six Rivers National Forest. Karuk tribal members operated heavy equipment to remove the road, all stream crossings and replant disturbed areas with native plant species. The road removal will reduce fine sediment delivery to Steinacher Creek and the Salmon River, which will help improve spawning habitat, rearing productivity and will help reduce water temperatures in the Salmon River. Project Partners included the Karuk Tribe of California, the NOAA Restoration Center, the US Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, the State Water Resources Control Board were also partners and the Northern California Indian Development Council.

Soldier Creek Fish Passage Barrier Removal:

Soldier Creek is a tributary to the Trinity River, which flows into the Klamath River Basin in Northern Coastal California. Soldier Creek contains excellent habitat for coho salmon and steelhead. Two County Road Culverts on Soldier Creek were preventing salmon and steelhead from reaching 2.1 miles of habitat upstream of the crossings in Soldier Creek. The Trinity County Planning Department worked with the Trinity County Department of Public Works to replace both crossings with clearspanning open bottom arch structures. The newly constructed crossings provided unimpeded fish passage and will reduce roadway flooding and maintenance because they will pass flood flows and debris more easily. The project was a win-win for the County and salmonids for these reasons. Project partners included the Five Counties Salmonid Conservation Program, the Trinity County Department of Public Works, the NOAA Restoration Center, the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Department of Fish and Game, American Rivers and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Deadwood Creek Migration Barrier Removal:

Deadwood Creek is a tributary to the Trinity River, which flows into the Klamath River Basin in Northern Coastal California. Deadwood Creek contains excellent habitat for coho salmon and steelhead. A County Road Culvert on Deadwood Creek was preventing salmon and steelhead from reaching 4 miles of habitat upstream of the county crossing on Deadwood Creek. The Trinity County Planning Department worked with the Trinity County Department of Public Works to replace the barrier culvert a clearspan bridge. The newly constructed crossing provided unimpeded fish passage to upstream spawning and rearing habitat and will reduce roadway flooding and maintenance because flood flows and debris will pass through the crossing more easily. The project was a win-win for the County and salmonids for these reasons. Project partners included the Five Counties Salmonid Conservation Program, the Trinity County Department of Public Works, the NOAA Restoration Center, the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Department of Fish and Game and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

NOAA's Restoration Center

Anadromous Fish Conservation Act Grant Program Projects

Current Projects:

Restoration Project Summaries:

Fiock Dam

Pictures: