Working with a private timber company, Trout Unlimited removed nine culverts which were barriers to passage for Necanicum River wild coho, steelhead, coastal cutthroat and lamprey. Starting at culvert highest in the watershed of the nine targeted for removal, TU removed fill and the culvert while recontouring stream banks to replicate pre-road conditions. From there heavy equipment was “walked” down road to next culvert to be removed, then next, then next, decommissioning and “ripping” and re-contouring the road. Recolonization by native trees occurred very quickly on ripped road prisms in soils in this area. Fish salvage and sediment controls were put in place during construction.
We also worked together to permanently decommission one mile of private logging road which was built too close to Klootchy Creek. By decommissioning the road, sediment loads were vastly reduced as were maintenance costs for the timber company which voluntarily re-sited the road away from the stream.
