Woodman Creek Fish Passage Project Update (In Pictures and Video!)

Eight weeks into the Woodman Creek fish passage restoration project, the historic mouth of Woodman Creek was just uncovered after having been buried for over a century! This is exciting news. Woodman Creek is a key tributary to the Eel River and we are getting closer to our goal of restoring access to high-quality salmon and steelhead habitat and reconnecting the watershed. Learn more about the project and follow along its progress with the images and video below:

July 2 – July 6

Excavating the south side of the channel near the railroad bridge.

Work was focused on stockpiling rock for the channel plug and excavating railroad embankment material.

As of June 26, 2018, it was estimated that 25% to 30% of the material had been removed from the barrier.

View of excavated channel path and project site looking north.

Tailgate meeting with the work crew from Pacific Earthscape.

July 9 to July 13

Excavating the new channel pathway downstream of the railroad alignment.

Excavators were busy stockpiling rock for the channel plug and excavating railroad embankment material.

Mike Love & Associates surveyed the excavated surface to provide a volume of excavated and removed material and stockpiled riprap. The design team and heavy equipment subcontractor painted-up and marked-out the designed channel plug.

The non-functional fish ladder rebar was cut off the bedrock at the fish barrier.

Heath Ford, owner of Pacific Earthscapes, constructed an onsite straw bale field-office.

The fish barrier has been lowered another 10 ft near the top of the excavation exposing large bedrock boulders and bedrock outcrops within the historic channel alignment. A temporary straw bale fence has been installed by laborers to prevent fill from entering Woodman Creek during construction of the channel.

The historic mouth of Woodman Creek uncovered for the first time in a century!

Photos courtesy: Pacific Watershed Associates
Drone photos: Bill Weaver

July 16 July 20

Excavation and reconstruction of the 200ft mouth of Woodman Creek is complete! Here are the latest updates:

Before the area can be dewatered for construction,

The crew must relocate species in the area using electrofishing. This method temporarily immobilizes them allowing the crew to safely move species without harming them.