East Fork Mill Creek Floodplain Restoration Design Project

Salmonid Restoration Planning and Assessments

Project ID	1611968225592
Recovery Domains	N CA - S Oregon
Start Date	05/10/2021
End Date	11/30/2023
Year	2018
Status	Completed
Last Edited	05/01/2025

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Description

The project resulted in final 100% designs for the restoration of floodplain habitat on the East Fork of Mill Creek. All final design components were selected and refined with input from a technical advisory committee (TAC) made up of staff from local tribes, state and federal agencies including CA State Parks, Redwoods Rising, CDFW, NOAA, Tolowa Dee-ni? Nation, Elk Valley Rancheria, US Army Corps of Engineers, and the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Project Benefit

Mill Creek contains the core coho salmon spawning and rearing habitat in the Smith River basin. Upon implementation the project will allow for enhanced floodplain connectivity, an immediate benefit to the Smith River coho salmon population. The restored reach will include greater channel complexity and in/off-channel habitat for spawning and summer/winter rearing capacity. Restoration of the broad floodplain at this location will also benefit Chinook salmon, Steelhead trout, and Pacific Lamprey.

Source

Funds

PCSRF

$407,585

In-Kind Donated Labor

$51,146

Report Total:

$458,731

Worksites

1611968225814

Worksite Identifier: 1611968225814
Start Date:
End Date:

Area Description
Rock Creek Road Bridge (at kilometer post 20.63)

Location Information

Basin: Northern California Coastal (180101)
Subbasin:
Watershed:
Subwatershed:

State: California
Recovery Domain: N CA - S Oregon
Latitude: 41.725551
Longitude: -124.075702

ESU

Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Coho Salmon ESU

Map

Photos

Metrics

B.0 Salmonid Restoration Planning and AssessmentsY (Y/N)

. . B.0.a Planning And Assessment Funding 428,168.00
. . B.0.b.1 Area Encompassed 20.0
. . B.0.b.2 Stream Miles Affected 800.00

. . B.1 Restoration Planning And CoordinationY (Y/N)

. . . . B.1.a Planning and Coordination funding 428,168.00

. . . . B.1.b.11 Engineering/design work for restoration projectsY (Y/N)

. . . . . . B.1.b.11.a
Name of plan implemented

NMFS, Sept 2014, Final Recovery Plan for the Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Evolutionarily Significant Unit of Coho Salmon, West Coast Region

. . . . . . B.1.b.11.b

Description and scope of the plan implemented

This project will address task SONCC-SmiR.2.2.5.1 and restore natural channel form and floodplain connectivity at this location by relocating Rock Creek Road and Bridge. The current East Fork Mill Creek crossing relies on a levee with earthen fill that dramatically constricts the flow of the creek to a constricted channel where the road crosses at Rock Creek Road Bridge. Restoring this site will add greater dynamic fluvial processes to the floodplain and the confluence of Kelly Creek.