George Creek Instream and Riparian

Salmonid Habitat Restoration and Acquisition

Project ID	00-1691 R
Recovery Domains	Snake River
Start Date	03/15/2001
End Date	09/27/2005
Year	2000
Status	Completed
Last Edited	05/01/2025

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Description

Asotin County Conservation District used this funding to improve the stream channel and fish habitat on George Creek. The project constructed 5,115 feet of new stream channel that included instream structures to provide fish resting habitat and structures to prevent head cutting and stabilize the channel. The old channel was back filled and compacted for 1,730 feet. One dike was removed to restore floodplain function. The floodplain was graded in spots to regain natural contour, and rocks and mounds were placed to provide roughness to slow down high water velocities.

George Creek had previously migrated to the edge of its floodplain against the county road, which artificially straightened the channel and forced the steam to incise. Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) engineers and the Conservation District engineer designed a new meander channel away from the road with the hope of slowing stream velocities and holding water longer in this stretch of George Creek.

In addition to the 5,115 feet of new channel meander construction on George Creek, there was approximately 200 feet of channel reconstruction on Pintler Creek. In-stream structures included 1 W-weir at the confluence of George and Pintler Creeks, 8 cross vanes for grade and to prevent head cutting, and 51 J-Hooks to provided bank stability and pool habitat. The 1,211 feet of floodplain roughness was constructed using large boulders and by mounding up river cobble.

Following this project, riparian planting and enrollment into the CREP program took place.

Project Benefit

The goal of the project is to improve instream morphology and habitat in salmon bearing streams. The objective of the project is to increase instream cover, spawning, and resting areas. With this meander reconstruction project completed and the riparian vegetation becoming established the hope is that the water will remain in the channel for a longer period and that will provide a better window for salmonids to access 14 miles of spawning and rearing habitat above this dewatered stretch

Accomplishments

Metric

Completed

Originally
Proposed

Instream Habitat

Stream Miles Treated

.97

1.01

Source

Funds

PCSRF

$126,000

Other

$40,694

Report Total:

$166,694

Worksites

1-Hagenah

Worksite Identifier: 1-Hagenah
Start Date:
End Date:

Area Description

No Area Description data was found for this worksite.

Location Information

Basin: Lower Snake (170601)
Subbasin:
Watershed:
Subwatershed:

State: Washington
Recovery Domain: Snake River
Latitude: 46.30851174
Longitude: -117.11261187

ESU

Snake River Basin Steelhead DPS
Snake River Spring/Summer-run Chinook Salmon ESU
Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon ESU

Map

Photos

Metrics

C.0 Salmonid Habitat Restoration and AcquisitionY (Y/N)

. . C.0.a Habitat restoration and acquisition funding 166,694.27
. . C.0.b Length of stream treated/protected .97

. . C.0.c

Project identified in a Plan or Watershed Assessment
Asotin Creek model watershed sites lack of resting and rearing pools as limiting factor for steelhead. Project was a dewatered stretch cited by many agencies as a fish barrier.

. . C.0.d.1 Project Monitoring (LOV)
. . C.0.d.2 Monitoring Location (LOV)
. . C.4 Instream Habitat ProjectY (Y/N)
- . . . . C.4.a Instream Habitat Funding 166,694.27
- . . . . C.4.b Total length of instream habitat treated .97
- . . . . C.4.c.1 Channel reconfiguration and connectivityY (Y/N)
  - . . . . . . C.4.c.2 Type of change to channel configuration and connectivity (LOV)
  - . . . . . . C.4.c.3 Miles of stream treated for channel reconfiguration and connectivity .97
  - . . . . . . C.4.c.4 Miles of off-channel stream created through channel reconfiguration and connectivity .00
  - . . . . . . C.4.c.5 Acres of off-channel or floodplain connected through channel reconfiguration and connectivity .0
  - . . . . . . C.4.c.6 Instream pools created/added through channel reconfiguration and connectivity 51
- . . . . C.4.d.1 Channel structure placementY (Y/N)
  - . . . . . . C.4.d.2 Material used for channel structure (LOV)
  - . . . . . . C.4.d.3 Miles of stream treated through channel structure placement .97
  - . . . . . . C.4.d.4 Acres of streambed treated through channel structure placement .1
  - . . . . . . C.4.d.5 Pools expected to be created through channel structure placement 51
  - . . . . . . C.4.d.7 Number of structures placed in channel 60
- . . . . C.4.e.1 Streambank stabilization Y (Y/N)
  - . . . . . . C.4.e.2 Material Used For Streambank Stabilization (LOV)
  - . . . . . . C.4.e.3 Miles of streambank stabilized .00