Lower Bear Creek Stream and Floodplain Habitat Enhancement Project

The Yurok Tribal Fisheries Program (YTFP) worked with our restoration consultant Rocco Fiori (Fiori GeoSciences – FGS) to install 16 constructed wood jams (CWJs) and rehabilitate floodplains in 1.0 mile of lower Bear Creek to improve conditions for salmonid spawners; increase the amount of complex, slow velocity winter rearing habitats for juvenile salmonids; and help promote improved connectivity with floodplains and the Klamath River. YTFP and FGS used heavy equipment and whole tree materials to install the CWJs during summer 2019 and 2020. Baseline and post-project monitoring was conducted on-site to help document restoration effectiveness.

Project goals include:

• Increasing the quantity and quality of salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat habitat;

• Increasing riparian forest health and resiliency;

• Improving the status of ESA-listed SONCC coho salmon;

• Addressing limiting factors (lack of low velocity rearing habitats; riparian dysfunction; water quality and quantity) for ESA-listed SONCC coho salmon and other native fish;

• Helping to ensure overall sustainability of naturally-spawning salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat in the Lower Klamath Sub-basin;

• Helping to recover, conserve, and maintain ESA-listed SONCC coho salmon;

• Helping to maintain salmon and steelhead for the exercise of the Yurok Tribe’s federally reserved fishing right;

• Restoring habitat for salmon, steelhead and cutthroat.



Outcomes & Benefits



Project outcomes include increasing floodplain connectivity and habitat complexity, and improving riparian forest health and resiliency through installation of CWJs, implementation of bioengineering techniques, and planting native trees. Anticipated benefits include: 1) increasing the amount of high quality winter rearing habitat for multiple salmonid species, 2) improving riparian forests through native tree plantings, and 3) facilitating self-maintaining geomorphic and essential ecosystem processes to achieve long lasting benefits for native fish and wildlife.



Implemented actions will allow increased fish access to low velocity side channel and backwater habitats, improved channel migration opportunities, and enhanced riparian forest conditions (i.e. reduced near bank stream velocities, improved hydrochory). Outcomes from similar efforts conducted elsewhere in the Lower Klamath included increased formation and maintenance of productive salmonid habitats (i.e. deep pools, well sorted spawning gravel beds, side channels, alcoves), retention of fluvial recruited wood, and floodplain engagement. Improving floodplain engagement is a high priority need and goal of our Lower Klamath restoration program.