West Fork Cow Creek Watershed Restoration Collaborative Planning (Phase III)

Actual Outcomes from 2018 Funding

1. Re-design seven undersized/failing culverts that impede Coho passage in the watershed

2. Conducted fisheries and habitat surveys in mainstem West Fork Cow Creek within 21 miles of OC Coho habitat over 20 days. A summary of the survey results was developed.

3. Results from fisheries and habitat surveys will be presented to the West Fork Cow Creek Watershed Restoration Collaborative at the first meeting of 2022

The project proposed in this application will simultaneously improve habitat complexity and water quality and address fish passage, while providing a long-term prioritization plan for future restoration activities. The re-design of undersized culverts will address fish passage issues within the watershed and allow Coho to access areas of the watershed that have been cut off to them. The surveys in mainstem West Fork Cow Creek will provide valuable information on what species are present and what types of habitat they are using and will better inform the partnerships prioritization process. The overall approach of the Project in addressing the OC coho salmon limiting factors is to combine short-term treatments such as instream structure placement, with the restoration of watershed processes such as flood plain connectivity and fish passage. The approach will be used to comprehensively restore OC coho salmon critical habitat and secure viability of this population within the larger ESU.