Lower Snyder Creek Restoration Design

The project will complete a conceptual design to improve habitat in the lower 1.3 miles of Snyder Creek and in 0.1 miles of a side channel of the Klickitat River at the Snyder Creek confluence. The project will plan for habitat improvements to benefit ESA-listed Mid-Columbia Steelhead. Snyder Creek is one of only a few perennial tributaries in the lowest 40 miles of the Klickitat River.  On Snyder Creek, the project area includes the stream channel through the former Klickitat Mill and upstream, including the former log sorting yard.  The project area also includes a side-channel to the Klickitat River at the Snyder Creek confluence. On Snyder Creek, landowners are interested in planning for habitat improvements concurrent with planning for development of portions of the old mill site.  The grant will develop alternatives to improve habitat and work with a design team that includes the landowners to select one alternative for future final design.

The goal of this proposal is to complete conceptual design of a project to improve instream and floodplain habitat in the lowest 1.1 miles of Snyder Creek and in 550 ft. of Klickitat River side-channel at the confluence of Snyder Creek to benefit all life stages of ESA-listed Steelhead. The desired future conditions of the project area are as follows. On Snyder Creek, above the mill infrastructure, the desired future condition is a natural channel that is connected with its floodplain, well vegetated with mature, native trees, and has high-quality habitat that includes frequent pools and in-channel large wood. On Snyder Creek through the mill site, the desired future condition is a somewhat natural channel that has some floodplain connection and is well vegetated with mature native trees, and has high-quality habitat. The desired future condition has significantly less concrete than the current condition. In the side-channel of the Klickitat River, the desired future condition is complex habitat that includes pools, riffles, glides and robust riparian vegetation.