Implementation of "low tech" Cold Water Habitat Enhancement Projects

Project construction will occur during the summer and fall months when flows are typically lowest and it’s safe for hand crews to work in-stream. Projects sites are selected based on cold water tributary reaches that occur within the Klamath River floodplain and are accessible for juvenile salmonids seeking refuge from the summer warm water conditions in the Klamath River. Survey crews will identify specific locations where structures will pond the most water and increase the cold water pool volume. Projects can be implemented following simple designs and by hand crews including tribal summer youth crews and do not require extensive and expensive designs and permitting. Karuk Fisheries hand crews will construction BDA/PAWS structures in locations including: Seiad Creek, Beaver Creek, Camp Creek, Horse Creek/Middle Creek, Indian Creek, Elk Creek, Sandy Bar Creek, Stanshaw Creek and Boise Creek. The plan is to build between 1-5 individual structures in each of the 10 tributary locations. We estimate that between 15 and 20 structures would be built using this funding.

The Karuk Tribe will use low tech restoration project techniques (beaver dam analogs and post assisted log structures) to benifit: habitat connectivity, fish passage and volume of cold water refugia habitat and ultimately the survival of juvenile salmon. This work with increase the distribution and quality of cold water habitats along the Klamath River floodplain. The primary benefit will be the increase pool volumes found behind BDA type structures and increase resilience of fish seeking cold water refuges during the summer months. Other benefits include improvements in fish passage into cold water refuges with the use of post assisted structures to concentrate flow necessary for fish passage.