Dry Dock Gulch Alcove Habitat Enhancement and Fish Passage Project

The project will provide access to and restore 0.3 acres of tidally influenced alcove habitat in Dry Dock Gulch Pond, tributary to Big River. Following State and Federal fish passage design criteria, this project will replace an undersized, perched stream crossing that is a complete barrier to juvenile and adult salmonids. Replacement of this culvert will restore access to enhance important off channel (alcove) habitat as well as 0.76 miles of good quality upstream spawning and rearing habitat. Large wood cover structures will be placed throughout the alcove and across the sill.

This project will directly benefit CCC Coho Salmon and North Coast Steelhead Trout by restoring access to 0.76 miles of historic habitat in the Big River watershed. Studies have shown that restoring alcove or off channel habitat provides critical winter refugia for juvenile salmonids, which has been positively linked to survival rates. This project will remove a fish passage barrier and increase the amount of spawning and rearing habitat available in Big River.