Geissler Cr at Geissler Rd Fish Passage Const 1

This restoration project corrected an undersized squashed steel culvert, 6 ft. wide, 5 ft. high and, 40 ft. long on Geissler Creek which has a bank full width of 18 ft. . The correction is a precast, modular concrete bridge 48 feet long and 30 feet wide. This allows the stream normal function with full passage for all aquatic species and life stages including all stages of salmonids. Correcting this barrier on Geissler Road and Geissler Creek provides spawning and rearing habitat and full migration access to over 2 miles of stream located in forested lands managed and protected by forest management rules. The five species of salmonids benefiting from this habitat correction include coho, chum, Chinook salmon, steelhead and resident cutthroat trout. This correction will restore physical, biological and hydraulic functions, (including substrate and large woody debris transport), provide habitat access for five species of juvenile salmonids as well as other aquatic species, and enhance nutrient availability and biological diversity in the watershed for flora and fauna . The culvert that was replaced was determined to be 33% passable by WDFW (site #103-1025) and was ranked 118th in the Chehalis Fish Passage Barrier Prioritization- WDFW ranked barrier list.

The primary goal of this project is to correct a fish passage barrier culvert on Geissler Creek where it passes under Geissler Road by replacing it with a structure that is passable to all aquatic species and life stages in order to open full migration access to 2.0 miles of forested spawning and rearing habitat.The five species of salmonids that will benefit from the improved habitat conditions in Geissler Creek and the Wynoochee River Sub-basin as a result of this project, include coho, chum and Chinook salmon as well as steelhead and resident trout.