Kelley Creek Fish Passage Restoration

The Kelley Creek Dam Removal project removed a diversion dam that was a complete fish passage barrier on the lowest reach of Kelley Creek, while still allowing the landowner to retain his existing water right. The project work included removal of the entire diversion dam and fine sediment that had accumulated upstream. As a part of the dam removal, an engineered riffle was constructed to restore and stabilize the channel at the location of the former dam. The water right was transferred to a new downstream point of diversion, where a stilling basin was installed for a submersible pump to service the landowners water right. Although not originally planned, during project implementation additional funding was provided that enabled the project to install livestock exclusion fencing to protect the creek and riparian area around the project area This change increased the total length of stream treated from 0.01 to 0.06 miles.

This project will remove a diversion dam that blocks fish passage into the Kelley Creek sub-watershed; its removal will restore fish access to nearly 2 miles of Kelley and Mitchell Creeks, and is the start of a focused initiative to open migration of lower Kelley Creek and Mitchell Creek.