Kenai Peninsula Fish Passage 2010-2011

In 2010 and 2011 the Kenai Watershed Forum, the Kenai Peninsula borough, the Kenai Economic Development District and Alaska Department of Fish and Game removed and replaced four culverts and one failing bridge on the Kenai Peninsula that were full or partial barriers to fish passage. The culvert crossings are located on a tributary to Stariski Creek where it crosses Tall Tree Road in Nikolaevsk, two tributaries to the Kenai River where they cross Stephens Drive in Soldotna and Kenai Keys Road in Kenai Keys and on a distributary of Salmon Creek where it crosses Salmon Creek Road in Seward. The bridge crossing is on a tributary to Stariski Creek where it crosses Weebe Road in Nikolaevsk. The original culverts were undersized, restricting fish passage (especially to juvenile salmonids), and the bridge had collapsed into the creek and was partially blocking it.

This project will enhance salmonid habitat in the Kenai River by restoring free and clear movement of juvenile salmonids and resident fish at five crossings. Restoring unimpeded fish passage will increase the availability of productive upstream habitats (including wetlands) to rearing juveniles and increase numbers of Chinook and coho salmon using these habitats. Sizing the culverts to pass debris and sediment as well as water during a100 year flood event will greatly reduce the likelihood of catastrophic road failures and large volumes of sediment flowing into streams. Stream simulation crossings are also more stable and less prone to bank scour, channel incision, and sediment accretion.