This project is located in Foster Creek, a tributary to the Cowlitz River. An existing 8 x 6 box culvert on Jackson Highway with a 0.8 outfall drop is impeding fish passage. The culvert, due to its slope and outfall height, is restricting access for migrating adult anadromous fish more than 75% of the time. The 0.8 outfall is considered a 100% upstream migration barrier to juvenile and resident fish. A new precast concrete three sided bridge, designed streambed gravel, grade control, and streamside plantings are proposed to restore fish passage. Construction would be completed during the fish window of one construction season. Lewis County will conduct visual fish monitoring in the spring and fall for 3 years after construction. The condition of Foster Creek is fair with sparse he riparian vegetation. Streambed material is mainly gravel and cobble with fines. This may be due to a combination of past agricultural practices and natural geologic conditions. Soils in the upstream valley are silty loam, a soil comprised of silts and clays with almost no rock.Although conditions in the lower reaches of the basin are fair, the potential throughout the basin is good. The basin size is about 4.97 sq mi upstream of the target barrier. Removal of this barrier will open up more than 1,160 sq m of spawning habitat and 4,319 sq m of rearing habitat. Salmonid species documented below the target barrier include: coho, steelhead, resident searun cutthroat, and rainbow trout.
