The Duncan Creek Dam Fish Restoration project restores anadromous salmonid passage through a dam owned and operated by the Skamania Landing Owners Association located at the mouth of Duncan Creek in Skamania County. In its current condition, the dam is a complete passage barrier to chum salmon and partial barrier to coho salmon and steelhead. All of these species are currently listed or are candidates for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. Restoration of passage will be accomplished by replacing an existing six-foot diameter culvert with an open concrete flume fishway. Design of the flume was completed by a WDFW engineer and represents the favored alternative for future fish passage. This project restores access to historical chum salmon spawning in springs and seeps along the perimeter of Shahala Lake and an additional stream meters of coho and steelhead spawning and rearing habitat along Duncan Creek. Improved fish passage and rebuilding of naturally reproducing populations of chum, coho, and sea-run cutthroat are priorities described in the 1994 Fish and Wildlife Program. Duncan Creek is one of only a handful of streams on the Columbia which have historically supported chum production. Work is expected to begin in the summer of 2000 and be completed by winter, 2000. Project success will be monitored by WDFW and SLOA residents, through annual fish counts and habitat inspection.
