Chelan County Public Works is proposing to replace an existing fish block culvert located on Sourth Wentachee Avenue, with a bridge, creating a natural creek bed and intermittent resting ponds to facilitate fish migration in Squilchuck Creek, allowing access to approximately 7 miles of spawning and rearing habitat for ESA-listed Endangered salmonids (steelhead and spring chinook) as well as summer chinook juveniles and redband rainbow trout. The existing crossing precludes fish passage due to a three-foot perched outfall and unacceptable water velocities within the culvert. Grade control structures (rock weirs) are proposed downstream of the proposed bridge to reduce slope and form resting ponds. Squilchuck Creek is among a small number of Upper-Columbia River tributaries that support anadromous Pacific salmonids; re-establishing aquatic connectivity between these waterways would provide good quality spawning and rearing habitat that has been inaccessible for approximately 80 years. The local Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife biologist and engineer has review the project and indicate a high feasibility of project success. Annual monitoring will be performed by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. Partial funding has already been committed through Chelan County and a State Local Programs grant and the bridge design is nearly complete, The money requested would supplement the project and allow for full project completion.
