This salmon enhancement project is located on a small independent tributary to Frye Cove in Thurston County. Frye Cove Creek enters Eld Inlet and is about 2000m long. The proposed culvert project is about 300m upstream of the estuary. This watershed provides habitat for coastal cutthroat, coho, chum, and resident trout. This project will provide improved access to over 1700m of habitat.
The wetland headwaters for Frye Cove Creek has recently been protected by a landowner conservation easement prepared by Capital Land Trust. Half of the estuary is protected by Frye Cove Park (Thurston County) and the other half of the estuary is protected by one landowner.
The existing 4' culvert was seriously damaged during a significant flooding event in the mid 1990's. The outlet was crushed and became a total barrier for all species of fish. During stream surveys, SPSSEG field crews identified carcasses downstream but did not observe any fish upstream. During landowner interviews, SPSSEG did talk to several landowners who claimed to see salmon several years prior to the culvert being damaged.
This project will remove a significant fish barrier low in the watershed. A low maintenance culvert will be installed using a WDFW stream simulation model design. This proposed 12' diameter culvert will be large enough to pass high water flows and anticipated debris. The correction of this culvert will provide natural stream function at this site low in the watershed.
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