Dry Creek Habitat Enhancement Demonstration Project, Phase 1;
Healdsburg, California
In October of 2012 BioEngineering Associates, Inc. completed phase I of the Dry Creek Habitat Enhancement Demonstration Project. Dry Creek is a tributary of California’s Russian River and habitat for young coho salmon and steelhead trout. Working under the Sonoma County Water Agency, BioEngineering Associates, Inc. was able to construct a refuge habitat, for these dwindling salmonid populations, on private property owned by the Quivira Winery.
This enhancement project emphasizes natural stream characteristics providing refuge for salmonids during periods of high water flow. We used aquatic habitat restoration techniques, which include natural construction materials such as logs, boulders, biodegradable fabrics and alluvial streambed materials. The installation of large woody debris and boulders create contours in the creek to reduce the effects of channelization, slow the flow of water and create a side channel where fish can rest. A live willow mattress was used to stabilize the bank at the mouth of the channel and all areas of disturbed soil were reseeded with native grasses.
The project additionally reduced flooding and soil erosion on the winery’s property. With these improvements in place an increase in the number of fish using this habitat has been documented. See videos of this project.
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Looking upstream at the habitat enhancement area prior to excavation. . |
During excavation of the backwater channel over 1400 cubic yards of material were removed. . |
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Construction of the upstream large log structure involved moving and anchoring large redwood logs and boulders. Nearly 200 redwood logs and root-wads were used to complete this project. |
Crew members are preparing the boulders and logs for cables to secure them together. |
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| The crew at work during completion of the downstream log structures. | This large redwood root-wad was placed in the stream to create a natural fish habitat. |
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| Looking upstream at the newly excavated backwater channel and log structures as they near completion. | Completed backwater channel and large woody debris fish habitat structures. |
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| Completed backwater channel and large woody debris fish habitat structures will provide refuge for both steelhead and coho salmonids during the winter of 2012. | |
Videos of the Dry Creek Project
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| In this Sonoma County Water Agency video, Dave Manning talks about the new habitat created by the backwater channel at Quivira Vineyards and Winery that was constructed by BioEngineering Associates. Watch the video on YouTube. | This NOAA Fisheries video explains why the backwater channel in Dry Creek is important for coho salmon. Watch the video. |