| Removing barriers to fish passage | |
| By Susan Schuytema |
Source: newportnewstimes |
12/29/2021 |
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The Salmon SuperHwy project (SSH), a multi-year, multi-agency restoration project to remove barriers to fish passage and improve infrastructure, has made great progress in Tillamook County since its inception in 2012.
This sweeping project originated when some fisheries scientists and biologists wanted to identify the highest priority of in-stream barriers that were blocking fish passage. The group partnered with local businesses, local, state and federal government agencies, nonprofit organizations, citizens and private landowners to develop the SSH coalition.
By working together, the group was able to define a cohesive project on the landscape scale rather than pick out single projects at a time and look at where they would get the most conservation return on the investment. |
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“They went through a long process of choosing an area to try this pilot program and landed on Tillamook-Nestucca watershed for a number of reasons, including high conservation value and high recovery potential,” Sarah Zwissler, Trout Unlimited Salmon SuperHwy coordinator, said.
Together they identified, prioritized and analyzed the costs of all of the projects that would be required to remove the remaining barriers in hundreds of streams to fish passage in the 940-square mile Tillamook and Nestucca watersheds. Many barriers are problem culverts at road crossings that contribute to flooding and road damage, along with some small dams and tide gates. |
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