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| Projects and Programs |
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| An aerial view of the Ames Creek Restoration... |
| Barrier at the Confluence At its mouth the channel is confined within steeply graded bedrock, and flows through two adjacent barriers to the mainstem South Santiam River. The upper barrier is a narrow cascade that exhibits extremely high velocities throughout the year, and generates turbulence in a pool immediately below during high flows. The second barrier is a large plunge pool located further below the cascade that presents significant jump throughout the year. Passage for winter steelhead and cutthroat trout is severely limited at this site. Approximately 4 miles of spawning and rearing habitat exists above the mouth of Ames Creek. |
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| Mouth of Ames Creek |
| In the spring of 2006 the SSWC contracted with Inter-fluve Inc. to conduct a feasibility analysis and develop alternative design concepts to address fish passage problems at the mouth and at three culverts located within the City of Sweet Home. During the process, assistance was granted from agency partners and important feedback was delivered to the SSWC and Inter-fluve. At the completion of the technical assistance project, a stakeholder meeting was held in Sweet Home with agency personnel and concerned citizens present. The meeting offered the SSWC an opportunity to release the results of the technical assistance project through a presentation by Mike Burke, PE, Inter-fluve. The SSWC will be soliciting proposals by engineers in the winter of 2007, to complete final designs to improve fish passage at the mouth of Ames Creek, and expect to have the permitting and grant-writing complete by the summer of 2007. If sufficient funding is available, the SSWC hopes to implement the project during the in-stream work window of 2008. |
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| Ames Creek Restoration |
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| August 2001 |
| August 2002 |
| August 2003 |
| This project has been tied closely with the Sweet Home School District’s science education programs, and students continually access the site for biological study. Sweet Home students were also heavily engaged in planting vegetation at the project throughout 2003, and continue to work in 2004 to maintain those plantings. To date, project partners have received only positive feedback from the community about the project. What’s more, the energy generated from the great success of this project has enabled the partners to prepare for further restoration downstream from the project site, in what is becoming known today as “Ames Creek: Phase 4”. |
| This project occurs on a segment of Ames Creek within Sankey Park, where the stream historically flowed through an old mill dam and sediment-filled log pond. In 2003 project partners diverted the stream around the mill dam to restore fish passage to 4 miles of upstream habitat, now accessible by winter steelhead, juvenile spring chinook, cutthroat trout, and pacific lamprey. The stream reach through the old mill pond was transformed into 1000 ft. of complex, meandering channel, and enhanced with boulder weirs, log revetments, and cobble rock to restore instream habitat diversity. The old channel below the dam now connects to the stream during winter flows, providing high flow refugia. Two seasonal wetlands were created for the project, and wetland grasses seeded in these areas are diverse and vigorous. Over 10,000 riparian and wetland plants were established throughout the channel and in the mill pond area to enhance habitat quality and to stabilize streambanks. A total of 2.3 acres were re-vegetated with native riparian and wetland vegetation and continue to be maintained through the summer of 2007. |
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| Japanese Knotweed Eradication |
| The summer of 2006 brings us more inventory and treatment of Japanese Knotweed in the Crabtree/Thomas Creek Watersheds. This noxious weed is fast growing and invades river and creek banks. Japanese Knotweed displaces native vegetation, greatly reduces fish and wildlife habitat, and harms our economy by taking over valuable land and lessening our recreational opportunities. Knotweed can be found in moist soil or river cobble, in full or partial sunlight. It spreads down waterways in flood events, or when contaminated soil is spread accidently. Root fragments as small as 1/2 inch can start new plants! |
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| What Does Knotweed Look Like? Knotweed grows in dense stands, up to ten feet tall. It looks similar to bamboo, with bright green leaves 1-8 inches wide. Knotweed starts growing in April, achieving full size by July. At the end of summer, knotweed will have spikes of small, white flowers. In the winter, the knotweed lies dormant with dead, brown stems standing. |
| If you think you have Japanese Knotweed growing on your property, and you live in the Thomas/Crabtree Creek area, contact the SSWC as we are signing landowners up for a knotweed inventory/eradication program. The past two seasons of work have resulted in over 60 landowners having their property surveyed for knotweed, and over 6 river miles treated. Eradication is dependant on funding, but we are hopeful that we can control the problem in the coming years. If you do not live in the Thomas/Crabtree Creek area, but still think you may have knotweed on your property, feel free to contact us and we will discuss management strategies. The earlier weeds are discovered, the easier they are controlled! |
| Wiley Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project |
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| In the summer of 2007, the SSWC and The Campbell Group replaced a failing culvert that prevented passage for native migratory fish. In place of the culvert, a bridge was installed which allows now for free fish passage and a stream system restored to its more natural state. This culvert was undersized for the size of the stream, a fact made evident by the presence of two overflow pipes installed 5 ft. above the culvert inlet. During high flows, water backed up behind the culvert crossing and wore away at the existing road, regularly flushing fine sediment downstream. |
| Failing culvert impeding fish passage |
| Additionally, the high velocity of water from the under-sized culvert scoured the stream bottom and bank downstream. This sediment intruded into the stream environment, degrading spawning habitat and other gravel deposits in Wiley Creek. In addition, the ultimate destabilization of the road from continued weathering was a significant erosion concern, for if the entire road were to wash out, the sediment scour and deposition could be severe and result in major habitat degradation comparable to an extreme landslide impact. Fine sediment contributions to Wiley Creek degrade water quality and affect all fish species including ESA listed winter steelhead, ESA listed spring chinook, pacific lamprey, and cutthroat trout. The project was funded through a grant by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board and cash match by the Campbell Group. |
| Habitat upstream of culvert. Passage restored 2007 |
| SSWC Water Temperature Monitoring |
| The South Santiam Watershed Council monitors water temperature in the summer months when fish are most likely to experience the effects of warm water. The watershed has several streams and rivers listed by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for stream temperatures that are too warm and may harm fish species. |
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| For data from 1997-2004, please contact the SSWC. |
| Coming Soon! Santiam Basin Culvert Survey Program, Calapooia-Santiam Landowner Recruitment for Restoration Project, Moose Creek Restoration, and more! |
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| Excavators removing culvert and stabilizing streambank |
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| Looking downstream from bridge to confluence with Wiley Creek |
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| Newly installed bridge allowing fish passage |