"The people along the Hayfork stream are desirousof having the falls in the stream near Hyampom blown up so that salmon can come up to the headwaters during spawning season. They come up in large numbers to the falls, which are rocky, and they are unableto get by. An expenditure of $50 to $100 would remove obstructions sufficiently for their travels."
- Trinity Journal (1905)
People of the South Fork Trinity River basin have had a long term interest in helping improve salmon and steelhead resources. When stream habitat was in its natural condition, providing access to fish was all that was needed to increase productivity. The 1964 flood dealt a serious blow to habitat quality in the basin and caused a steep decline in production of salmon and steelhead (LaFaunce, 1967; Rogers, 1974). Two large scale planning efforts have been launched since that time to restore the former abundance of these species: the Model Steelhead Stream Demonstration Program (Irizarry et al., 1985) and the South Fork Trinity River Salmonid Habitat Enhancement Studies (CDWR, 1982). Some actions suggested in these plans have been implemented, including fish passage improvement projects, hundreds of in-stream structures to increase the quality of fish habitat, riparian replanting, bank stabilization, and the installation of fish screens on agricultural diversions (Plate 3).
Much of the work implemented has been funded by the U.S. Forest Service, the California Department of Fish and Game and the Trinity Restoration Program. The California Conservation Corp (CCC) has provided much of the manpower needed to implement many of the projects, as well as private non-profit restoration groups. Although a considerable amount has been spent on fish habitat improvement projects in the South Fork Trinity River basin, evaluation of the benefits of these efforts have not been extensive. Consequently, discussions of cost-efficiency in this report will be augmented by the results of studies elsewhere in the Klamath basin and the Pacific Northwest.
There are five basic strategies for improving habitat for salmon and steelhead in the South Fork Trinity River basin:
1) manipulating the stream channel (including fish passage improvements, organic debris manipulation and instream habitat projects),
2) restoring riparian zones,
3) increasing stream flows,
4) improving water quality and
5) stabilizing watersheds to decrease sediment in streams.
To date much of the emphasis on salmon and steelhead restoration in the basin has been on instream work, although riparian and watershed restoration projects have been the focus of more recent Trinity River Task Force efforts. Fisheries managers have not been effective in working with water users to increase stream flows in Hayfork Creek and its tributaries to date, although some water conservation efforts have been implemented in cooperation with the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS). Table 10-1 shows what types of restoration activities have taken place in various South Fork basin watersheds, the agencies responsible for restoration activities, and the level of treatment the stream or watershed has received.
Fish Passage Improvement
Much effort has gone into identification of migration barriers to salmon and steelhead in the South Fork Trinity River basin (Brouha, 1979; Irizarry et al., 1985; Trinity Fisheries Consulting, 1988) and most of these problems have been remedied. Barriers to fish migration can be naturally caused or result from human activities such as the improper installation of culverts. The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) (Bailey, 1969; Flosi, 1992) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), beginning with their "operation swim up" in the 1970's (Brouha, 1979), have dedicated significant resources to abate problems with barriers. Private groups, such as the South Fork Trinity River Watershed Improvement Association, and the CCC have also helped with project implementation. Barrier removal can be one of the most cost-effective restoration measures. Miles of habitat have been opened up in South Fork Trinity River tributaries and structures required have been relatively low cost and are expected to have a long life.
Modifying Natural Barriers Fish passage in the main stem of the South Fork Trinity River has been periodically blocked by landslides, the formation of log jams and shifting of large boulders during floods. A large boulder cascade formed in the gorge of the South Fork below Hyampom, between Grapevine Creek and Underwood Creek, as a result of the 1964 flood. CDFG staff re-established fish passage for salmon and steelhead by blasting a channel (Mongold, 1969). Another barrier was formed by slides and debris along the South Fork above Forest Glen that was subsequently modified by the USFS to allow fish passage (Joe Zustak, personal communication).
Table 10-1.
South Fork Trinity River Basin Fish Habitat Improvement Projects:
Inclucing Agencies Involved and Level and Type of Treatment
Stream Level of USFS CCC CDFG TRB1 Fish Fish In Stream Riparian Watershed
Name Treatment Ladders2 Screens3 Structures Planting Restoration
Barker Cr. Moderate X X X X X X
Bierce Cr. Light X X
Big Cr.4 Heavy X X X X X X X
Butter Cr. Light X X X
Cold Camp Cr Light X X X
Dubakella Cr Moderate X X X X
E.F. of Light X X X X
Hayfork
E.F. of S.F. Light X X X X
Gemmil Gl. Light X X
Goods Cr. Light X X X
Grouse Cr. Moderate X X X X
Harrison Gl Light X X
Hayfork Cr Moderate X X X X X X X
(Upper)
Indian Valley Light X X X X
Cr
1 Trinity River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program
2 Includes installing baffels in culverts or creating jump pools below culverts
3 Screens for large diversions, not simple wire mesh over small domestic intakes
4 Big Creek near Hayfork
Stream Level of USFS CCC CDFG TRB1 Fish Fish In Stream Riparian Watershed
Name Treatment Ladders4 Screens Structures Planting Restoration
Little Cr. Heavy X X
Madden Cr. Light X X X X
Kingsbury Gl Light X X X
Mosquito Cr. Light X X X X
Olsen Cr. Moderate X X X X X X X X
Philpot Cr. Moderate X X X X X X
Potato Cr. Moderate X X X
Post Cr. Light X X X X
Rattle- Moderate X X X X X X
snake Cr.
Rail Gulch Light X X X X
Rusch Cr. Heavy X X X X X X
Salt Creek Moderate X X X X X X X X
South Fork Light X X X X X
(Upper)
Summit Cr Light X X
Tule Creek Heavy X X X X X X X X
Devils Gl. Light X X
Wilson Cr. Light X X
Hall City Cr. Light X
On Hayfork Creek above the East Fork, a major falls was long recognized as a barrier to salmon and steelhead migration. A fish ladder was constructed by the California Department of Fish and Game in 1964 at this site, but fish passage continued to be blocked in some years as the ladder plugged with debris (Riggs, 1977). Explosives subsequently were used to remove the ladder and to modify the channel shape to reduce velocities so as to aid natural passage upstream. Fish passage into South Fork Trinity River tributaries can also be inhibited by steep gradient channels or flood induced barriers. Six Rivers National Forest is studying the feasibility of providing fish passage past a barrier located less than one mile up Madden Creek (Jerry Boberg, personal communication). Nine miles of additional habitat would be opened if the project is successful. The re-activation of Grouse Creek's Devastation Slide during the 1964 flood blocked fish passage approximately one mile upstream of the mouth of this large tributary. The U.S. Forest Service and California Fish and Game are studying potential solutions, but a full EIS will be necessary before any major action is initiated (Jerry Boberg, personal communication).
After the 1964 flood, a great deal of effort was expended in removing log jams from streams to re-establish fish passage (Brouha, 1979). Ironically, fish scientists have since discovered that logs and rootwads removed in this process were actually important elements of fish habitat (Seddell et al., 1988). Debris jams were removed from Rattlesnake Creek (Brouha, 1979), lower Rusch Creek (Armijo and Brouha, 1979), and numerous other streams. The California Conservation Corp (CCC) continues to help maintain fish passage around log jams, but the emphasis now is on modification of jams, not removal of large quantities of wood from the stream (Flosi, 1992). The CCC has aided fish passage by modifying beaver dams on Summit Creek, Tule Creek, and Hayfork Creek.
Culverts and Road Crossings
Culverts under roads often form barriers to upstream migration for salmon and steelhead (Trinity Fisheries Consulting, 1988). The problems can be as a result of an excessively high jump into the culvert outlet or the velocity of flows through the pipe may be too swift for fish to negotiate. Most fish passage problems at culverts in the South Fork Trinity River basin have now been remedied.
Baffles were installed in a 70 foot long culvert with a 3% gradient on North Post Creek by the California Department of Fish and Game (Trinity Co. RCD, 1985). The baffles slowed the flow of the water through the culvert, allowing steelhead access to an additional 1.5 miles of habitat. Baffles were also installed in Kingsbury Gulch as it flows under the Hayfork Airport in a concrete box culvert. This modification allows steelhead to use three miles of additional habitat (Trinity Fisheries Consulting, 1988). Although an Alaska Steep-pass was installed at the point where Packers Creek (Big Creek) crosses under the USFS 16 Road, the system has been prone to plugging with debris. Trinity Fisheries Consulting (1988) suggested that the culvert needed to be excavated and dropped to the level of the stream. Another Big Creek tributary, Limestone Creek, became more accessible to fish when a jump pool was installed below its culvert.
The California Department of Fish and Game provided funds for a series of jump pools with concrete steps on Barker Creek to allow entry into a culvert below Highway 3. The culvert was also baffled to allow passage upstream (Trinity Fisheries Consulting, 1988). CDFG also contracted with the South Fork Trinity Watershed Improvement Association to modify a 6' by 195' cement box culvert to allow access to 2.5 miles of fish habitat into Devil's Gulch. Trinity Fisheries Consulting (1988) noted that several baffles had been removed in the lower end of the culvert and that a resting pool should be constructed upstream of the culvert with a boulder weir.
Upper Hayfork Creek has several tributaries that have had fish passage improvements installed. A culvert on Wilson Creek had baffles installed and an Alaska Steep-pass placed below it to allow fish passage to 1.5 miles of habitat upstream. Fish passage has been improved by culvert baffling on Goods Creek under Highway 36 through the efforts of both CDFG (Trinity Fisheries Consulting, 1988) and by the CCC (Flosi, 1992). Also on Goods Creek, CDFG installed an Alaska Steep-pass to provide entry into a culvert. Twin culverts under the county road on Hall City Creek were modified by Trinity Fisheries Consulting (1988) and the jump pool below the culverts was improved. Replacement of the dual culverts with a single larger culvert was recommended, together with installation of a series of jump pools below the outlets to allow passage even during low flows.
Other fish passage projects suggested by Trinity Fisheries Consulting (1988) have not been implemented. Baffle installation in a culvert under USFS Road 29NO7 was recommended to allow passage to one half mile of stream habitat. Fish passage into Saddle Gulch has been blocked by a culvert under the USFS #30 Road (Trinity Fisheries Consulting, 1988). Two miles of spawning and rearing habitat in Dark Canyon Creek, a tributary of the East Fork of the South Fork, is still blocked by a culvert under the USFS #30 Road.
It was also suggested that a culvert under USFS 32N03 on upper Barker Creek formed a velocity barrier and that baffling and resting pools were needed to provide for fish access to an additional mile of spawning and rearing habitat (Trinity Fisheries Consulting, 1988). A series of pools formed by gabions on Barker Creek, allowing steelhead passage over a log diversion dam 0.5 miles upstream of the mouth, may still need deepening and an additional pool should be constructed (Tom Stokely, personal communication). A culvert installed by the USFS on Tule Creek in the mid-1980's has posed some impediment to fish migration and the problem has been only partially remedied by CDFG (Tom Stokely, personal communication). Chapter 10 continued