Stream near Muir Beach cleared for endangered fish

By Mark Prado
Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Marin is the first county in the state to benefit from a federal program designed to give endangered fish a better chance at survival by removing man-made barriers.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's new Open Rivers Initiative provides funding and technical expertise for community-driven, small dam and river barrier removals.

Work has just been finished on the first project in California at Kent Canyon Creek, a tributary of Redwood Creek, near Muir Beach.

A circular, cement culvert that takes the creek under Muir Woods Road was in the way of endangered coho salmon and steelhead trout trying to swim upstream. The problem was that during heavy rains, so much water was funneled through the culvert at high speeds it made it hard for the fish to migrate. Additionally, they had to jump almost a foot just to make it into the culvert.

"It had the effect of acting like a garden hose," said Patrick Rutten, of the NOAA Restoration Center. "The water just shot out."

When it's not raining, fish in the creek go upstream to find cooler water. Again, the culvert, often dry during the summer, was a barrier.

The just-finished work created a bottomless culvert, its bed covered with rock that simulates the creek and makes it easier for fish traveling upstream. The new culvert creates almost a mile of additional spawning habitat that fish will now be able to traverse.
The $376,000 culvert replacement is part of Marin County's larger anadromous fisheries restoration effort, which intends to restore migratory fish passage at 15 structures over the next seven to 10 years.

"The Kent Canyon project is a continuation of a decade-long commitment on the part of Marin County to restore salmon habitat," said Kallie Kull of Marin County's fish passage program.

In addition to NOAA and the county, California State Parks, the Coastal Commission and the Muir Woods National Monument participated in the project. Marin is home to the largest wild run of coho in California, representing about 20 percent of the state's total.

"This project was recognized by all the participating agencies as one of the most vital to the survival of coho salmon and steelhead in Marin County," Rutten said.

Contact Mark Prado via e-mail at mprado@marinij.com

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