Prioritized Crossings – 2002 Clear and Foster Creek Fish Passage Assessment
Of 158 crossings found on fish bearing streams, 81 had some degree of blockage to fish passage (based on methods described in the Final Report). Of these 81 crossings, 27 were complete blockages and 54 were partial blockages. Full fish passage blockage occurs on crossings with jumps greater than 4 feet and a culvert gradient greater than 4%. Partial fish passage blockage occurs in culverts greater than 6 inches in diameter with a slope greater than 0.5% if adequate downstream backwatering is not present.
Of the 81 blockages, 34 are on streams that are thought to have anadromous fish species use. Anadromous fish use was determined by examining historical information regarding fish use in the Clear and Foster Creek basins and evaluating 16 key natural barriers that prevent anadromous travel. These natural barriers were discovered and/or documented during summer 2002 fieldwork. Higher prioritization was given to anadromous habitat compared to resident fish habitat.
We prioritized 77 crossings based on habitat quality alone or habitat quality and cost of replacement. Four crossings were removed from the pool of crossings because of missing data.