North Fork Eagle Creek Fish Habitat Project
October 25, 2024
Estacada, OR – In the summer of 2024, the Clackamas River Basin Council (CRBC) restored stretches of the North Fork Eagle and Bear Creeks with large wood to improve habitat for threatened and endangered native fish species.
CRBC Board Member Dave Bugni served as the Project Manager for this effort. Dave created the video below to share this project from start to finish:
Large wood is an important component for the creation and maintenance of salmon habitat in our local streams. Downed trees create habitat by forcing the stream to meander around, under and over the wood creating areas for fish to hide from predators, rest and feed.
Wood also creates shaded areas in streams, reducing solar radiation and helping to maintain cooler water temperatures. This is especially important as climate change can lead to higher air and water temperatures, which can stress aquatic life, particularly cold-water species like salmon and trout. Large wood can also stabilize sediment, decrease flow and create pools, and contribute to nutrient cycling.
The Clackamas River Basin Council thanks its contractors Biohabitats and Columbia Helicopters who placed the logs in the creeks. We also thank our funders and supporters; the Bureau of Land Management, Portland General Electric, the Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District, and several private landowners in the community who are providing some logs and project services.
The Clackamas River Basin Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission of fostering partnerships for clean water and to improve fish and wildlife habitat and the quality of life for those who live, work and recreate in the watershed.