PCFWWRA | Projects | Riparian and Instream Restoration

Scroll below to view representative examples of our work

Young planted tree with planters in the background.

Dominie Creek

The planting of bare root redwood trees by California Conservation Corps members after road decommissioning in the Dominie Creek watershed. Funded by the California Department of Fish and Game, Fisheries Restoration Grant Program.

In order to improve spawning and rearing habitat in the Dominie Creek Watershed, we created instream habitat structures utilizing root wads, logs and other large woody debris, which had been uncovered and removed during a road decommissioning project. In November, spawning Chinook salmon were seen utilizing the newly constructed instream structures. Several redds were visible just upstream of one site, with fish using the large rootwad structure to rest and take cover. Instream habitat enhancement was funded by Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. Road decommissioning activities were funded by Green Diamond and California Fisheries Restoration Grant Program.

Strawberry Creek

Before and during images of the Strawberry Creek Restoration Project. Invasive, exotic reed canary grass can be seen choking the stream channel in the photo to the left. The photo on the right shows the same area after removal of canary grass and planting of riparian vegetation test plots.

Historically, the original native Sitka spruce covered floodplain and complex wetlands were converted to pasture, which allowed invasive reed canary grass to colonize much of the stream channel, riparian areas and wetlands. Reed canary grass is detrimental in many ways, for example, it prohibits native riparian growth, chokes the stream channel, provides poor to non-existent habitat for fish and other native aquatic wildlife, inhibits the mobility of fish at lower flows, increases sedimentation, and contributes to low levels of dissolved oxygen. It also reduces flow conveyance and causes overbank flooding during winter and spring baseflow conditions.

After canary grass removal in 2006 and 2007, the water surface dropped as much as 3 feet during winter baseflow, dissolved oxygen levels improved, and juvenile coho were seen within the project area. With additional funding, we hope to continue managing canary grass, planting native riparian vegetation and restoring the area to a more natural and sustainable state. The long-term goal is to re-establish the biologically rich and productive wetland habitat that once existed along Strawberry Creek.

This project has been funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal Program, Resources Legacy Fund Foundation, Preserving Wild California; California Department of Fish and Game, Fisheries Restoration Grant Program, and landowners.