Millions of culverts, dikes, water diversions, dams, and other artificial barriers were constructed to impound and redirect water for irrigation, flood control, electricity, drinking water, and transportation--all changing natural features of rivers and streams. Many dams are obsolete and no longer serve their original purpose.
Culverts that funnel water beneath roads and train tracks often pose insurmountable barriers to fish.
All river fish migrate between feeding and spawning areas and need
to make other seasonal movements to important habitats.
Barriers prevent natural fish migrations, keeping them from important habitats. As a result, some populations of native fish are gone and others are on the
brink of disappearing.
The Ashland FWCO fish passage program provides assistance through Service staff and cooperative partnerships. Types of assistance include providing information on fish and habitat needs and methods for fish to bypass barriers. Our
National fish passage goal is: To restore native fish and other aquatic species to self-sustaining levels by reconnecting habitat that has been fragmented by barriers…
The projects listed below are short summaries of
six fish passage projects
recently completed by the Ashland FWCO
staff:
Spring Creek Fish Ladder Project
For decades a large culvert railroad crossing has blocked
fish passage for native brook trout on Spring Creek in Douglas County,
Wisconsin. The private landowner on the downstream side of the culvert
recognized this problem and contacted the county Land Conservation
Department (LCD). Agency partners including the LCD, Natural Resources
Conservation Service, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service’s Ashland FWCO worked together
to find a solution to the problem. The railroad had no plans to replace the
culvert due to the logistics and enormous cost associated with replacing the
intact and stable culvert. The solution was the creation of a series of
step pools which created a ladder which the fish could climb in order to
enter the culvert. The upper step of the ladder was also designed to raise
the depth of water inside the culvert to allow fish passage through the
pipe.
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Perched culvert before
restoration project. |
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Culvert has now been properly
re-set within the substrate to allow for fish passage. |
The design consisted of six structures or
“steps” which were constructed of rock and light gage sheet pile.
Large boulders were the final component of the steps and were used to
stabilize the riffles and create resting areas on the top and
downstream slopes of each structure. The step immediately below the
culvert was designed to provide scour protection for the culvert
outflow. These structures created a series of pools and riffles which
now provide access for brook trout and other aquatic species to access
the reaches of Spring Creek above the railroad crossing.
Brook trout are an important recreational
fishing species in Spring Creek. This project will provide additional
fish access to neighboring habitat in order to improve populations in
these areas. During construction brook trout were already identified
moving through the step pools. The landowner of the project site
spends many hours observing the stream and other wildlife habitat on
the property. He reports fish are consistently present, moving
through the fish ladder and utilizing the created habitat. Early
estimates indicate the vast majority of the fish will survive the
journey up the ladder and through the culvert but a few may end up in
the frying pan.
18 Mile Creek, it was a large undertaking and now it is completed!
Ashland FWCO has completed the largest fish passage project
the office has undertaken to date.
18 Mile Creek Culvert
Replacement Video
(7:13 seconds
40 mb)
18 Mile Creek is well known for its naturalized brown trout and brook trout fishery. Located near the town of Grandview, the creek meanders through central Bayfield County before joining the Long Lake Branch of the White River in the Bibon Swamp, a designated state natural area.
The culvert at the crossing on North Sweden Road was perched at approximately 12” and was also a velocity barrier for most life stages of fish in 18 Mile Creek. Over 16 miles of additional spawning and rearing habitat were blocked by this perched culvert. Additionally, the 12’ x 65’ culvert was failing structurally, was not long enough to allow adequate slope coverage on the ends of the culvert, and was causing erosion to occur on the road edges.
Ashland FWCO met with town officials, Bayfield County Land Conservation Department (BCLCD) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Fishery Biologist Scott Toshner to discuss the replacement of the culvert. After completing the pre-construction survey for the hydraulics of the system, the BCLCD, along with assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) designed the engineering plan. It was decided to replace the old pipe with a 12’ x 80’ culvert, thus allowing for a slope gradient of 2:1 for the road bed.
The Town of Grandview contracted with K & D Excavating of Ashland, WI for assistance with the replacement of the culvert. Construction started on September 10th and was completed on September 12th. Approximately 6’ of road-fill needed to be removed to uncover the old culvert. Along with the road bed covering the culvert K & D dug a by-pass channel to divert the creek through, as the flow is too large to be handled by diversion pumps. It took two large excavators to remove the old culvert, along with a D-8 bulldozer. Once the old culvert was removed, ground elevations were taken to set the new culvert at the needed elevation. This is where the crew ran into a problem, as the old culvert was set on an old cement bridge foundation that no one knew was there. 
Ittook an afternoon to break this old abutment up and remove these concrete chunks. After the proper elevation was obtained, it then took the three pieces of equipment to lower the two 12’ x 40’ sections into place. The two culvert sections were then banded together and the process of filling and compacting around the culvert was begun. Once the culvert had approximately a foot of fill over it the diversion channel was slowly opened, allowing water to flow into the new culvert. The stream bed immediately began filling the bottom of the culvert and within 24 hours had head cut upstream approximately 75 meters and deposited 12 – 14” of fill in the culvert. Both ends of the culvert were armored with large boulders and rock to prevent erosion and the area was seeded and mulched.
To assess whether this project would be successful in terms of allowing fish passage, the Ashland FWCO conducted a pre- and post- construction fishery survey. In discussions with the WDNR it was suggested to survey the area above the culvert and mark all fish caught upstream. All trout caught above 150 mm (6”) were fin clipped and moved down below the existing perched culvert. It was felt that these fish wouldn’t be able to pass through the old structure and would only be able to migrate upstream once the culvert was replaced. A crew went out on August 30th and a total of 172 trout were caught by electrofishing. Of these 172 trout, 168 were brown trout and the other 4 were brook trout. Out of these 172 fish, 57 were large enough to move below the culvert.
On October 11th, after a good rain event finally occurred in the area, the Ashland FWCO, along with assistance from the Fishery Management class from Northland College, Ashland, WI, conducted the recapture run. This run netted 113 trout, 8 brook trout and 105 brown trout. No brook trout were recaptured, but a total of 26 brown trout were recaptured (upriver of the new culvert), for a 35% recapture rate. Everyone involved were very happy with the construction aspects of the project and the successful up-river movement of these fish. The Ashland FWCO is currently creating a video showing all aspects of the culvert replacement and fishery survey. This video will be available to all interested parties by contacting the Ashland FWCO and requesting a copy.
Cutler Creek Culvert Replacement
Through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Ashland FWCO partnered with the Town of Brule, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the County Land Conservation Department to replace a culvert which blocked fish passage on Cutler Creek in Douglas County, Wis. The old culvert located on Castle Road was a fish passage barrier to brook trout and other aquatic life. The
new culvert is now set at the proper elevation and will pass brook trout and other aquatic species. This action will enhance the Brule River watershed’s fishery for miles both above and below the old barrier.
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Perched culvert before restoration
project. |
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The Cutler Creek culvert has now been
properly
re-set within the substrate to allow for fish passage. |
Ashland FWCO
Completes Billy Creek Project
As with other fish passage
projects Billy Creek had limitations as to when the work could be done to ensure
survival of trout fry and other fish species found in the creek. A
large excavator was used to remove the pair of perched culverts that was
preventing fish passage at this site. Construction started early and
by the end of the first day the new culvert was in place and enough fill
placed over the pipe to allow traffic to resume on the road. Soon
afterwards the crew finalized the road grade and the final mulching process
was completed to help reduce any erosion. Actual confirmation of brook trout entering the
culvert and proceeding upstream occurred the following day. This culvert
replacement has opened up 2 miles of habitat to brook trout and other resident
fish species. Click here for more information.
Bark River Fish Passage Done!
Fish passage to prime habitat in the headwaters of the Bark River
in Bayfield County, WI was restored and native brook trout
immediately took advantage of the new access.
Within 30 minutes of opening flows through the new culvert, a foot long brook trout was seen powering up through the structure!
The Bark River is a Class A trout stream tributary to Lake Superior. It provides habitat for native brook trout and was historically a coaster brook trout producer. In addition, naturalized populations of steelhead and coho salmon inhabit the lower stream reaches. Access to about 0.7 miles of prime spawning and nursery habitat in the headwaters was totally blocked by a 30 year old culvert that was installed improperly and badly damaged. Bank slopes at the installation were excessively steep and caving in, and the culvert was perched and buckled.
Laymans Creek Culvert Replacement
Through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, the Ashland FWCO partnered with the Town of Oma and the County Land Conservation Department to replace a culvert which blocked fish passage on Laymans Creek in Iron County, Wisconsin. The old culvert located at Camp 7 road was a fish passage barrier to brook trout and other aquatic life.
The old culvert was replaced with a new one which is set at the proper elevation which will pass brook trout and other species.
Ashland FWCO
Participates in Bad River Watershed Association Culvert Workshop
The Ashland FWCO recently participated in a culvert workshop that was sponsored by the Bad River Watershed Association (BRWA). The BRWA is a group that was formed in 2002 to promote citizen stewardship of the watershed and to assist local, state, federal and tribal governments in effectively managing the system.
One of the projects the BRWA is undertaking is the assessment of approximately 1,100 culverts located on the 700,000 acre watershed. Within this watershed are 1,345 miles of perennial streams and another 835 miles of intermittent waters. The BRWA has approximately half the culverts surveyed by its members, quite the undertaking for this group.
Designing and Building Stream Crossings-An Internet Page by the Ashland FWCO
The Ashland FWCO created an Internet web page designed to help in the design and installation of small culverts.
This new Internet site provides the reader with an outline in the general planning, design and construction of stream crossings (less than 20 feet in width). The procedures suggested were derived from the best practices recommended by public and private agencies and were selected to provide practical guidelines for designing long lasting, stable road crossings that will have minimum adverse affect on fish and their stream habitats.
Additional fish
passage projects completed by our staff include: Grand Portage Creek
| Graveyard Creek
Resource enhancements and restoration projects have improved fish and wildlife habitats, and have offered a chance to regain some of America's most important natural resources. These programs build on the strength and interest of committed individuals and organizations to accomplish shared conservation goals.
- Invasive species designs for anadromous fish runs
- Increase of public awareness for fish passage program
- Educating of transportation departments/designers
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