L.L. "Stub" Stewart State Park vicinity map

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Why are we working on Upper West Fork Dairy Creek?

The Council’s Dairy-McKay Watershed Analysis identified problems in the upper and headwater areas of West Fork Dairy Creek. These include 1) erosion control issues (sediment is delivered into the streams from stream crossings), 2) stream channel issues caused by lack of large wood debris in streams limiting pool development (pools are essential habitat for fish and other aquatic life), 3) water quality issues (sediment in streams is above reference condition levels), and 4) decline of salmon populations, due to degradation of habitat and water quality. In addition, undersized and inadequately placed culverts in stream crossings are barriers for fish passage and migration in streams. (Learn more about the Dairy Creek watershed system by downloading the summary report. )

What is the upper West Fork Dairy Creek restoration project?

The Council and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) are improving fish passage, habitat and water quality in the new L. L. “Stub” Stewart State Park (to learn more about Stub Stewart State Park click on
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/ park_255.php). Upper West Fork Dairy Creek and its tributaries flow through the park and are home to migrating steelhead and cutthroat trout. Work in the park includes removal of two obsolete road fills that include fish passage barrier culverts. Eight logs will be placed in the main stem of West Fork Dairy Creek following the fill removal.

Council volunteers take notes on how to measure and evaluate culverts in May 2005.

Located in northwestern Washington County, the 1,654-acre property opened this summer and is in the first stage of park development. Once a timber resource, the property includes old logging roads with culverts. OPRD plans to convert some of the logging roads into hiking, mountain biking and equestrian trails, while others will serve as general park roads and service routes. Many roads, however, will be decommissioned and fish passage barrier culverts removed. The fish passage work complements other OPRD efforts, such as using felled trees for fish habitat and fish restoration and creating an innovative wastewater system managed entirely onsite.

In addition, the Council, OPRD and a downstream private landowner are working together to place logs in 1.1 mile reach of the main stem of West Fork Dairy Creek. These logs will form pools and resting areas for native winter steelhead and cutthroat trout. This work is funded by an Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board restoration grant.

The work includes: May -August 2005: the Council, OPRD, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and the Tualatin Valley chapter members of Association of Northwest Steelheaders (ANWS) perform preliminary assessments of culverts located within the Park as fish passage barriers. February 2006: the Council awarded an Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) Technical Assistance Grant for design and permitting for removal of two culverts, replacement of a third culvert and in-stream enhancement. ESA Adolfson performs stream survey and culvert design and replacement work from March –August 2006. July 2006: ODFW team performs fish surveys and confirms fish presence in the two streams from which road fill and culverts to be removed. October 2006: Council applies for OWEB Restoration Grant for removal of two road fills and culverts and placement of logs in a 1.1 mile stream reach of West Fork Dairy Creek located on both public and private lands. March 2007: OWEB awards grant to fund a portion of the restoration project and OPRD also commits funding for the project. March-October 2007: Council submits and obtains required permits for restoration work, prepares and signs agreements with landowners for the project, and obtains bids for the project work.

• ODFW crew performing fish survey in West Fork Dairy Creek in summer 2006

  October 2007: Erosion measures and fish salvage procedures in place; road fill and culverts removed and fill graded and deposited, logs placed in the stream. Hampton Affiliates assists with logs for the project.
  
  Emerio Design prepares the grading plan; C&B Construction removes the fill and culverts and places eight logs in former main stem West Fork Dairy Creek culvert location.
  
  
• November 2007: Logs placed in-stream by helicopter.
  
  
• Winter 2008: Follow up plantings along re-graded stream banks.

Maps ESA Adolfson; photos Bernadette Graham-Hudson, ODFW