Lower Clear Creek Floodway Rehabilitation Project

Lower Clear Creek Floodway Rehabilitation Project

The primary objective of the Project is to reduce stranding of juvenile and adult salmonids and rehabilitate salmon and steelhead habitat within a 1.6 mile reach (Gravel Mined Site) of lower Clear Creek that has been severely degraded by gravel extraction activities. The project proposes to accomplish this objective by restoring floodway function and morphology to the stream channel and floodplain. Rehabilitation of the Gravel Mined Site would be accomplished by filling gravel extraction pits in the stream channel and floodway, redefining a primary channel through the upper two-thirds of the reach, restore flow to the historic channel in the lower one-third of the reach that was diverted during previous gravel extraction activities, and would recreate floodplain surfaces with newly restored riparian vegetation throughout the reach. Dredger tailings have been identified as the best source of alluvial material for rehabilitation of the Gravel Mined Site. Two borrow sites, Reading Bar and Former Shooting Gallery, would provide the bulk of the fill materials required for rehabilitation of the Gravel Mined Site. A third site (Old Mill) was incorporated into the proposed project to create additional wetland habitats in another site disturbed by gravel mining activities. New floodplain surfaces and wetland habitats are planned for each borrow site during removal of dredger tailings for rehabilitation of the Gravel Mined Site. Restoration of a functional single-thread channel and natural floodplain morphology would improve salmonid habitat conditions and greatly reduce stranding mortalities associated with degraded stream channel and floodplain conditions caused by gravel extraction activities. Rehabilitation of a functional bankfull channel that is free to meander across the floodplain would create diverse salmonid habitat conditions (pools, runs, and riffles) and would improve fish passage conditions for adult salmon migrating upstream during the fall and winter seasons. Restored floodplains would provide a continual source of new gravels and woody debris to the stream channel, which in turn would increase habitat quality and diversity for rearing and spawning salmonids while also providing diverse habitat conditions for various wildlife species that use riparian habitats.

Redding

Shasta