Edson Creek Restoration Project, Siskiyou County

Edson Creek Restoration Project, Siskiyou County

This project proposes to restore/enhance 600 feet of in-stream habitat, stream bank, and riparian habitat in Edson Creek, located in a remote portion of Siskiyou County. This project proposes to reduce the sediment load and improve the quality of instream and riparian fish habitats. The project goals include the following: stabilize the stream channel, reduce erosion, improve stream flow, deepen pools, diversify instream habitat, improve trout spawning habitat, stabilize eroding stream banks, improve fish passage, and improve connectivity between isolated sections of intermittent stream corridor. Based upon data from fields surveys, StreamWise will use a variety of techniques and structures to accomplish these goals, such as boulder weirs, boulder vanes, log placement, boulder placement, and revegetation. The upper reach is expected to be dry during construction of root wad debris jam in a 400' incised channel reach. Further downstream, a boulder weir will be improved to redirect flow toward the center of the channel just below a culvert road crossing. The lower project site addresses an erosion point along the left bank by installation of two rock vanes that direct flows away from the steep eroding bank. This lower site is perennial, but flow at 1-2 cfs during low-flow conditions. The project will benefit the McCloud River redband trout ("McCloud redband"; oncorhynchus mykiss ssp.) which is a unique subspecies of redband trout native to the Upper McCloud River drainage of Shasta County. Edson Creek is considered to be a key component of the designated redband trout refugium. In an effort to prevent Federal listing of the redband trout as a threatened species, State and Federal resource agencies in cooperation with private landowners have undertaken actions to address degradation of such refugium.

Siskiyou