P1610506 Upper Jack of Hearts Creek Coho Habitat Restoration Project

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Restoration Grant Program Restoration Project Case Study

Project Objective(s) – The objective of this project was to remove two complete barriers that previously blocked Coho Salmon and steelhead trout from potential spawning and rearing habitat. Additionally, 35 pieces of large wood were added to the creek increasing salmonid habitat, and four road features were treated to decrease the amount of sediment that would enter Jack of Hearts Creek.

Project Location(s) – Jack of Hearts Creek; tributary to the mainstem South Fork Eel River; near the town of Branscomb; in Mendocino County.

Project Description – Three miles upstream of the Jack of Hearts Creek and South Fork Eel River confluence was an earthen dam that created a pond (Walton Woods Pond) with a bypass channel (Figure 1). The bypass channel was also classified as a complete barrier due to a three-foot elevation change on the downstream end. The earthen dam was likely to fail and deliver 1,140 cubic yards of sediment downstream. The dam and bypass channel were removed to enable Coho Salmon and steelhead trout to access and utilize 1,160 feet of habitat upstream. An engineered channel was constructed through the area that had been Walton Woods Pond, streambed substrate and large wood structures were placed in the newly constructed channel (Figure 2). Downstream of the pond area a road was also upgraded to prevent sediment delivery. An old culvert was upgraded to an armored filled crossing, an undersized culvert was replaced with an embedded culvert, and a 150 stretch of road was outsloped, bermed, and had rolling dips installed (Figure 4).

Photo Credit: Maddie Hicks, Fisheries Technician (PSMFC) Photo Credit: Nathan Harris, Fishery Biologist (PSMFC)

Figure 1. Prior to implementation, fish passage was Figure 2. The earthen dam was removed, and stream blocked due to a constructed pond. Pre-treatment photo channel reconstructed with added large wood. Post- date: 8/30/2017 treatment photo date: 9/2/2020

Report prepared by Nathan Harris and Kaydee Boozel, Fishery Biologists, 1/25/2021. For permission to use with proper citation, contact CDFW Monitoring and Evaluation of Salmonid Habitat Restoration (MESHR) -- (707) 834-4358 1455 Sandy Prairie Ct, Suite J, Fortuna, CA 95540 California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Restoration Grant Program Restoration Project Case Study

Project Monitoring

Pre-Treatment Implementation Post-Treatment

Date(s): 08/30/2017 Date(s): 10/25/2017 Date(s): 09/02/2020

Post-Treatment Project Rating and Summary The newly constructed channel that replaced the pond was in good condition with streambed material still in place and revegetation plantings successfully stabilizing upslope of the newly formed banks. The wood structures remained in place, though in some areas farther upstream there was evidence of side cutting erosion due to lack of vegetation on the creek edge and hydraulics around the placed logs. The culvert feature was performing as designed during the post- treatment assessment and was naturally recruiting gravel.

Although both barriers were successfully removed, at low flows there was a potential passage issue with fish jump heights at 1.5 feet, most likely these concerns would quickly disappear with moderate increased flow. Snorkeling validation conducted post-treatment were split evenly between pools above and below the former earthen dam and 1+ and 2+ trout were observed in both groups, but no young-of-the-year trout or any salmon were documented.

Photo Credit: Maddie Hicks, Fisheries Technician (PSMFC) Photo Credit: Nathan Harris, Fishery Biologist (PSMFC)

Figure 3. Old crossing downstream of pond on Jack of Figure 4. Bottomless Culvert upgrade with Hearts Creek. Pre-treatment photo date: 8/30/2017 accumulated gravel on Jack of Hearts Creek downstream of the former pond. Post-treatment photo date: 9/2/2020

Project Funding & Cost • Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Restoration Grant Program……. $249,885 • Landowner, Walton Woods……………………………………..…………………..$9,800 • Total Project Cost………………………………………………………………..$259,685