A project to improve critically designated habitat for bull trout in Goat Creek is underway and is expected to be completed by the end of October.
Work will occur on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest below the Goat Creek culvert referred to as “Vanderpool Crossing,” between river miles 6.7 and 7.6. The work is intended to restore stream complexity through the addition of large woody material.
The project will be conducted through a partnership of the National Forest Foundation (NFF), the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Methow Salmon Recovery Foundation.
The project will replace wood that was removed due to past logging and management practices. This will enhance spawning habitat, cover, and refuge for bull trout, west slope cutthroat, and other fish species living in and using Goat Creek, according to information from the Forest Foundation.
The wood that will be used for the project was salvaged from a debris slide that occurred several years ago on federal land in the War Creek drainage.The public should be aware of equipment and large truck traffic on both War Creek Trailhead Road (Forest Road 4430-100) and Goat Creek Road (Forest Road 5200). Log loading operations on War Creek Trailhead Road may delay vehicle traffic during daylight hours for periods of up to 20 minutes.
Storm-proofing on Goat Creek Road to reduce erosion and sediment loading into the watershed during runoff and storm events will also be a part of the project and may be completed this fall, if the weather allows.
The project is funded through NFF, the Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office Salmon Recovery Funding Board, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Patagonia World Trout Initiative, and a personal gift from Gordon and Betty Moore.
This work is part of a suite of work that NFF is conducting with the Forest Service through the Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences Majestic Methow campaign. For more information, contact Dayle Wallien at (206) 832-8280.
