Marin Completes Woodacre Stream Restoration Project

MARIN COUNTY, CA -- Along with the seasonal rains in Marin County, endangered salmon and steelhead trout have returned to spawn in local creeks. But this year, spawning migration is made easier with the completion of a fish passage and stream restoration project recently completed in Woodacre.

The project improves migration conditions for salmon by installing aids to help fish move upstream to spawn. Multiple rock and log structures were constructed in the channel to provide deep, cold water pools and restore the natural stream habitat.

The Marin County Department of Public Works project, which was completed Oct. 27, was built by Loomis-based Glissman Excavating to benefit endangered coho salmon in San Geronimo and Woodacre creeks during drought conditions.

Public Works funded the project with a $235,000 grant from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which was matched by a $369,756 contribution by the County of Marin.

“I’m excited to see this very important salmon restoration project completed,” said District 4 Supervisor Steve Kinsey, who represents the rural San Geronimo Valley and West Marin. “This is a continuation of a decade long commitment by the County to improve our fishery resources throughout Marin.”

Public Works began evaluating County road crossings over salmonid streams for ease of fish passage back in 2003. Based on the results of the study, the Board of Supervisors initiated a fish passage program in 2005 to remove high priority barriers at County road crossings. To date, the County has constructed 10 fish passage projects, eight of which are located in the San Geronimo Creek watershed, the largest undammed tributary to Lagunitas Creek and an important producer of coho salmon for the Central California Coast.

The other two projects were on Vineyard Creek in Novato and Kent Canyon Creek in Mt. Tamalpais State Park.

After and before images courtesy County of Marin