The project will remediate a fish passage barrier on tryon creek, a tributary to yontocket slough and the smith river estuary

This $143,505 Cooperative Agreement awarded by the Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service under the National Fish Passage program (CFDA 15.685) will support the Smith River Alliance, a non-profit organization, to remediate a fish passage barrier on Tryon Creek in the Smith River watershed in California. The project will replace a culvert with a prefabricated bridge to restore 1.3 miles of upstream habitat and improve fish passage, floodplain connectivity, and riparian habitat for endangered coho salmon and other aquatic species. This award is part of a broader portfolio of over $11 million in past federal grants the Smith River Alliance has received from agencies including the Department of Commerce and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to deliver habitat restoration activities benefiting salmonid populations in the region.

The project will restore access to 1.3 miles of habitat upstream of this crossing. The existing 7 by 4.5 corrugated metal pipe culvert will be upgraded to a prefabricated bridge that meets all fish passage requirements. In addition to fish passage improvement, the project will improve floodplain connectivity and reduce potential fish stranding, enhance riparian habitat and provide seasonal livestock exclusion. Barriers to fish passage are listed as a high threat to the juvenile and smolt life stages for coho salmon in the smith river (nmfs 2014). Removing barriers is identified as one of the highest priority recovery actions for the smith river coho salmon population (cdfw 2004, nmfs 2014).