Trout unlimited, the nature conservancy, U.S. Fish and wildlife service, and oregon department of fish and wildlife (ODFW) are partnering to reduce the risk of entrainment to bull trout (salvelinus…

Under this U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) National Fish Passage Program (CFDA 15.685) Cooperative Agreement award, Trout Unlimited, Inc. and its partner organizations are implementing a $170,000 project to eliminate the risk of bull trout and redband trout entrainment in Long Creek on the Sycan Marsh Preserve in Oregon. The project involves designing, fabricating, and installing a fish screen on an unscreened irrigation diversion that currently poses a threat to the last remaining bull trout population in the Sycan River core area. Trout Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, USFWS, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will work together to complete all permitting, engineering, and installation activities by the end of 2027. The project aims to restore aquatic connectivity and protect sensitive coldwater fish species in this priority watershed.

Trout unlimited, the nature conservancy, U.S. Fish and wildlife service, and oregon department of fish and wildlife (ODFW) are partnering to reduce the risk of entrainment to bull trout (salvelinus confluentus) and redband trout (oncorhyncus mykiss newberryi) in long creek on the sycan marsh preserve. The long creek population of bull trout is the only remaining population of bull trout in the sycan river core area, and eliminating the risk of entrainment is listed as an important recovery metric in the klamath recovery unit implementation plan for bull trout. A large diversion along lower long creek provides irrigation water via small S ditch to the sycan marsh preserve and adjacent private properties. The approximate diversion rate is 13.4 cubic feet per second. The diversion is currently unscreened, and bull trout occupy the portion of long creek immediately upstream from the diversion site. The diversion site is located on the sycan marsh preserve and is easily accessible from the forest service 27 road. Oregon department of fish and wildlife engineers will lead the design phase of the project, in close conjunction with the project team and the private landowners who use water from the small S ditch. The ODFW central point screen shop will then fabricate and install the screen. We expect the fish screen to be installed during the 2024 in-stream work window. Trout unlimited, the nature conservancy, and the U.S. Fish and wildlife service will partner to complete and acquire all permitting and compliance necessary for project implementation. The funding from nfpp will be used for fabrication and installation of the fish screen.