This project is located on private and county property near murphy, in josephine county, on the applegate river, tributary of the rogue river, and on onion and stringer creeks, tributaries to the…

This project is located on private and county property near murphy, in josephine county, on the applegate river, tributary of the rogue river, and on onion and stringer creeks, tributaries to the applegate river flowing through lands served by the murphy ditch association. A stream spanning concrete, wood, and rock DAM blocks or impede adult and juvenile fish passage to 100 miles of spawning and rearing habitat. Impacted species include fall chinook salmon, coho salmon, summer and winter steelhead, pacific lamprey, cutthroat trout, and suckers. Murphy DAM is ranked in group 2 of oregon department of fish wildlife (odfw S) 2019 statewide fish passage priority list. Murphy DAM fish ladder does not comply with national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) and odfw fish passage criteria. Barriers at road- and canal-crossings in the onion and stringer creek tributaries of the applegate river, which flow through lands served by murphy DAM, impede and harm native migratory fish. This project complements salmon restoration efforts ongoing throughout the rogue basin. This project will remove murphy DAM and significantly improve access to 100 miles of spawning and rearing habitat. A new, properly screened pump with pump house will be installed to maintain existing water use, with pumping costs partially offset by installation of a solar array. This project will also remove and replace fish barriers in the onion and stringer creek tributaries identified by odfw and or NOAA. Waterwatch S project partners include the DAM owner, odfw, US fish and wildlife service (USFWS), NOAA, US forest service (USFS), bureau of land management (BLM), oregon water resources department (OWRD), river design group, and rogue basin partnership.