The watts toppin fish passage project addresses the need for fish passage improvement at the watts toppin irrigation DAM located on williams creek a large tributary to the applegate river near provolt…

The Cooperative Agreement award of $104,843 from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service under the National Fish Passage Program (CFDA 15.685) supports the Watts Toppin Fish Passage Project. This project, led by the Applegate Partnership & Watershed Council, will improve fish passage through the construction of a roughened channel at the Watts Toppin Irrigation Dam on Williams Creek, a major tributary of the Applegate River in Oregon. The project aims to benefit endangered Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, coastal cutthroat trout, and Pacific lamprey by enhancing access to important upstream spawning and rearing habitats. The award builds upon a recently completed fish passage project at the Lower Bridgepoint Diversion, further improving connectivity within the Applegate watershed. The project partners include water users, the Rogue Basin Partnership, Bureau of Land Management, and several conservation organizations.

The watts toppin fish passage project addresses the need for fish passage improvement at the watts toppin irrigation DAM located on williams creek a large tributary to the applegate river near provolt or. Williams creek and its tributaries are among the most important producers of salmon and steelhead in the applegate watershed. Watts toppin DAM is listed on the odfw statewide fish passage list as the fourth highest priority in the applegate watershed. The three higher priorities are currently in varying stages of planning and design for removal or retrofit by apwc and other entities. The proposed project will improve fish passage though the construction of a roughened channel. The project will benefit ESA listed coho salmon chinook salmon steelhead trout coastal cutthroat trout and pacific lamprey. The proposed project seeks to build upon the recently completed lower bridgepoint fish passage project located on BLM land approximately one mile downstream of watts toppin DAM. The successfully completed project at lower bridgepoint diversion was similar in scale and design to the proposed project at watts toppin. Together these projects will substantially improve access to valuable upstream spawning and rearing habitats. The preferred alternative a roughened channel has been vetted and designs completed by the consulting engineering firm. Construction is set to begin in summer 2023. Project partners include water users rogue basin partnership BLM paul allen family foundation through american rivers owrd williams CR WC trout unlimited and middle rogue steelheaders.