Gold creek is designated as critical habitat yet seasonal dewatering creates a fish passage barrier for esalisted bull trout for spawning adults and strands juveniles in disconnected pools

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $403,916.70 Cooperative Agreement to the Kittitas Conservation Trust under the National Fish Passage Program (CFDA 15.685) to implement the Gold Creek Valley Restoration Project. The project aims to decrease seasonal dewatering and restore aquatic connectivity in Gold Creek, a designated critical habitat for the ESA-listed bull trout. Key project activities include:

1. Restoring 30 acres of riparian and forested wetland habitat to increase stream flow duration.
2. Installing 141 large wood structures across 2.5 miles of the Gold Creek streambed and floodplain to improve in-stream fish habitat.
3. Removing a 0.25-mile levee, reconstructing 8 side channels (totaling 1.4 miles), and reconnecting 245 acres of floodplain to recharge groundwater aquifers.
4. Restoring 47 acres of riparian and forested wetland habitat with native vegetation.

The project period runs from June 2024 to September 2029 and is designed to support spawning migrations and enhance habitat for the bull trout and other native fish species in the region.

The gold creek valley restoration project will decrease the extent and duration of seasonal dewatering in gold creek and provide more complex habitat by restoring the aquatic connectivity of the lower gold creek valley. The objectives of the project are TO1 increase duration of stream flow by restoring the borrow pits to riparian and forested wetland totaling 30 acres. 2 restore 2.5MILES of instream fish habitat by installing 141 large wood structures within the streambed and the adjacent floodplain. 3 recharge groundwater aquifers by removing a 0.25MILELONG levee reconstructing 8 side channels totaling 1.4 miles and reconnecting 245 acres of floodplain. 4 restore 47 acres of riparian and forested wetland habitat with native vegetation. Funding from this award will support the implementation of instream and floodplain restoration activities.