The current structure at kallio creek at skanee RD is a concrete box culvert that is perched with a large plunge pool on the downstream end and is an aquatic organism passage (AOP) barrier at all flow

The ashland USFWS habitat team completed a great lakes road stream crossing inventory at this site in 2012 that determined the crossing created a full AOP barrier. The ashland team also ranked this crossing as state AOP priority project number 3. Trout unlimited staff collected geomorphic survey data in 2023 that shows the existing culvert as undersized and set too high degrading geomorphic conditions and habitat in the stream. The primary objective of this project is to replace the full AOP barrier at kallio creek at skanee RD using a concrete structure spanning beyond bankful width incorporating US forest service (USFS) stream simulation design that will restore full AOP and natural stream function at this site reconnecting over 3 miles of high quality trout habitat in kallio creek to 25 miles of the silver river. In addition to restoring AOP at the site the new crossing structure will be designed to improve flood resiliency by passing at least the modeled 100 year flood with at least 20 percent freeboard.reconnecting high quality fish habitat will improve subsistence and recreational fishing opportunities in the kallio creek and silver river watersheds by allowing native brook trout to access habitats required to complete their life cycle. The new crossing will also have improved flood resiliency benefiting community safety and decreasing infrastructure maintenance costs by decreasing the frequency of road damage and mitigating the risk of crossing failure during extreme flood events. This project aligns with the USFWS national fish passage program by replacing an existing crossing that presents a full AOP barrier with a structure that will restore AOP and reconnect aquatic habitat to benefit native coldwater species like brook trout. This project aligns with goals and objectives stated in a number of kbic guidance documents including the fisheries management plan, integrated resources management plan and climate resiliency plan. In addition the replacement structure will improve flood resiliency at the site and restore natural stream function. The outcomes of this project also complement the conservation priorities for brook trout listed in the USFWS region 3 fish and wildlife resource conservation priorities. Lastly this project aligns with the ashland fish and wildlife conservation offices goals to restore instream habitats critical to promote sustaining fish populations and creating intact habitats and will result in the completion of a state priority project identified by ashland USFWS.