This project has two components. The first is to design and permit the removal of train trestle in the chehalis river at the confluence of garrad creek

This federal Project Grant award of $115,400.00 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Fish and Aquatic Conservation - Aquatic Invasive Species (CFDA 15.608) program supports two main components:

1. Designing and permitting the removal of a train trestle in the Chehalis River at the confluence of Garrard Creek. This will address the buildup of large woody debris behind the trestle that is blocking the free movement of salmonids.

2. Continuing maintenance of existing plantings, including mowing, watering, and identification of lost trees along the Chehalis River at the Big Buffer site.

The award was made to the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, a federally recognized tribal government, on November 1, 2024. The project is scheduled for completion by November 6, 2026.

Large wood washed down from garrard creek has built up significantly behind the trestle, blocking the free movement of salmonids. While some fish have been documented moving into the creek during the higher flows in fall, other fish have been observed in the chehalis river at the mouth of the creek, not moving up into the creek in the summer months. Currently, the tribe has contracted a firm to coordinate with contractors to provide an initial analysis of the trestle, provide information on necessary permitting requirements and provide a cost estimate of design and construction. The second aspect of the project is the continuation maintenance of the existing plantings including mowing, watering and identification of lost trees along the chehalis river at the big buffer site.