West Daybreak Stream Channel & Fish Habitat Restoration Project
FOEF members were part of the team that put the project design together and FOEF is a strong advocate for the project to be funded and implemented ASAP.
Location:
Downstream of East Fork Lewis River Below Daybreak Park Bridge off 82nd Ave. NE, and approximately half way between the city of La Center and Battle Ground WA.
Description:
About 3740 ft. of stream bank and stream channel restoration to restore balance into the channel and improve stream bank conditions and reduce bank erosion and loss.
Stream bank property is owned by private landowners on the north side of the river and by Clark County Parks & Recreation on the south side of the river (See Figure-1).
The stream channel is divided into 3 unique sections or “Reaches” to better treat the different kinds of problems in the river channel and stream banks. For safety purposes, all stream restoration treatments used are designed to minimize risk to recreationists and boaters that use this part of the river. They will be securely fastened down to insure that they will not come loose during periods of flooding.
Reach-1 is from the bridge down to where the big riffle starts and the severely eroded bend on the south side begins. It is about 1,700 ft. in length, has root wad (log treatments) on both banks to prevent erosion and provide improved fish habitat. The south side of the reach also has an old flood overflow channel. About 400 ft. of that will be dug out and covered with fastened down logs to provide habitat for juvenile fish and protect them from high summer stream temperatures.
Reach-2 is about 1,570 ft. long, begins at the riffle at the end of Reach-1 and extends around the severely eroding bend on the south side of the river. Here the vertical stream bank will be sloped back and a series of special log complex structures will be securely fastened back into the stream bank. Re-vegetation of the south bank with trees and shrubs that complement the new design for the Daybreak Regional Park will be installed.
Reach-3 is about 470 ft. long, begins at the end of Reach-2 and extends down to about the big riffle just below the big house on the south side of the river at the end of Septan Drive (commonly referred to as the Arabs House, who were the original owners) or just opposite the Clark County Roads Facility north of the river adjacent to 269th Street. Treatments using root wad logs are primarily on the north bank of the river. The south bank has a long narrow flood overflow channel with a large pool at the lower end. Similar to Reach-1 it will be cleared of sediment, and wood cover added to improve its functioning as a rearing and protected area for juvenile salmon and steelhead fish.
Benefits:
The stream bank and channel treatments will protect the land owner’s property from future flood damage, improve their current condition, while providing greatly needed fish habitat and better recreation for Daybreak Park and East Fork L. R. users. Estimated cost is $626,000.00. Grants will be the used to pay for the project construction.