Moose Creek Phase II

Fish passage rehabilitation and fish habitat improvements were completed in Phase 2 of the Moose Creek Restoration Project by July 5, 2006.  1300 lineal feet of stream channel were re-created in the Creek’s original location, restoring it to pre-railroad position and bypassing three partial-barriers to fish passage.  Starting on May 5, 2006, heavy equipment cleared the site, formed the new channel and floodplain to design elevations, and created in-stream structures for improved and diversified fish habitats. The most impressive in-stream structures were three engineered log jams, one is 120 feet long, 45 feet wide, and more than 8 feet tall!  This massive structure, and two smaller ones, will protect the banks from erosion and provide excellent habitats for fish and for other animals.

 On June 14 Moose Creek was diverted into the newly formed channel.  Within 2 hours the new channel was running clear and looked like it had been there forever, except for the bare floodplains and obvious construction site.  As the previous channel was dewatered we fished for any stranded fish remaining in the pools and caught some dolly varden, rainbow trout, sculpin, as well as some juvenile Chinook and coho salmon!  We were very ecstatic about the significant numbers of young salmon!

 To finish Phase 2 the floodplains were covered with on-site topsoil that was stockpiled when the new channel alignment was cleared.  Then brush and large woody debris were spread on the floodplain to enhance and protect the revegetation growth.  The floodplains were planted with dormant felt-leaf willow cuttings, grass seed, and other native plants. 

2006 Flood

In mid-August Moose Creek (as well as the South-central region of Alaska) experienced a massive flood.  Estimated to be between an 88 and 100-year flood, the habitats on Moose Creek were greatly changed!  The overall changes made by Mother Nature on Moose Creek are terrific!  There is a lot of large wood in the water with much of it in massive log piles, which made some great salmon habitats.  There are a lot of new meanders in the creek as well as channel-widening at areas that were previously constricted, so the flooding had some really great results!

Moose Creek Project staff visited the Phase 1 and 2 project sites numerous times during and after the flooding.  Phase 2 (which was completed Summer 2006) looks very similar to how it was constructed.  There are some changes, due to the flooding, but they are minimal.  Phase 1 (which was completed in Summer 2005) experienced more modifications to the completed restoration design, however the stream continues to have continuous fish passage and still bypasses the previous waterfall barrier to fish passage.  It was exciting to see that the Moose Creek Project designs endured the test of a large flood and succeeded in maintaining fish passage.

Future Moose Creek Projects

•  To add fish habitat value and bank protection to Phase I of the Moose Creek restoration project, we hope to build a large engineered log-jam at the upstream end of the Phase I project site in summer 2007.  This engineered log-jam will protect the gravel-boulder bench constructed to circumvent a large waterfall.  In addition, this engineered log-jam will provide additional in-stream fish habitat variability and slow water for resting and rearing salmon. 

We wish to conduct a Moose Creek Fish Habitat survey and compare it to the survey we conducted in 2004, previous to the flooding in August 2006.

If you would like to visit the project site or volunteer to help, please contact Jessica or Brian at 745-0737.