College of the Environment Graduate and Undergraduate Publications

Alternative title

Maddox Creek culvert removal and habitat restoration project

Date Permissions Signed

Winter 2-26-2017

College Affiliation

Huxley College of the Environment

Date of Award

Winter 2017

Document Type

Environmental Impact Assessment

Department or Program Affiliation

Department of Environmental Studies

Department

Environmental Studies

First Advisor

Bodensteiner, Leo R.,1957-

Abstract

The EIA was completed as a class project for the ESCI 493 class of Huxley College of the Environment at Western Washington University in regards to a culvert removal proposal to help restore inaccessible salmonid habitat. A group of students performed an analysis of the environmental impacts that will arise from removing the culvert to open up fish passage making spawning and rearing habitat available for coho salmon, steelhead and sea-run cutthroat trout. The proposed project is to remove an eroding 6-foot diameter by 210-foot long culvert pipe that is acting as a fish passage barrier to traditional spawning and rearing habitat of sea-run cutthroat trout, threatened steelhead trout, and coho salmon. The culvert is situated in Maddox Creek with South Laventure Road to the northeast and residential housing to the northwest. Removing the culvert will expose approximately two miles of spawning and rearing habitat for spawning and rearing salmon and trout. The proposed action includes removing approximately 262 thousand cubic feet of fill covering the culvert, excavating the pipe, and restoring the riparian habitat. Alternatives to this action include: 1) installing a slip liner on the inside of the existing culvert and weirs systems inside the slip line and downstream in the channel to backwater the culverts outlet in order to flood the culvert to allow for fish passage; or 2) the “No Action” alternative which will leave the culvert and creek in its current condition. Mitigation for the proposed and alternative actions will consist of stabilizing the surrounding vegetation and soil using silt fences, planting, hydroseeding/fertilizing, and mulching and installation of erosion control mats for erosion and sediment control.

Type

Text

Publisher

Western Washington University

OCLC Number

992981593

Subject – LCSH

Stream restoration--Washington (State)--Maddox Creek; Metal culverts--Washington (State)--Maddox Creek; Salmonidae--Habitat--Washington (State)--Maddox Creek; Fish habitat improvement--Washington (State)--Maddox Creek; Environmental impact analysis--Washington (State)--Mount Vernon

Geographic Coverage

Mount Vernon (Wash.)

Format

application/pdf

Genre/Form

environmental impact statements

Language

English

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

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