Restoration of Whychus Fish Habitat is a Team Effort

Release Date: May 29, 2014

Contact:           Kassidy Kern, Public Affairs Specialist, Deschutes NF 541-383-5517

                             

For Release:     May 28, 2014

Restoration of Whychus Fish Habitat is a Team Effort

 

SISTERS, OR– The Deschutes National Forest and Upper Deschutes Watershed Council will complete work this week on a fish habitat restoration project on Whychus Creek. The work began at the beginning of May and is the first phase in restoring historic steelhead trout and chinook salmon habitat in Whychus Creek. 

The Forest Service has reconnected historic flood channels and opened up historic areas to flooding that were closed off in the past. The new route for the creek will move flooding away from the Three Creek Lake Road and into historic channels that can handle the flooding. 

While the area is not formally closed, hikers are encouraged to exercise extreme caution or remain out of the area until Friday when construction is completed. The area is one mile south of Sisters off the FS 16 Road, along the Mainline Road. Specific maps of the restoration project area are available at the front desk of the Sisters Ranger District.

The current work will be completed at the end of May but the next phase of restoration work will begin in September. This will include a bridge replacement that will conclude in summer of 2015. 

For more information please contact Cari Press, 541-549-7720.

 

-USFS-