SR 169 – Rock Creek, Ginder Creek and unnamed tributaries – fish passage

To protect and restore fish runs, WSDOT is correcting fish barriers found under state highways. Since 1991, when WSDOT created a dedicated program, 365 barriers have been corrected, opening a total of 1,215 miles of fish habitat.

We will replace existing culverts with new fish passable structures. Opening habitat allows more salmon and steelhead at all life stages, including juveniles that aren’t yet strong swimmers like adults, to access important spawning and rearing habitat, including areas that haven’t been accessed in years.

Improvements to fish passage also benefits commercial seafood operations, recreational fishers, and provides more food for our declining orca population. In addition, replacing these culverts helps us meeting our obligation to remove barriers under a 2013 U.S. District Court injunction.

About the creeks

Located north of Black Diamond, there are two culverts that allow Ginder Creek and an unnamed tributary to pass under SR 169 near Roberts Drive. One is considered fully blocked to fish, while the other is rated as only 33% passable. Replacing these culverts with new fish passage structures offers a combined potential habitat gain of more than 3,000 meters for the coho, resident trout, steelhead and sea run cutthroat that are known to use these streams.

South of Black Diamond, east of Jones Lake, there are three streams that are tributaries to the lake: Rock Creek, and two unnamed tributaries. New culverts will greatly benefit the chum, coho, resident trout, steelhead and sea-run cutthroat that use these creeks. Replacing these culverts north and south of Black Diamond creates a combined potential habitat gain of 4,238 meters.