The Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Recreation and Conservation Office announced a package of fish barrier grant funds Monday that will stretch across the state. Lewis County will receive roughly $1.7 million as part of the grant program.
The Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board announced the $30 million in state grant funds for the 2025-2027 biennium on July 15. The funds will contribute to local projects that involve removing culverts or other other road-related fish barriers on the state's rivers and streams.
The money going to Lewis County will fund the construction of a new bridge where Bunker Creek Road crosses Van Ornum Creek.
The project description describes the current culvert as being constructed too high out of the water and, as a result, blocking passage of many native fish species. Replacing the culvert with a bridge is expected to open up the stream to coho salmon and steelhead trout, which are both considered to be threatened species.
Construction on the Van Ornum Creek project is expected to begin this summer and be completed by the fall of 2025. In fact, the Lewis County Board of Commissioners awarded the contract for the construction Tuesday, July 1, and expects to begin work as the summer stream work window opens this month.
For more information and previous reporting by The Chronicle on the Van Ornum Creek project and other similar projects, visit https://tinyurl.com/2ftvsmer.
According to a news release from the state, the Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board Grant Program was created by the Washington state Legislature in 2014. Since then, it has regularly contributed to funds to remove obstacles to salmon and steelhead passage. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates that there are at least 20,000 barriers in the state that partially or entirely block fish from reaching spawning grounds.
“For the past 10 years, these grants have been chipping away at this problem,” said Kaylee Kautz, manager of the Fish Barrier Removal Board. “Since then, we have removed 63 barriers and opened nearly 179 miles of habitat to salmon. That’s good news for our salmon and steelhead.”
