SR 3 - Chico Creek - Remove Fish Barriers - Completed November 2024

State highways cross streams and rivers in thousands of places in Washington State, which can impede fish migration. WSDOT has worked for nearly three decades to improve fish passage and reconnect streams to help keep our waterways healthy. 

A single removed barrier can deliver impressive benefits, improving fish access for miles both upstream and downstream. When rivers and streams are connected, fish can better access the habitat they need. This is an important component of protecting and restoring fish populations, which can, in turn, have multiple benefits - including for commercial and recreational fishing industries.

Most of the culverts were installed decades before scientists fully understood the needs of fish. WSDOT met all requirements for culvert installation and sizing at the time they were constructed. Also, a culvert that was fish passable at the time of installation might have become a barrier over time due to changes in the landscape resulting from development, logging and fire. The new fish-friendly structures WSDOT constructs now are much larger and should be more resilient to changes in the landscape and provide for fish passage long into the future.