Vosburg Creek
Summary:
Vosburg Creek is part of the Nehalem
River watershed and is located
within the city limits of Wheeler, Oregon.
Approximately 1.5
miles in
length and draining directly into Nehalem Bay, Vosberg
Creek is one of
a few
tributaries in close proximity to the mouth of Nehalem
Bay. The Nehalem
River
watershed generally lacks adequate spawning, rearing,
and winter refuge
habitats for salmonids, particularly for the recently
federally
protected coho
salmon.
This
project addressed these limiting factors through
three related components. The first component consisted
of removing a
relict
weir structure (120' from confluence) that served as a
partial barrier
for
adult and juvenile fish migrations. Removal
of the weir allows better
access
for salmonids to utilize approximately 3280'
of
salmonid
spawning and
rearing
habitat. The second component consisted of an upstream
earthen dam
removal
(3400' from confluence). Removing the dam
aided in
restoring natural
stream function
and preventing a potential catastrophic splash-dam type
of event that
could
have affected both fish and the safety of the citizens
of Wheeler. The
third
component consisted of large wood placement in the lower
reach of the
creek to
enhance in-stream salmonid habitat and to retain
sediments released
through the
removal of the dam. Riparian planting was included to
remediate access
corridors during the large wood placement and weir
removal portions of
the
project.
Status:
Completed
March, 2010
Partners:
Lower
Nehalem Community Trust, City of Wheeler, Oregon Dept.
of Fish
and
Wildlife, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Watershed
Enhancement
Board,
Native Plant Coop
