In 2011, habitat restoration work was performed on Willow Creek in northern California’s Russian River watershed, opening seven miles of creek to fish passage.
The NOAA Restoration Center, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and others removed six plugged culverts, rechanneled the creek, and installed a 43-foot clear-span bridge.
This summer, nearly 450 wild-spawned coho salmon juveniles were spotted swimming in the creek. The young salmon are thought to be the first in the watershed since 1990.
for more information, visit http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/highlights/wildsalmonreturnrestoredhabitat.html
sources: California Department of Fish and Wildlife, NOAA Fisheries