Agencies cooperate to restore fish passage

July 12, 2005

Spectrum\Patricia Wade

Chickaloon Village Traditional Council hosted the Moose Creek fish passage renewal ceremony on June 30. Alaska Department of Fish & Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, National Parks Service, Lisa Murkowski's office, tribal citizens and guests from as far away as New York shared the historic occasion.

For centuries, Moose Creek was a flourishing salmon stream. But in 1923, a railroad spur was constructed up Moose Creek for the coal-mining industry, which created several waterfalls. The largest fall was completely impassable to spawning salmon.

Originally the creek was a winding salmon stream. After coal mining and railroad development, the creek became straighter and steeper, too fast and challenging for the fish.

The Moose Creek fish passage restoration project was designed to re-establish the original stream channel around the largest waterfall and restore salmon passage to the upper reaches of the creek.

The long-term aim of this project is to have a Moose Creek salmon return large enough to support a small subsistence harvest for members of the tribe, thereby reviving a local traditional food source and contributing to the ongoing survival of the tribe's culture.

June 30 was a perfect day for such an historic occasion, overcast and warm. Chief Gary Harrison gave a prayer of thanks. Jessica Dryden and Brian Winnestaffer with Chickaloon Village environmental department toiled 12 hours a day, six days a week, putting their hearts and souls into their work, and many people volunteered their time and energy.

The restoration activities focused on realigning a section of stream from its current man-made waterfall channel to its original, low-gradient channel.

This restoration will reopen fish access to more than five miles of high-quality spawning and rearing habitats.

We walked a short distance to the part of Moose Creek where the historic channel had just been renewed.

We could see salmon in the water. They finally had an opportunity to travel upstream past the waterfall for the first time in 80 years!

We watched as they drifted by the new/historic channel as if they were pondering. Some of them jumped up and stuck their heads out of the fast-moving current. I didn't see any of them venture up the new channel, but it was thrilling to take part in the salmon being able to return to their ancestral roots.

After spending several hours in the beautiful wilderness, it was time to go. The not-so-subtle hint was rain that started pouring down, soaking us to the bone as we walked to our cars.

It was time for humans to depart. The salmon had a new adventure awaiting them and it was to be a private affair.

Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA and the Bureau of Indian Affairs for providing funding for this project, as well as the Coastal American Foundation, the Five Star Restoration Partnership, and N.C. Machinery.

Patricia Wade is the editor of the Chickaloon News.