Project Overview
The Padden Creek at 12th Street and Padden Creek at 14th Street Fish Passage Improvement Project is part of a well-coordinated, strategic approach to fish barrier removal. This project will remove two City-owned fish passage barriers located where the interurban trail crosses Padden Creek. Removing these barriers will make the crossings 100% passable for fish. These barriers are ranked as high priority for improvement in the City’s Fish Barrier Prioritization.
Project Status – January 2024
60% design on this project began in Spring 2023. The project is currently in design with an expected construction start date of summer 2024 or summer 2025.
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More Information
The interurban trail will likely be closed between 10th Street and Fairhaven Park during construction. Detour signs will be posted to show alternative routes.
Correcting these fish barriers is a high priority based on the City’s Fish Barrier Prioritization. Improving fish passage helps address two of the most significant limiting factors to the survival of salmon and trout in the Padden Creek watershed – water temperature and habitat availability – by allowing fish to access upstream habitat that provides cold water (i.e. thermal refuge) and quality habitat for laying eggs (spawning) and rearing.
This project benefits anadromous Chinook, coho, and chum salmon, steelhead and sea-run cutthroat trout, and resident fish species. The project also provides fish access to upstream habitat that has been restored by the City as part of the Padden Creek 24th to 30th Streets and the Padden Creek Daylighting restoration projects. Further upstream of this project, we are also improving fish passage at the 30th Street road crossing.
This project is one of many voluntary fish passage projects within the City of Bellingham. The project honors a Memorandum of Agreement that the City entered in 2022 with the Nooksack Indian Tribe, Lummi Nation, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife as part of a shared commitment to improving fish passage.
Existing Culverts
Padden Creek at 12th Street
The pedestrian trail crossing on Padden Creek located just downstream of the 12th Street bridge consists of two 60-inch diameter concrete culverts which outlet to a five-step concrete fish ladder. Due to an excessive drop at the culvert outlet, lack of streambed material inside the culvert, and steep gradients associated with the fish ladder, this trail crossing is classified as a partial barrier to fish passage.
Padden Creek at 14th Street
The pedestrian trail crossing on Padden Creek located downstream of the intersection of 14th Street and Wilson Avenue consists of two 60-inch diameter concrete culverts and failing log weirs. Due to high velocity and depth at the culvert outlet and lack of streambed material inside the culvert, this trail crossing is classified as a partial barrier to fish passage.
This project is funded through a Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board Grant that was awarded to the City in 2023. Early design and grant match is provided by the City of Bellingham Stormwater Fund 430.
Contact
Craig Mueller, P.E.
Project Engineer
Phone: (360) 778-7922
Email: camueller@cob.org
For media inquiries, please contact pwmedia@cob.org.
