Coffee Creek Large Wood & Aquatic Organism Passage Project
The Coffee Creek project opens access to and enhances critical salmonid habitat in the Gales Creek watershed. This project also addresses two active headcuts and stabilizes a legacy beaver flat, improving a key 4.1-mile stretch of Coffee Creek.
In August 2024, the Upper Coffee Creek large woody debris (LWD) installation project was implemented on Coffee Creek, a tributary to Gales Creek. This important restoration effort stemmed from findings during snorkel surveys conducted as part of the Rapid Bio-Assessments in 2013, 2014, and 2022.
The goal of this project was to address two active headcuts that threatened a legacy beaver flat, which features braided channels spanning a wetland area. These headcuts also created a significant fish passage barrier for three salmonid species—Coho salmon, fall Chinook, and cutthroat trout. Additionally, the lack of substrate complexity and cover from wood has intensified the thermal limitations in the reach.
Project treatments included:
Placing rootwads, slash, and large wood structures in stream
Installing floodplain structures
The placement of slash, rootwads, and large wood in Coffee Creek plays a vital role in reducing stream incision, where the channel deepens and disconnects from its floodplain. By creating physical barriers that slow water flow and trap sediment, these structures help raise the stream bed and reestablish its connection to the surrounding floodplain. This process halts the progression of headcuts, preventing further deepening of the channel. The large wood and rootwads stabilize the banks and disperse energy during high flows, reducing the erosive forces that lead to incision. In addition, the slowed water allows sediment to settle, gradually building up the stream bed, which helps restore a more natural channel profile and enhances long-term floodplain function. Additionally, the complex structure created by these materials enhances fish habitat, offering shelter, spawning sites, and cooler, shaded areas that improve thermal conditions. These efforts will create healthier habitat for fish and wildlife while reducing future erosion risks.
Floodplain structures slow water flow during heavy rainfall, allowing it to spread across the floodplain, which reduces downstream flooding and promotes sediment deposition for healthier soils. These structures also prevent the stream from carving a new, straighter path, helping to maintain natural meanders and protect the surrounding floodplain.
This project was made possible by the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District (TSWCD), Clean Water Services (CWS), and Stimson Lumber, which harvested and donated all the wood.
The project is part of a larger effort to enhance fish passage and habitat complexity in Coffee Creek, including the upcoming removal of a partial fish passage barrier on Coffee Creek in summer 2025. This project is funded by TSWCD, CWS, and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program awarded by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. To learn more about this project and stay updated, please visit Agaard Road Culvert Replacement Project.