Restoration

Mill Creek Instream Restoration

The Mill Creek project area includes portions of five watersheds including: Mill Creek, Rock Creek, Wilson Creek, West Fork Hunter Creek and Terwer Creek. Stream morphologies vary from colluvial, boulder cascade, step-pool, and bedrock channels in the upper basin to forced pool-riffle and plane-bed alluvial channels in the lower basins. Stream cleaning or removal of large woody debris (LWD) was routinely conducted in streams on the property until as recently as 1992. Surveys conducted in eight streams on the Mill Creek property in 1997 show LWD abundance varied widely with greater abundance in the West Branch of Mill Creek and least abundance in Rock Creek. Conifers, primarily redwoods account for most in-channel LWD. Forest stands adjacent to low gradient channels are currently dominated by hardwoods and lack the large conifers necessary for long-term recruitment and retention of instream material. 

The Mill Creek watershed is one of the most productive tributaries for salmon and steelhead in the entire Smith River Basin — all salmonids in the Smith River Basin are also present in Mill Creek. Mill Creek contains habitat for state and federally listed or proposed aquatic species, including coho salmon, steelhead trout, marbled murrelet, northern spotted owl, mountain lion and Pacific fisher. Other habitats including aquatic habitat for terrestrial and aquatic salamanders, marbled murrelet and northern spotted owl quality habitat, and northern spotted owl activity centers have been mapped. In addition, many other wildlife species are known to use the property, including: elk, bear, mountain lion and river otter. 

However, past logging and road building activities have dramatically altered the natural vegetation and geomorphic function of the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. For example, downed woody material, which plays a critical role in influencing and regulating watershed processes, is nonexistent. It was removed during the “stream cleaning” projects of the 1980's. 

SRA, in cooperation with State Parks has launched a “wood loading” program focused on the East Fork of Mill Creek.

The purpose of the program is to enhance stream resiliency to sediment pulses, improve gravel sorting dynamics and increase habitats for wild salmon, and other aquatic species. Terrestrial species may benefit from in-stream projects through improved retention and nutrient cycling of salmon carcasses. Marbled murrelet, northern spotted owl, and other species of concern will benefit by the implementation of an integrated habitat protection, enhancement and monitoring program.