Wednesday, October 26, 2011

New Bridge over Cascade Creek




After several months of construction a new bridge has been completed over Cascade Creek in Olga on Orcas Island. Prior to the new bridge a small culvert connected Cascade Creek to Buck Bay. For decades the old design significantly impeded the movement of water into the Bay and impacted the movement of salmon and trout. The questions being considered are: Will the new bridge increase fish and water movement in Cascade Creek? Will it affect the shape of the shores of the bay and creek?

To find out a team of WSU Beach Watchers from Orcas Island are monitoring stream bank sediments and vegetation, tidal flux and salinity, and fish migrations and spawning. The data gathered from this reseach will help to improve the design of future projects. Including the bridges recommended for three other fish bearing streams on Orcas. The streams under consideration are Fish Trap, Bonnie Brae at West Beach and West Sound.

More pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7992403@N02/

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