A new bridge in Skagit County, Washington, has opened up more than 2 miles of habitat for local fish.
For decades, culverts in Fisher Creek — a tributary of the Skagit River — have blocked fish passage, according to Go Skagit. The culverts were placed in the 1930s, and despite efforts to address the issue in 1999, they remained an obstacle. This bridge project took 17 months to complete and resulted in the construction of a 130-foot structure.
The bridge opened up miles of upstream habitat, and fish can now swim under a local road. As a result, the waterway has an increased capacity of about 21,000 young fish. This allows the local population of Chinook, coho, and chum salmon, as well as steelhead, and trout, to thrive more easily.
"Together, we've built something more than infrastructure," Skagit County engineer Thomas Weller told Go Skagit. "We've built a legacy for future generations."
This project highlights how conservation efforts can restore a flourishing ecosystem while creating a healthier environment for humans. Similar infrastructural changes, such as dam removals, have been known to revive wildlife populations and improve water quality for residents. For example, a culvert removal project in California helped reduce the amount of debris and pollutants from road runoff in the water supply. Removal also helped the local endangered salmon population rebound by opening up more of their habitat.
Local ecosystems are delicate and can be easily thrown off balance if the livelihood of one species is threatened. Human activity and urbanization have already led to a major decline in wildlife populations.
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It's critical to preserve local habitats, not just for the safety of the animals but also for people. As overdevelopment has displaced wild animals, it has created more dangerous interactions between humans and animals.
The opening of the bridge has already had positive results. Officials reported seeing four deer near the creek after the structure was unveiled. This is a great example of how taking local action can improve one's community.
"It's awesome to do projects that have a lasting impact, that have people excited," project manager Rachael Simms told Go Skagit.
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