SALEM, Ore —To improve habitat for steelhead, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife employees partnered with volunteers from the Tualatin Valley Chapter of Steelheaders Aug. 18 to remove a dam on Blue Bus Creek.

Blue Bus Creek is a tributary of the East Fork Trask River.  Volunteers and ODFW employees dismantled the dam by removing cables and cutting and rearranging existing logs to provide fish passage. A weir comprised of buried pipes and boards was also removed.   The project provides two miles of habitat for steelhead.

 “By leaving the wood in the stream it will hopefully provide habitat for fish in the future,” said North Coast Salmon Trout Enhancement Program Biologist Tracy Crews. “We really appreciate the hard work from our Steelheader volunteers and steelhead will benefit greatly from the additional habitat this project created.”  Because of the work site’s relative inaccessibility, heavy machinery couldn't be used for the dam removal and all work had to be done by hand, said Crews.   

The dam, constructed in the early 1970’s, served as water diversion for the hatchery house at East Fork Pond and appeared to be a barrier to fish passage at low flows.

The mission of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is to protect and enhance Oregon's fish and wildlife and their habitats for use and enjoyment by present and future generations. The agency consists of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, a commission-appointed director and a statewide staff of approximately 950 permanent employees. Headquartered in Salem, ODFW has regional offices in Clackamas, Roseburg, Bend, and La Grande with ten district offices located throughout the state. For additional information, please visit www.dfw.state.or.us.