The last few years I worked my boss was doing a lot of culvert work to limit siltation and blockages. The one than stands out in my memory was on a tributary of Vesta Creek. It was the usual plunge pool thing on the culvert outlet and while not a major fish habitat issue it certainly was a blockage for about any aquatic species. So in goes the new culvert with all the bells and whistles and the work was simply excellent. If I recall correctly after the work had been completed he went back to take pictures and as luck would have it I was working near by. The long and short of it was he was amazed as in the creek was a parade of crawdads headed right through the culvert up stream to a wetland right along with fish ranging from bullheads to fry of some sort. This is not unusual I am told and I have seen the same thing on culvert repairs on other streams.

One should keep in mind that creeks and rivers are the home for many creatures that utilize them and not necessarily only fish. It is a web of life that creates and maintains a streams health be it a large stream or small stream. You need an healthy environment for salmonids to spawn in and utilize for rearing. Perfect environment no adults means no adults. Adults with vastly depleted or limited access to spawning and rearing areas means few adults. The fishes needs are completely dependent on the quality off their environment which is interlocked with a vast variety of aquatic life that all contribute to a healthy stream.

I will hop off the stump now.