West Fork Stream Improvement
For the folks who have fished the West Fork, and wondered just what it takes to repair the damage of 150 years of agriculture, logging, & grazing, here's a short photo sequence of the procedure. The section being worked on started as a 50' wide mud flat.
Trout Stamp funds, camping fees at the West Fork Sports Club, landowner participation, and monies from the Kickapoo Watershed Conservation Project have been used to upgrade the West Fork from it's former status as a Class III stream, to one with a significant population of stream bred trout.
Preparing an eroded bank to set the structure.
Preparing an eroded bank to set the structure.lunker1.jpg 23Kb
The pre-fabbed LUNKER's are swung into place.
The pre-fabbed LUNKER's are swung into place.lunker2.jpg 25Kb
The 3 "legs" are pushed into the bank for stability.
The 3 'legs' are pushed into the bank for stability.lunker3.jpg 25Kb
Re-rod is pounded into the stream bottom.
Re-rod is pounded into the stream bottom.lunker4.jpg 22Kb
35' of former mud bank ready for rock cover & backfill.
35' of former mud bank ready for rock cover & backfill.lunker5.jpg 18Kb
Upstream rip-rap protects the structure from siltation.
Upstream rip-rap protects the structure from siltation.lunker6.jpg 21Kb
Grading, seeding, & mulching complete the project.
Grading, seeding, & mulching complete the project.lunker7.jpg 22Kb