By Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – Well, that didn’t take long.
DOT officials reported Tuesday that just as crews wrapped up the installation of guardrails and other projects, salmon and resident fish species have already returned to two creeks that run under Highway 101 east of Port Angeles following a $36 million fish barrier correction project.
Work at both locations opened 41 miles of potential upstream habitat for several migratory species, including salmon, bull trout and steelhead, as well as resident marine life.
The projects included crews removing and replacing five outdated culverts: two under Highway 101, two along James Page Road and one along South Bagley Creek Road.
(WSDOT photos of Siebert Creek passage and salmon)