A 400-foot view of the project shows the curvature of the new Chicken Creek channel.
Curt Mykut is the lead Wildlife Biologist at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
Two Thumbs Up
Well folks, it’s hard to believe, but Phase I of the Chicken Creek Restoration project has come to a close already. We hope you’ve had as much fun as we’ve had peering behind the scenes as this Action/Adventure went into production over the last 30+ days.
Season 1 had it all: Giant earth moving machines, trail closures and new trail access, mammoth pieces of large woody debris being pounded into the floodplain. And who can forget the reason we all tuned in – the excavation of Chicken Creek’s historic path!
No good story is without an element of dramatic tension and Chicken Creek Part I is no exception. The crew overcame the odds to complete their work just before one of the wettest Septembers in recent memory made the project area nearly impassable.
About 260 logs were placed in the making of Phase I of the Chicken Creek Restoration Project.
Chicken Creek: Part Deux!
Could this story get any better, you ask? Well, in fact, yes. Stay tuned for the final installment, set to occur during the Summer of 2020. Many of the same characters return and the Chicken Creek story comes full circle.
WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!
Long-lost connections will be made whole, once again. Chicken Creek will break the bonds with its deeply incised, unnatural straight path and finally be reunited with the nearly two miles of winding channel that it hasn’t seen in over a century. Your heart will rejoice as this re-connection will set the stage for new and improved fish and wildlife habitat and visitor experiences at the Refuge!
The lateral ditch (right side of image) is no more. Phase II’s exciting conclusion will involve removing a large portion of the gravel road (left side of image) to complete the continuous 280-acre wetland.
“I’d Like to Thank…”
Five Stars go out to our partners who made Phase I possible, from project funding, to technical expertise, to directing daily constructing activities, to moving dirt and logs. Thank you Ducks Unlimited, Clean Water Services, Friends of the Tualatin River NWR, Willamette Water Supply Project, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Biohabitats, and Endicott Woods Enterprises!
If you’re like me, then you love a good featurette. Check out this interview with Matt Koozer of Biohabitats, as he share some behind-the-scenes observations on the “making of” Chicken Creek:
Disclaimer
Large quantities of dirt were moved in the making of this project.