GRASS VALLEY October 14, 2011 - An innovative water project to improve fish passage in Auburn Ravine Creek is now under way in the City of Lincoln, it was reported at this week's (Oct. 12) meeting of the Nevada Irrigation District Board of Directors.

NID Chief Engineer Gary King said work began Monday (Oct. 10) at a water measurement station located in the Lincoln Crossing Nature Preserve, about 1000 feet downstream of the Highway 65 overcrossing.

The project contractor, Preston Pipeline of Sacramento, is installing a "nature-like fishway" that consists of a series of rock chutes and step pools to mimic a natural stream channel. The channel is designed to eliminate erosion and allow for fish passage under a variety of flows.

The project will improve access to a mile of upstream fish habitat as spawning grounds for fall-run and late fall-run Chinook salmon and steelhead trout.

King said the project is slated for completion by Nov. 30 and is being pursued on a very tight construction schedule based on water needs, weather, environmental conditions and fish migration patterns.

NID is the lead agency in the collaborative watershed improvement project. Funding partners include the County of Placer, CAL-FED, Granite Bay Flycasters and Dry Creek Conservancy.