Project Update

The native vegetation that was planted at the site is getting established and beginning to fill in the site. The mule fat poles that were staked in by the CCC crew members have grown and filled in the area around the creek. The native container plants are doing well, especially the Western Sycamores which are now as much as 7 feet tall. Oak seedlings are sprouting up all over the place and many more deerweeds and buckwheat plants have come up from seed throughout the site. 

Project Update

The native vegetation that was planted at the site is beginning to get established out at Lion Creek. The willow and mule fat poles that were staked in by CCC crew members a few months ago are now a foot or two tall. The native container plants are doing great. Hundreds of oak seedlings are sprouting up all over the site. 

Photo shows an area vegetated with native seed and container stock. The sycamores show significant growth. Species coming up from the seed mix include  California broom, deerweed, small fescue, tom cat clover, and many more.  

Photo of two oak seedlings that were sprouting up a the site.

Project Update

The large storm events we had over the weekend and into the beginning of this week have produced a significant amount of flow in Lion Creek through the project site and under the newly installed bridge. The project is holding up well and hopefully the newly planted willow stakes will begin to take root. With Lion Creek now connected to San Antonio Creek, steelhead trout can now make their way upstream to spawn.

Looking upstream under new bridge on Lion Creek.

Lion Creek Bridge looking downstream

Project Update

The California Conservation Corps were out at the Lion Creek site this week planting native plants and setting up irrigation. The corps members planted hundreds of native container stock, including the following species: western sycamore, black walnut, toyon, wild rose, purple needle grass, and green bark ceanothus. The crew was also busy planting hundreds of acorns as well as staking over a thousand willow and mulefat cuttings. We look forward to seeing the plants get established. Check back for future updates on the projects progress.

CCC members planting native container plants and live oak acorns.

CCC members staking willow and mulefat poles along the banks of Lion Creek.

The areas adjacent to the bridge after planting.

Project Update

The San Antonio Creek crossing has been removed. A few weeks ago the CCCs and Evan excavating removed the San Antonio Creek crossing. This last week the CCC members were out at both the Lion Creek site and the San Antonio Creek crossing, installing erosion control material and seeding any bare soil. The crew will return to plant container plants and place willow and sycamore stakings once we get into the rainy season. Check back for more updates and photos as the seed begins to sprout and the rest of the  plants go in.

Evans excavating and the CCCs working to remove the San Antonia Creek crossing.

San Antonio Creek after the removal of the creek crossing. Seed and erosion control material was installed at the site last week.

Installed erosion control material, with seed racked in underneath at Lion Creek.

The Bridge is installed!

The Bridge across Lion Creek was installed today. Crews from T & T Truck and Crane Service arrived early this morning to set up the crane and get it properly weighted for the bridge. The bridge arrived yesterday in two sections which were separately dropped into place. Skip Gibbs Inc is working to weld the bridge in place. The final restoration of the stream channel will occur over the next couple of weeks. Erosion control material and seeding will occur before the first rains. The restored creek channel will now flow unobstructed through the site.  Migrating fish will be able to swim upstream and the land owners will have safe and reliable access across their property. 

The crane setting up and getting properly weighted.

The downstream side of the bridge moving into place.

After the downstream side was placed the upstream side moved into position.

The bridge is now in. Skip Gibbs Inc and crew are working on the final welding.

A very happy property owner now has a safe and reliable bridge to use that no longer impairs fish passage through Lion Creek. 

Week 9 Update

This week the final preparations were made to the abutments in anticipation of the installation of the new bridge next week. The roads on either approach to the bridge have been graded. Evans excavating worked to place the final rock around the abutment. Here are a few photos from this week. Please check back for photos of the bridge installation next week.

J.S. Morris Construction making the final additions to the abutments in preparation of the instillation of the new bridge next Tuesday.

Newly graded approaches to the bridge.

The final rock around the abutments is in place. 

Week 8 Update

This week the cement for the left bank abutment was poured and striped. The abutments are now ready for the bridge to be delivered and installed. Evans excavating continued with the placing of large rocks around both abutments and regrading of the road approaches to the bridge. Here are a few photos from this week. Please check back for more photos and updates next week.

Freshly poured concrete of the left bank abutment.

Evans excavating placing large rocks around the left bank abutment.

Both abutments have now been poured and striped. They are ready for the bridge which should be arriving in a few weeks.

Week 7 Update

This week the forming of the top of the left bank abutment continued. It should be finished over the weekend in order to begin pouring next Monday or Tuesday. Evans excavating was busy filling in around the right bank abutment to the grade of the new bridge and road. Additionally the placing of large rock around the right bank abutment began. Rock was keyed into with the toe rock that was already in place. Here are a few photos of the projects progress. Please check back for more photos and updates over the next couple weeks.

Evans excavating filling in around the right bank abutment.

Partially formed left bank abutment.

Evans excavating beginning to place large rock around the right bank abutment.

More large rock.

Week 6 Update

This week the forming of the top of the right abutment was finished and poured. Evans excavating was busy filling in around the left bank abutment to allow for Morris Construction to begin forming the top of the abutment on that side. Here are a few photos of the projects progress. Please check back for more photos and updates.

Formed and poured right bank abutment.

Right bank abutment after striping.

Morris Construction crew forming the top of the left bank abutment.

Overview of the project site.

Week 5 Update

This week Evans excavating was busy filling in around the abutments. Large rock was placed along the toe of the slope and then dirt was backfilled in on top. Morris construction worked to frame the top of the abutment on the far bank to be ready to pour early next week. Check back for more photos and updates. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog if you would like to get email notification of when new posts are up.

Large rock placed along toe of the slope

Dirt being filled in around the abutment.

Forming of the top of the abutment.

Week 4 update

The barrier to fish passage has been removed!!! This week the final pieces of concrete that supported the old bridge were removed from the Lion Creek site. The Morris construction crew worked to form and pour the wing wall for the other side of the creek this week. The initial wing walls for both sides of the bridge are now poured and ready to be filled in to grade. Below are some photos of this week’s activity. Check back next week for more updates.

Evans Excavating working to remove the last piece of the old bridge.

JS Morris Construction working to form the structure around the bridge wing wall in preparation for the concrete pouring.

JS Morris Construction working to pour the concrete for the second wing wall structure.

Week 3 Update

The project continues to make progress towards the instillation of the new bridge. The initial concrete for the wing-walls has been poured this week following an inspection of the pilings. Evans Excavating has been working to regrade the approaches on either side of the abutments as well as finally remove the current crossing. Below are some photos of this week’s activity. Check back next week for more updates.

JS Morris worked to form around the rebar wing-wall structure prior to the concrete pouring.

The wing-wall structures on the creek’s right bank have been formed, poured and stripped to the next elevation. JS Morris has begun working on the left bank abutment and should have it to the next stage by the middle of next week.

Demolition of the old crossing started on Friday and will continue next week.

Prior to the removal of the old crossing we resurveyed the small pool for any sensitive species. We found three baby western pond turtles in the pool and relocated them downstream to San Antonio Creek.

Week 2 update

The Lion Creek project is well underway and progress is ahead of schedule. This week the pilings for both sides of the bridge were drilled and the concrete was poured. J. S. Morris Construction is working to finish welding the wire cages that will be the frame for the bridge abutments. These should be in place and poured with cement sometime next week. The removal of the current creek barrier is also planned to occur next week to make way for the new bridge. Check back next week for more photos.

Workers pouring concrete for the three piles which will support the abutments on each side of the creek.

Silt fencing marks the location of the piles which were recently poured. The new bridge will span the area between the two fences.

J. S. Morris Construction crew welding the joints on the rebar for the wingwalls.

Rebar wingwall structure is in place for one side of the bridge. The other side should be in place shortly as the construction crew prepares to have them filled by the end of the week.

Lion Creek Restoration Project Begins!!!

San Antonio Creek crossing was installed to allow the transport and access of heavy machinery to the Lion Creek Restoration site.












Dewatering of the pool under Lion
Creek Bridge coincided with fish and frog capture and relocation efforts. Two California Red-legged Frogs were found inside a culvert and were relocated downstream to the confluence of Lion Creek and San Antonio Creek. No Steelhead trout were observed at the site but hundreds of Stickleback and Chubs were caught and also relocated downstream to the confluence pool.







Excavation begins at the Lion Creek Bridge to prepare site for drilling and construction of new bridge abutments set to begin next week.




Check back next week for further updates on the projects progress.

The Lion Creek Steelhead Restoration Project involves the removal of a stream crossing which currently impairs steelhead migration and the replacement of the crossing with an 85 foot bridge. The project aims to improve steelhead access to approximately 9.5 miles of upstream habitat. Here are a few picture of the stream crossing prior to the project start.