The Green Cove Creek Fish Passage Project

In the 1970s, a large metal pipe was installed under Country Club Road to allow Green Cove Creek to flow through. Over time, that pipe—known as a culvert—became a significant problem. Salmon and other fish couldn’t make it upstream, especially during high winter flows. Without salmon, the entire creek ecosystem suffers.

By 2021, the culvert wasn’t just blocking fish—it was falling apart. Each year, it sank a little more, threatening the road above, the utilities buried nearby, and the surrounding environment. Our crews were able to patch it up for the short term, but it was clear a lasting fix was needed.

That’s when we began exploring options. We brought in partners from across the community, including emergency responders, the Squaxin Island Tribe, Thurston PUD, state agencies, our County Commissioners, and Public Works staff. After careful study, we all agreed the best answer was to replace the culvert with a bridge.

From there, things moved quickly. In less than two years, the design was finished, permits were approved, and land was secured. Construction began just over a year ago. Since then, crews have worked through every stage—from removing the culvert to pouring foundations, setting girders, redirecting utilities, and finally laying down the new bridge deck. Along the way, it took what felt like a thousand steps, but each one brought us closer to today’s milestone: a new bridge that serves both people and salmon.

More About the Project

🐟 Fish Species

Green Cove Creek is home to several crucial anadromous fish that migrate between freshwater and the ocean:

• Coho salmon
• Chum salmon
• Sea-run coastal cutthroat trout
• South Puget Sound steelhead (federally threatened)

Removing the old culvert opens up 0.6 miles of upstream habitat that was blocked for over 50 years—giving fish new places to spawn, grow, and thrive.

🌊 Puget Sound Chinook salmon, also federally threatened, benefit too. Healthier estuarine habitat at the creek’s outlet provides:

• More food
• Better nursery areas
• Improved gravel movement for spawning

Chinook recovery is especially important to Southern Resident Killer Whales, who depend on them as a food source.

🦌 Wildlife Species

This project helps more than just fish. The new bridge creates a wildlife corridor, letting animals safely move along the creek without crossing roads. The replanted riparian zone offers more forage and shelter.

Wildlife in the area includes:

• Deer
• Barred owls
• River otters
• Salamanders
• Coyotes
• Red-legged frogs

🌎 Why This Matters to Thurston County

• Cultural Importance: Green Cove Creek lies within the Squaxin Island Tribe’s Usual and Accustomed Area, affirmed by the 1974 Boldt Decision. Salmon are central to the Tribe’s culture, food, economy, and Treaty Rights.
• Healthy Ecosystems: Restoring streams improves flood control, supports agriculture, and boosts tourism.
• Climate Resilience: Properly sized culverts help streams handle future floods and debris, protecting both habitat and roads.
• Economic Boost: Every $1 million spent on fish passage projects generates about $2.5 million in economic activity, supporting local jobs.

📜 Protection & Requirements

• Endangered Species Act: South Puget Sound steelhead and Puget Sound Chinook are federally protected.
• WDFW Priority Species: Coho, chum, steelhead, Chinook, and cutthroat trout are all listed for conservation.
• Cultural Lands: The project site is within ancestral Squaxin Island Tribe territory, home to fishing villages for millennia.

🌱 Looking Ahead

• This is the first step toward restoring full fish passage in the Green Cove Creek watershed.
• The project restores natural stream functions like gravel transport and pool creation—critical for fish survival.
• It ranked #3 out of 306 culverts identified for replacement in the Deschutes watershed.
• Green Cove Creek is also home to the Olympic mudminnow, a unique Washington species found nowhere else in the world.

By removing barriers, we are ensuring a healthier future for fish, wildlife, people, and culture in Thurston County.