After a year-long delay navigating permitting processes that sometimes felt longer than a trip to the DMV, we are excited to share that the Johnson Creek Watershed Council and Clackamas County will finally be getting in the water this summer to begin construction on the Badger Creek Rugg Road Culvert Replacement Project!
This culvert replacement represents the final phase of a multi-stage effort to improve fish passage and stream connectivity along Badger Creek. The existing crossing, consisting of two aging 42-inch corrugated metal pipe culverts, has deteriorated significantly and creates challenges for fish and wildlife moving through the watershed.
This summer, those failing culverts will be replaced with a single, substantially larger fish-friendly culvert measuring 171 inches wide, 110 inches high, and 60 feet long. The new crossing is designed to better accommodate natural stream processes, improve habitat connectivity, and increase the creek’s resilience to future flooding and changing weather conditions.
Projects like this may not always be the most visible restoration efforts, but they have an enormous impact on watershed health. By reconnecting habitat and restoring more natural stream function, we are helping native fish and wildlife move more freely throughout the watershed while also protecting critical transportation infrastructure for the community.
We are grateful for our partnership with Clackamas County and the many agencies, landowners, and community members who helped move this project from planning to construction. After years of design, coordination, and permitting, it is exciting to see this long-anticipated project become a reality. Stay tuned for construction updates and photos as work gets underway later this summer!