Killam Creek Fish Passage and Screening Project

Killam Creek diversion before project implementation

Killam Creek, a tributary of the Tillamook River, provides habitat for federally-listed threatened coastal coho salmon, and depressed populations of chinook salmon, chum salmon, steelhead trout, and resident and sea-run cutthroat trout. The City of Tillamook, Oregon (population 4,400) has used Killam Creek as one of its two main drinking water surface sources since the 1920's. The design of the water diversion dam prevented upstream passage of adult anadromous fish under most flow conditions, however, and posed a complete fish passage barrier to juvenile fish. The barrier prevented fish access to 3.8 miles of mainstem habitat and 2 miles of tributary habitat. In addition, the existing diversion lacked a fish screening device, which often routed juveniles into a settling pond.

Killam Creek diversion after project implementation

In the summer of 2004, the City of Tillamook partnered with TEP to construct a fish ladder to divert salmon around the diversion dam and intake screens. TEP's Local Grant Program provided partial funding for the project, and TEP staff wrote grants for the remaining design and construction costs. Funds provided by Trout Unlimited's Embrace-A-Stream Program were matched with funds from ODFW's Fish Passage and Screening Grant Program in order to finance the engineering design for the Killam Creek fish ladder and screening. Upon completion of the engineering designs, the fish ladder and screening device were built with ODFW Fish Passage funds, with matching support from the City of Tillamook's Public Works Department. The City's match included in-kind construction services, labor, and management. Total cost of the project was approximately $127,256.