Deer Creek Irrigation District Fish Passage Project Implementation

The Deer Creek Irrigation District diversion dam was constructed in the early 1900's to provide irrigation water to over 1,000 acres of farm and ranch land. Since 2008, Service staff have worked collaboratively with landowners, diverters, engineers and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to design, permit and gain funding for a fish ladder and screen project. Permits are scheduled for completion by June 2019 when $2.4M from CDFW will be used for construction costs.This grant will provide funding to realign project construction roads which would have damaged Native American village sites and endangered species habitat. The unanticipated sites were discovered during cultural resource surveys conducted under the National Historic Preservation Act. Funding will also be provided for fish screen construction and for the extended timeframe needed for vegetation irrigation and maintenance. This award will be a small portion of the overall project but will complement state funds and interagency collaboration while maintaining trust with our local community. The grant may be incremented when funds become available to support 1) excavation and lining of the irrigation ditch, 2) fish screen installation, 3) environmental mitigation and protection, 4) juvenile fish bypass construction, and 5) acquisition and installation of a regulating gate.