Caswell creek to get replacement culverts

A hydrologist for the state department of fish and game was just one of many presenters at a salmon conservation symposium in Wasilla today.

Bill Rice announced that next summer work on three different culverts on Caswell Creek may begin in order to rehabilitate the streams for fish passage.

About 495 culverts Borough-wide were surveyed over the past 11 years to determine if they need replacing or rehabilitating in order to allow salmon passage.  There were 29 culvert replacements through 2007.  In 2008, ’09 and ’10, Rice said those replacement efforts almost doubled.

He says there are nine replacements planned for 2011.  Although Caswell is slated for one replacement, he says he hopes there will be three, all of which are badly needed.

Rice said $1.2 million was received in stimulus funds for 2009 and 2010 to repair salmon habitat in the form of culvert replacement.