Project Update - 2

This week engineers from Questa Engineering were on site to oversee the construction of the stream channel at the Pinkham project site. The channel construction involved the placement of channel spanning boulder key-ways, two log structures, and engineered stream bed material. The forming of the footing of the bridge abutments began and the first poor of concrete is expected to happen next week.

From the lower end of the project site looking upstream, the project engineer checks channel elevations as the first boulder key way is placed.

The contractor works to form and place re-bar in the southern abutment.











One of the two large woody debris structures that was installed this week. The structures will provide channel complexity and rearing habitat for steelhead trout.

Project Update -1

The Pinkham fish passage restoration project is underway. The contractor mobilized to the site last week and began demolishing the concreted channel and existing bridge. This week all of the demolished materials were removed from the site. The contractor then began to excavate on either side of the creek at the location where the new bridge abutments will be constructed. Screened and properly compacted soil has been added to the base of the excavated area and forming of the new abutments should begin next week.

Earlier in the week Shaw contracting worked to remove the last of the concrete from the stream. Large rocks that were grouted into the stream banks and found in the channel will be reused in the new stream channel and rock slope protection later on in the project. 

 The large excavation marks the location of the northern new abutment. The contractor worked on both sides of the creek this week to excavate out what will be the base of the newly built abutment. 

From the north bank back across the creek at the south bank shows the large excavations for each abutment. Additionally the large amount of rock that was pulled out of the existing stream channel and banks that will be reused as rock slope protection and the new stream channel.

Pinkham Restoration Project Begins!

The Pinkham fish passage restoration project is now underway. Shaw Contracting has mobilized his equipment to the project site and begun to remove the concreted channel. The California Conservation Corps have been out on site salvaging willow and other tree material to be re-used in the re-vegetation efforts of the project. A few large trash cans were filled with water in order to keep the tree poles wet through the end of construction, at which time they will be planted throughout the disturbed areas. Shaw Contracting has begun to dismantle the existing bridge and demolition on the concreted channel and existing abutments. 

The California conservation Corps worked to install exclusionary fencing around the project site and salvage tree stakes prior to the mobilization of heavy equipment out to the site. 

The first day of construction began with the removal of the concrete downstream of the current crossing.  Vince Semonsen, the Biologist for the project observes as the project gets underway.  A hydraulic breaker bar was brought in to break apart the concrete in the channel and the existing abutments. 

Pinkahm Fish Passage Restoration

The Pinkham Fish Passage Restoration Project will remove on of the last steelhead migration barriers from the Carpinteria Creek Watershed. The project will remove and undersized bridge and nearly 100 foot section of concreted stream banks and channel. The stream channel will be regraded and rebuilt using native stream material to provide fish passage through the site. A new longer spanning bridge will also be installed as part of the project.

A before photo of the project site shows the undersized bridge and steep section of concreted channel that prevents steelhead trout from migrating upstream through the site.