In partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Kenaitze Indian Tribe, the City of Kenai is working to replace an existing culvert, installed under a City water main, with a fish passage culvert to enhance salmon habitat in Cemetery Creek, located within the City.
Cemetery Creek has been determined by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to have one of the highest populations of coho and chinook salmon smolt on the lower Kenai River. Salmon do not spawn in the creek; however, smolt from upriver utilize the stream as a rearing habitat before migrating to the open ocean. The existing culvert installed by the City during the installation of a City water main has been determined to be an impediment to salmon smolt during certain water flow conditions, and the habitat would be enhanced with the installation of a fish passage culvert.
City staff, along with representatives from the Kenaitze Indian Tribe and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, toured the site and saw both one- and two-year-old coho salmon smolt rearing in the Cemetery Creek and the subject culvert. The group is working collaboratively on a project in which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide technical direction and funding, the City will provide design and construction management services, and the Kenaitze Indian Tribe will apply for federal funding to complete the project.
The culvert is located between Birch and Coral Streets, paralleling the Kenai Spur Highway on a parcel of City-owned land located within the Airport Reserve. The water main installed in the area was elevated above Cemetery Creek and is enclosed in a dirt mound. The project will include excavation of the mound, supporting the water main while exposed, installation of a new fish passage culvert, and re-burying of the watermain.
Proceeds from the Kenai Silver Salmon Derby, which have been entrusted to the Kenai Community Foundation, are designated for management and protection of river banks and other riparian zones within the City of Kenai. City Administration proposed $5,000 be allocated from the Derby proceeds, which represents the first use of Derby proceeds toward a project. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has offered the additional $25,000 for preliminary design and cost estimation needed to facilitate a grant application this fall for the remaining design and construction funds. In order to meet the fall grant application timeline, the Kenai City Council enacted Ordinance 3364-2023 to appropriate the funds for replacement of an existing cemetery creek culvert with a fish passage culvert at its August 2, 2023 meeting.
The partners of the project are committed to enhancing habitat in support of salmon returns on the Kenai River.