Fairbanks Fish & Wildlife Field Office
Habitat & Restoration

Twenty-three Mile Slough at the Monetti Crossing
Fish Passage Project Completed in August 2003

Twenty-Three Mile Slough is an anadromous stream from its confluence with Piledriver Slough upstream to the Tanana River. Chum salmon were common in 23-Mile slough before urbanization fragmented the fish habitat. This slough also provided habitat for Arctic grayling, longnose suckers, humpback whitefish and round whitefish. The quality and quantity of favorable fish spawning and rearing habitat had declined because of several factors, including blocked passage due to culverts, low-water crossings and beaver dams. A flood-control dam at Tanana River has changed hydraulics in the slough; now it is primarily fed by ground water.

A local landowner used a low water crossing on the slough for years. Plans to subdivide the land and build single-family dwellings meant that use of the low water crossing would increase. Using funds from The Fish Passage program, a new bridge was built to allow for fish passage, improve fish habitat, and head off future problems.

Last updated: August 1, 2008