Fairbanks Fish & Wildlife Field Office
Habitat Restoration
Piledriver Slough at Ingrid Drive
Fish Passage Project completed in October 2003
 Piledriver
Slough is a 19-mile anadromous stream from its confluence with the Tanana
River near Moose Creek Bluff to a location south of Eielson Air Force
Base. The slough provides habitat for chum salmon, Arctic grayling,
burbot, pike, longnose suckers, sculpin, and whitefish. The quality
and quantity of favorable fish spawning and rearing habitat has declined
because of several factors, including blocked fish passage due to undersized
culverts, beaver dams, and filling in of gravel riffles/pools with sediment.
Recent flooding in Salcha backed up blocked culverts, removed roadways
across the slough and deposited excess sediment into Piledriver Slough.
 Ingrid
Road, where it crosses Piledriver Slough, is owned and maintained by
the Piledriver Slough Fish Habitat Group (PSFHG). Recent flooding has
caused the slough to become braided, increased its width/depth ratio,
and reduced habitat availability for chum salmon, Arctic grayling, pike
and burbot. In order to return this part of the slough to viable spawning
and rearing habitat, fish passage funds were used to install a bridge
and remove culverts from the road crossing. This project along with
a recently completed ADOT&PF Fish Passage Project where we contributed
$70,000 for 2 13' culverts at the Old Richardson Highway will prevent
the damage that would have occurred as the population in the area grows
and the number of vehicles crossing the slough increases.
Several partners were involved in this project. FWS Fish Passage Program
contributed $85,000; a State Grant with Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation
District contributed $74,000; PSFHG contributed gravel and use of equipment;
and DNR – Office of Habitat Management and Permitting contributed
numerous hours of technical expertise and oversight. The contractor,
MWD Company from Anchorage, erected a 70’ bridge with 12’
of clearance that will pass fish and provide recreation long into the
future.
Last updated: August 1, 2008
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