The News Tribune (Lite) - Federal funds will help fish projects in state

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Section: Adventure

Federal funds will help fish projects in state

THE NEWS TRIBUNE
A Washington project was among 70 in 31 states to receive funds from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

The agency recently provided more than $3 million to fix crumbling stream banks and dilapidated culverts and to improve water quality for brook trout and other aquatic species.

The Western Native Trout Initiative will use $30,000 in Fish & Wildlife funds and $145,000 in partner funds to remove a fish passage barrier at the North Fork Ahtanum Creek gauging station. Taking out the barrier will reopen more than 17 miles of fish passage to bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout and steelhead, said a department news release.

The funding is provided for priority projects identified under the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. The partnerships formed as part of the plan help direct funding and other resources to habitat improvement projects offering the highest long-term conservation returns.

The News Tribune