The National Park Service (NPS) implemented the Salmon Habitat Enhancement project at Muir Woods, Phase 1, from July-November 2019 to improve the survival rate of federally endangered juvenile coho salmon in Redwood Creek. A total of 7 segments of riprap, totaling 722 LF, were removed from the banks over a 1,500 LF reach of the creek. Where the channel was unfavorably widened due to riprap removal, new bars and a meandering low flow channel were constructed to create an initial template for a more complex channel. Winter flows will do the rest of the work to help modify the channel from an overly simply channel to a condition more commensurate with that of an old-growth redwood forest. Before equipment could enter the channel, fish had to be removed so the creek could be dewatered. NPS fish crews and volunteers worked for weeks to capture steelhead, coho, and sculpin in the channel. Their work captivated the interest of Muir Woods visitors, who gathered on trails to watch the work underway. This project has been supported by a broad set of partners and volunteers, including the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the California Dept. of Parks and Recreation, Marin Conservation Corps-North Bay, and the American Conservation Experience. In addition to funding from the National Park Service, actions and monitoring are supported by the State Coastal Conservancy and Save the Redwoods League. Learn More © Carolyn Shoulders