Work began this week on the construction of a fish ladder on Macklyn Creek adjacent to the Mill Beach access.
Construction of the fish ladder is a requirement by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife contained in a permit obtained by the City of Brookings from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to undertake repair work on the parking area and access road that were damaged during a series of storms last winter, according to Public Works/Development Services Director Paul Stevens.
The $15,000 project involves the construction of several pools of water at varying elevations within the stream bed that are designed to assist cut throat trout in moving upstream.
The City has completed repairs to the roadway and parking lot at a cost of about $22,000, Stevens said, also noting that additional work along the bank may be needed to prevent future wash-outs.
“It’s a tough spot because the water rushes down the hill quite rapidly before it hits the embankment upon which the parking lot is constructed and takes a hard left turn toward the ocean,” Stevens said. “This is a situation that we may need to revisit frequently.”