Highway 101 turns away from the coast and follows Gaviota Creek upstream where numerous highway related fish migration barriers occur

This project is being conducted in conjunction with Mike Love and Associates and prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game and Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. The report provides a detailed analysis of steelhead migration barriers along the lower reaches of Gaviota Creek and the Las Canovas Creek tributary using DFG protocol. The report also analyzes and interprets existing channel geomorphology and channel response to realignment and modifications associated with Highway 101. Finally, we developed preliminary recommendations for improving fish passage and restoring proper channel function. Gaviota Creek contains excellent spawning and rearing habitat and has extremely high steelhead recovery potential along the southern Santa Barbara County coast, which is often called the “Gaviota Coast”.  The DFG has recently expanded our project scope to include analysis of an additional barrier on Gaviota Creek.

Excellent habitat and a wild population of steelhead trout occur in the deep bedrock pools of the Gaviota Creek “Narrows”.	Juvenile steelhead trout below a migration barrier on Gaviota Creek.
Hydrologist Mike Love measures pool depth below a failing grade control barrier.	Surveying the longitudinal profile of Gaviota Creek and bridge related fish passage barrier.