Boeckman Road Project a Gift for Local Fish, Wildlife

For years, 300 feet of corrugated metal culverts have allowed the waters of Boeckman Creek to freely flow under Boeckman Road.

While the solution allowed for the construction of the original roadway, it established a king-sized roadblock for fish and wildlife attempting to move through their native habitat.

“The only animals we observe traveling through the culverts are rats and mice,” said Leslie Bliss-Ketchum, director at Samara Group, an environmental monitoring firm.

Using a pair of motion detection cameras, Bliss-Ketchum’s team has spent 10 months monitoring wildlife movement near the culverts to inform the design of the Boeckman Road Corridor Improvement Program.

Their analysis revealed that a substantial number of animals reside in the open wetland area — “grey fox, coyote, possum, rabbits, beavers, and even a river otter,” says Bliss-Ketchum — but only non-native rodents were observed journeying through the dry, upper culvert.

“It’s undersized,” Bliss-Ketchum explained, noting that small native snakes, frogs, and salamanders don’t even venture in. “We think it’s because they prefer more cover and moisture found in bigger structures.”

Resident cutthroat trout have also avoided traveling through the creek culvert, effectively cutting two fish populations off from one another.

“That isolation could have long-term impacts on their viability,” said Kerry Rappold, the City’s Natural Resources Manager. “Healthy fish populations need the full range of reproductive opportunity to thrive.”

Creek Restoration

A vital component of the Boeckman Road Corridor Project is the removal of the undersized culverts. With the construction of the Boeckman Dip Bridge, the creek’s natural flow is being restored and wildlife can pass safely underneath the bridge. The project opens an essential new corridor for local fish and wildlife.

“These corridors are very important for the health of our native species, especially as more development moves into their remaining habitat,” said Bliss-Ketchum.

Rappold agrees.

“Restricting animal movement creates situations where their populations don’t thrive,” he said. “Corridor connections are essential for healthy, viable wildlife. They need to move!”

Removing the culverts is only part of the restoration plan for Boeckman Creek and the surrounding wetland. Invasive plant species, such as Himalayan blackberry, are being removed and replaced with native trees, bushes, sedges, and rushes. Native plants attract a wide variety of songbirds, animals, and even pileated woodpeckers.

“We’ll also see more macroinvertebrates like mayflies and stoneflies in the creek,” Rappold said. “These are a food source for fish, birds, amphibians and reptiles, and they also do a lot to keep the water clean.”

Not all of the good news is for fish and wildlife. The project includes the construction of a new segment of the Boeckman Creek Regional Trail. Running above the creek and under the bridge, the trail eventually provides a trail connection to Memorial Park.

“The trail will offer a great view of the Creek and the surrounding wetland,” Rappold said.

Stay Informed

Design of the Boeckman Road Corridor Improvement Project is now underway. Visit ci.wilsonville. or.us/Boeckman for more information and/or text BOECKMAN to 866-935-0125 to have traffic alerts sent to your mobile phone when the project gets underway.

For more information on the City’s efforts to protect Wilsonville’s native fish and wildlife, contact Kerry Rappold, Natural Resources Manager, 503-570-1570, rappold@ci.wilsonville.or.us.