The Family Forest Fish Passage Program is a funding program through the Washington State Department of Natural Resources for small forest landowners to improve fish passage, by replacing impassible culverts with engineered bridges.

What makes a culvert a fish barrier?

• Outfall drop from a culvert may create a barrier for both adult and juvenile fish, especially Chum Salmon who are not great jumpers.
• Undersized culverts create high water velocity and this can be a barrier to fish, especially juvenile fish.
• Culverts can become plugged, blocking passage for fish.

Who’s eligible for funding?

• If you are a private, small forest landowner harvesting less than 2 million board feet of timber each year from lands you own in Washington
• The culvert is on forestland and associated with a road. The land is capable of supporting a merchantable stand of timber and is not being used for anything incompatible with growing timber.
• The culvert is on a fish-bearing stream wider than 2 feet and on a gradient less than 20%.