January 2023 - 17

and other supplies to conduct this work, and
matching funds will allow Game and Fish
to build a beaver holding facility at the new
Cody Regional Office this year.
Paul Dey, Game and Fish aquatic habitat
manager, said fish passage and stream restoration
were emphasized in 2022. Dey said
some significant fish passage work completed
last year included a fish ladder constructed
on the Wood River in the Cody Region, the
addition of baffles on a culvert at Muddy
Creek that crosses under Interstate 80 in
the Green River Region that provides water
velocity breaks and improves fish movement
through the culvert and a screen installation
on Spread Creek in the Jackson Region.
Game and Fish worked closely with partners
like Trout Unlimited and the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service's Partners Program to
complete passage projects like a screen on
Spread Creek and a dam removal and new
river channel on the Bear River in the Green
River Region.
Dey said Game and Fish has been gathering
information around the state on fish
passages that cross roadways and identifying
areas where improvements are needed.
Sometimes adding structures to prevent
fish passage is a positive. Dey said an existing
irrigation diversion was beefed up to create
more of a barrier for fish in the North Laramie
River outside of Wheatland to prevent
smallmouth bass from moving upstream. Dey
also said work is planned in 2023 upstream
from the smallmouth bass barrier that will
remove barriers and help the native fish
community.
As far as stream restoration work, Dey said
the first phase of Flat Creek south of Jackson
was completed and the final construction
phase is underway. Habitat improvement,
fence work and continued monitoring are
components of that project. Several projects
are underway on the New Fork and Green
rivers south of Pinedale to improve angler
access and trout habitat. The Clear Creek
project along Interstate 25 near Buffalo concluded
in 2022, and some maintenance work
will continue this year. Work will continue
in 2023 to reduce sediment deposits from
Bolton Creek into the North Platte River in
the Casper Region and from Wilwood Dam
Workers construct a beaver dam analog, which can have positive impacts on fish, wildlife and habitat. (WGFD photo)
Beaver dam analogs - structures built by people that serve to simulate
beaver dams - hold water, trap sediment and stabilize water flow.
A dam removal and a new river channel benefited fish in the Bear River near Evanston. (WGFD photo)
into the Shoshone River in the Cody Region.
Dey said some notable projects this year
include fish passage improvements on Horse
Creek in southeast Wyoming that will benefit
native and nonnative fish species, along with
planning for fish passage improvements on
the Little Sandy River that will benefit native
species such as flannelmouth suckers, bluehead
suckers and roundtail chub.
Game and Fish works together with several
groups and organizations to conduct
habitat work. Trout Unlimited is a major
partner on several aquatic habitat projects.
" Very few things are just Game and Fish.
There are a lot of other people involved, "
Dey said.
- Robert Gagliardi is the associate editor of Wyoming
Wildlife.
Wyoming Wildlife | 17

January 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2023