Overview
The Morey Creek dam, which creates the pond, is a ten foot high vertical barrier which has been ranked as a high priority for removal by the WRIA 12 Lead Entity Strategy. This project has potential to allow anadromous salmon (most likely cutthroat, Coho and steelhead) access to good habitat upstream. Upstream of Morey Pond is the outlet of Spanaway Lake which is protected from development in a park and provides a constant/spring-like flow with excellent spawning gravel. Upstream of Spanaway Lake is a 3.5 mile long marsh/stream complex which is on the Fort Lewis military base.
The design is a bypass channel from the main stem of Clover Creek around the existing dam to the pond and Morey Creek. The channel will be 600 feet long with an average slope of 2.2 % and incorporates the 'riffle pool' approach. The base channel will range in width from 6 to 20 feet with additional 10 foot benches in the curves. The design also provides a shallow water habitat component at the connection to Morey Pond. This habitat is designed to provide refuge for juvenile salmon from pisciverous fish. A 12 inch weir plate will be installed at the dam and the new outlet channel will match the invert elevation of the existing overflow elevation of the dam. This will maintain the current size of the pond and allow the pond to continue to be utilized for recreational purposes.
The project is a cooperative effort between McChord Air Force Base, Pierce County and the Salmon Recovery Fund Board.
