COQUILLE WATERSHED ASSOCIATION WILL BE AWARDED $145,746 TO ASSESS THE ECOLOGICAL EFFECTIVENESS OF STAGE-0 RESTORATION AND BARRIER REPLACEMENT BY MONITORING COHO SALMON HABITAT ACCESSIBILITY AND SPATIAL USE AT THE BEAVER HILL WETLAND IN THE COQUILLE RIVER WATERSHED. THIS PROJECT EVALUATES THE REMOVAL OF A FISH PASSAGE BARRIERTO BE REPLACED WITH A 25 FT OPEN-BOTTOMED CULVERT AND THE RECONNECTION OF STREAMS WITH THEIR FLOODPLAINS TO ENHANCE HYDROLOGIC CONNECTIVITY FOR ESA-LISTED SPECIES. THIS WORK PROVIDES CRITICAL EMPIRICAL DATA TO SUPPORT ESA RECOVERY, SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES, AND ECOSYSTEM RESILIENCE BY EVALUATING HOW RESTORED NON-GATED WETLANDS SERVE AS VITAL REFUGES FOR SALMONIDS IN HIGHLY TIDE-GATED ESTUARIES. THIS WORK IS BEING FUNDED BY THE COMMUNITY BASED RESTORATION PROGRAM