Aquatic Contracting (AC) was contracted by the Cowlitz Indian Tribe to construct the Abernathy Creek Fish Enhancement Project in 2016. The project began after helicopter transport of over 210 Douglas-fir piling (stick logs) and 160 rootwad logs to designated staging areas on Abernathy and Cameron Creeks. AC began the main construction phase by establishing access and moving LWD from the helicopter staged areas to each of the designated log structure sites along both creeks.

For this project, AC strategically installed approximately 200 timber piling and 160 rootwad logs to create large wood habitat structures in Abernathy and Cameron Creeks, tributaries to the Columbia River. Piling installations were essential for the wood and log jam structures, enabling the habitat structures to be stable during high water events that overtop the structures. Specifically, the design utilized 211 strategically placed pilings incorporated with full tree-length pieces with attached root wads. Small bar apex jams were placed at the upstream end of several existing islands and gravel bar deposits on Abernathy Creek. Timber piles were installed using our Movax 80-ton vibe on our Caterpillar 329 excavator.