Little Tonsina Bridge Project

The Copper River Watershed Project worked with partners, ADF&G, ADOT/PF, USFWS, BLM, Chugach Alaska Corporation, the Copper River Native Association and the Native Village of Tazlina to remove a critical barrier to fish passage on the Little Tonsina River through replacement of a blocked, dual culvert structure, to a bridge, which was started in 2022 and completed by Alaska DOT during the fall of 2023. The new bridge was constructed slightly north of the culverts, and is a concrete deck bulb tee single span bridge, 103 feet long by 27 feet wide. The new bridge allowed for better fish passage The completed 100% design employed USFWS guidelines for maximizing ecological function, including better flood mitigation, and formation of a more natural stream. Land access and right of way was granted by Alyeska Pipeline and Chugach Regional Corporation for the fish passage improvement. After the construction of the new bridge, extensive streambank restoration ensued with establishing root-wad habitat for juvenile fish congregating areas, the planting of over 1500 native plants during the summer 2024 season, and temperature and stream mechanics monitoring.