Last updated: May 26, 2023
Place
Information Panel: "Herring Highway"- Milkhouse Ford West
NPS / Claire Hassler
Quick Facts
Location:
Beach Drive/ Milkhouse Ford
Significance:
Information Panel
Amenities
1 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
This panel is part of the Herring Hill series and is located near Milkhouse Ford.
A duplicate of this panel is located on the opposite side of the ford.
A natural low area made this portion of Rock Creek a perfect place to ford the creek on foot, horseback or by carriage. Concrete paving was installed at Milkhouse Ford in the early 1900s to accommodate heavy carriages and automobiles. Unless the creek was running high, the pavement allowed only 1 inch of water to flow over it, blocking migrating fish from reaching areas further upstream.
To restore the ancient migratory route of native herring while retaining the historic creek crossing, the paved ford was rebuilt at a lower level. Boulder step pools were added to make a flowing "ladder" for fish to swim up and around an active sewer line. Because of alterations such as these Rock Creek can be a "Herring Highway" once more. Please leave the rocks where they are. Future herring populations depend on these pools and channels for migration upstream in their ancestral spawning ground.
A duplicate of this panel is located on the opposite side of the ford.
A natural low area made this portion of Rock Creek a perfect place to ford the creek on foot, horseback or by carriage. Concrete paving was installed at Milkhouse Ford in the early 1900s to accommodate heavy carriages and automobiles. Unless the creek was running high, the pavement allowed only 1 inch of water to flow over it, blocking migrating fish from reaching areas further upstream.
To restore the ancient migratory route of native herring while retaining the historic creek crossing, the paved ford was rebuilt at a lower level. Boulder step pools were added to make a flowing "ladder" for fish to swim up and around an active sewer line. Because of alterations such as these Rock Creek can be a "Herring Highway" once more. Please leave the rocks where they are. Future herring populations depend on these pools and channels for migration upstream in their ancestral spawning ground.