Jeff grew up in Kentucky and developed a love of water and the creatures that dwell in and around it very early in life. He attended the University of Kentucky, where he earned a BS in animal science. Immediately thereafter, he and his wife managed a cattle ranch in Nebraska for seven years. But the water kept calling, and they left the ranch in 1986. Admitted to Colorado State University, he earned an Masters in fish and wildlife biology in 1989. Hired almost immediately after graduation, Jeff began a twenty-nine-year career working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the entirety of his career, his work focused on the habitat requirements of native anadromous and resident salmonids. Having worked in Colorado and California, he spent the final twenty years of his career stationed in Yakima, Washington, where he still resides. Since retiring in 2018, he has avidly pursued his twin passions, fly fishing and scuba diving, with his wife of forty-six years. He welcomes the opportunity to serve on the MCF Board of Directors.

Caleb Benson grew up in Covington, WA, before spending five years working as a metal fabricator building mega yachts in Seattle. Seeking adventure, he sold everything and moved to Australia, living out of a van for eight months while traveling and working along the way. He later backpacked through Southeast Asia and hiked in the Himalayas.

Caleb has held a variety of hands-on jobs since, most recently building backcountry airplanes.

An avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting, fishing, and time around a campfire, he’s passionate about working outside and caring for the environment. He’s excited to begin his second season with Mid-Columbia Fisheries as a crew lead.

Fun facts: Caleb once moved to New Zealand for four months to play rugby, and at home he and his partner keep four ducks, five chickens, and two dogs. 🦆🐔🐕

Stephen Richardson is returning for his third season as a Crew Lead with Mid-Columbia Fisheries. Originally from Sekiu, Washington, a small coastal town with a thriving recreational fishing industry, Stephen developed an early appreciation for salmon and the importance of healthy fisheries—an interest that continues to drive his work in salmon recovery today.

Stephen earned his B.S. in Biology from Central Washington University in 2014 and went on to spend eight years with the Washington Conservation Corps, including six years as a crew supervisor, gaining extensive experience leading field crews and completing restoration projects across the region.

When he is not out in the field, Stephen enjoys quieter times at home and spending occasional weekends in Port Angeles with his girlfriend, Amber. He is excited to continue supporting Mid-Columbia Fisheries’ habitat restoration work this season. 🌿🐟

Mid-Columbia Fisheries recently installed new groundwater and instream stilling wells in a tributary of the Teanaway River within the Teanaway Community Forest.



These monitoring wells will help us measure how much water can be stored in the stream and surrounding floodplain following low-tech, process-based restoration treatments — including beaver dam analogs (BDAs), post-assisted log structures (PALS), and strategic small wood additions.


By slowing the flow of water and reconnecting the stream to its historic floodplain, these restoration techniques are designed to hold more water in the upper watershed. Over time, we expect to see cooler, more resilient summer flows for fish and aquatic life, along with increased soil moisture to support riparian forests and the wildlife that depend on them.


The data collected from these wells are essential. The data will help us to track groundwater levels, monitor how restoration structures influence water storage, and refine our approach to ensure we are building climate resilience into the watershed for the long term.

Brian Crowley, Teanaway Community Forest Advisory Committee Member