Confederated Confederated Tribes Tribes of the Umatilla of the Umatilla Indian Indian ReservationReservation

Umatilla River Basin Umatilla River Basin

Anadromous Fish Anadromous Fish

Habitat Enhancement ProjectHabitat Enhancement Project

Project No. 1987-100-01Project No. 1987-100-01

Presented by R.H. Lewis,Presented by R.H. Lewis,

Team LeaderTeam Leader

Project GoalProject Goal

““To protect and enhance habitat for To protect and enhance habitat for existing summer steelhead and existing summer steelhead and re-introduced chinook and coho re-introduced chinook and coho salmon on private lands in the salmon on private lands in the

Umatilla Basin.”Umatilla Basin.”

Project HistoryProject HistorySince its inception in 1987, the project has:Since its inception in 1987, the project has:• secured 52 conservation easements with anticipation of secured 52 conservation easements with anticipation of

four additional easements.four additional easements.

• enhanced some 20 stream miles.enhanced some 20 stream miles.

• constructed 25 miles of livestock exclusion fencing.constructed 25 miles of livestock exclusion fencing.

• planted approximately 72,275 native trees and shrubs, planted approximately 72,275 native trees and shrubs, 6,130 pounds of native grass seed, and 2,016 grass 6,130 pounds of native grass seed, and 2,016 grass plugs.plugs.

• placed 356 trees and rootwads instream.placed 356 trees and rootwads instream.

• installed 65 tree and rootwad revetments.installed 65 tree and rootwad revetments.

• improved 3 passage barriers with imminent. improved 3 passage barriers with imminent. implementation of improvements at three additional implementation of improvements at three additional sites.sites.

• conducted baseline and post-project monitoring.conducted baseline and post-project monitoring.

Project Site Locations

Project ObjectivesProject Objectives

1.1. Identification of detrimental land uses and Identification of detrimental land uses and development of watershed-level solutions development of watershed-level solutions to address habitat impacts.to address habitat impacts.

2.2. Implementation and maintenance of Implementation and maintenance of habitat enhancement projects.habitat enhancement projects.

3.3. Collection of baseline and post-project Collection of baseline and post-project monitoring data to identify habitat limiting monitoring data to identify habitat limiting factors and assess effects of habitat factors and assess effects of habitat enhancements.enhancements.

OBJECTIVE 1OBJECTIVE 1

Identification of detrimental land uses Identification of detrimental land uses and the development of watershed-level and the development of watershed-level

solutions to address habitat impacts.solutions to address habitat impacts.

Identify Detrimental Land Identify Detrimental Land UsesUses

Habitat Limiting FactorsHabitat Limiting Factors

• Inadequate instream flowsInadequate instream flows

• High stream temperaturesHigh stream temperatures

• Water chemistry impactsWater chemistry impacts

• High sediment loadsHigh sediment loads

• Passage impedimentsPassage impediments

• Low instream habitat diversityLow instream habitat diversity

• Extensive channel and floodplain Extensive channel and floodplain modificationsmodifications

• Lack of sufficient riparian vegetationLack of sufficient riparian vegetation

Develop Watershed Level Develop Watershed Level SolutionsSolutions

• Contribute to subbasin Contribute to subbasin planning & planning & watershed watershed assessment efforts.assessment efforts.

• Participate in Participate in interagency meetings interagency meetings & planning groups.& planning groups.

• Conduct public scoping Conduct public scoping meetings.meetings.

Provide Public OutreachProvide Public Outreach

• Provide educational Provide educational opportunities.opportunities.

• Promote stream Promote stream habitat restoration habitat restoration and protection.and protection.

• Conduct local Conduct local outreach to acquire outreach to acquire community input.community input.

OBJECTIVE 2OBJECTIVE 2

Implementation and maintenance of Implementation and maintenance of habitat enhancement projects.habitat enhancement projects.

Secure Project SitesSecure Project Sites

1. 1. Identify potential Identify potential project sites.project sites.• Watershed Assessment, Watershed Assessment,

Subbasin Summary, public Subbasin Summary, public outreach, interagency outreach, interagency communicationcommunication

2. 2. Seek landowner Seek landowner cooperation and cooperation and participation.participation.

3. Develop long-term or 3. Develop long-term or perpetual agreements perpetual agreements with landowners.with landowners.

Plan Restoration ActivitiesPlan Restoration Activities

1.1. Seek cost share Seek cost share opportunities.opportunities.

2.2. Complete project Complete project designs.designs.

3.3. Develop and secure Develop and secure permits and permits and clearances.clearances.

4.4. Complete pre-Complete pre-implementation implementation activities.activities.

5.5. Solicit bids and award Solicit bids and award subcontracts.subcontracts.

Implement Restoration Implement Restoration ActivitiesActivities

Restoration options Restoration options include:include:

• livestock exclusion fencing.livestock exclusion fencing.

• native plant community re-native plant community re-establishment.establishment.

• off-stream water off-stream water developments.developments.

• instream habitat instream habitat enhancements.enhancements.

• fish passage fish passage improvements.improvements.

FISH PASSAGE FISH PASSAGE IMPROVEMENTSIMPROVEMENTS

Sears Creek

NEW EASEMENTSNEW EASEMENTS

JOHN ADAMS PROPERTYJOHN ADAMS PROPERTY• Wildhorse creek is a tributary to the Umatilla River Wildhorse creek is a tributary to the Umatilla River

– degraded stream channel and riparian area.– degraded stream channel and riparian area.• Cooperative project with the NRCS/FSA CREP Cooperative project with the NRCS/FSA CREP

program.program.

IMPROVEMENTS ARE TO:IMPROVEMENTS ARE TO:• install fencing for livestock exclusioninstall fencing for livestock exclusion• plant Willow and Cottonwood in CREP zone 1 (15’ plant Willow and Cottonwood in CREP zone 1 (15’

zone on each side of the stream).zone on each side of the stream).• plant Elderberry, Rose, Currant, Hawthorn and plant Elderberry, Rose, Currant, Hawthorn and

Chokecherry in zone 2 (180’ buffer in the riparian Chokecherry in zone 2 (180’ buffer in the riparian area outside of zone 1).area outside of zone 1).

• control noxious weeds for the duration of the control noxious weeds for the duration of the easement.easement.

ANTICIPATED ACTIVITIESANTICIPATED ACTIVITIES

LOWER MEACHAM CREEKLOWER MEACHAM CREEK• Meacham and Birch creeks are the most productive Meacham and Birch creeks are the most productive

tributaries to the Umatilla River for migratory tributaries to the Umatilla River for migratory salmonids.salmonids.

• Project implementation to be funded by the NRCS Project implementation to be funded by the NRCS WHIP program.WHIP program.

IMPROVEMENTS ARE TO:IMPROVEMENTS ARE TO:• Install large woody debris (logs with root wads intact) Install large woody debris (logs with root wads intact)

at strategic locations to reduce water velocity, create at strategic locations to reduce water velocity, create pool habitat and promote increased channel meander.pool habitat and promote increased channel meander.

• Breach existing dikes at locations that confine the Breach existing dikes at locations that confine the stream’s floodplain and decrease meander (with stream’s floodplain and decrease meander (with consent of and cooperation by the Union Pacific consent of and cooperation by the Union Pacific Railroad).Railroad).

B & G RESOURCES B & G RESOURCES PROPERTYPROPERTY

• Umatilla River miles 39-43Umatilla River miles 39-43• Cooperative project with the Cooperative project with the

NRCS/FSA CREP programNRCS/FSA CREP program

IMPROVEMENTS ARE TO:IMPROVEMENTS ARE TO:• install fencing with gates for install fencing with gates for

livestock exclusion.livestock exclusion.• dig two wells with watering dig two wells with watering

troughs for livestock outside troughs for livestock outside the riparian area. the riparian area.

• plant some 200 acres to plant some 200 acres to native grasses.native grasses.

• control noxious weeds for the control noxious weeds for the duration of the easement.duration of the easement. B & G Resources Property

SUMMER STEELHEAD MIGRATION IMPEDIMENT ON WEST FORK BIRCH CREEK DUE TO AN EXISTING

CULVERT.

IMPLEMENTATION FUNDING BY PCSRF

IMPROVEMENTS ARE TO:

DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT NECESSARY CULVERT MODIFICATIONS

ADD ROCK SUBSTRATE TO ELIMINATE DROP DOWNSTREAM FROM EXISTING CULVERT

BRING CHANNEL TO CONSISTENT GRADE

INSTALL ROCK WEIRS TO MAINTAIN RESTRUCTURED CHANNEL

CUNNINGHAM SHEEP COMPANY PROPERTY

Maintain Project SitesMaintain Project SitesO&M activities will be O&M activities will be

based on adaptive based on adaptive management and shall management and shall include:include:

• fence maintenance.fence maintenance.

• care of trees and shrubs.care of trees and shrubs.

• noxious weed control.noxious weed control.

• equipment maintenance.equipment maintenance.

OBJECTIVE 3OBJECTIVE 3

Collection of baseline and post-project Collection of baseline and post-project monitoring data to identify habitat monitoring data to identify habitat limiting factors and assess effects of limiting factors and assess effects of habitat enhancements.habitat enhancements.

MonitoringMonitoring

Collect baseline data and conduct post-project Collect baseline data and conduct post-project monitoring to identify habitat limiting factors and to monitoring to identify habitat limiting factors and to quantify effects of habitat enhancement measures:quantify effects of habitat enhancement measures:

•Stream channel cross sectionsStream channel cross sections

•Permanent photopointsPermanent photopoints

•Habitat surveysHabitat surveys

•Macroinvertebrate surveys (5 streams, 10 Macroinvertebrate surveys (5 streams, 10 stations)stations)

•Stream temperatures (12 streams, 22 stations)Stream temperatures (12 streams, 22 stations)

•Suspended sediments (3 streams, 3 stations)Suspended sediments (3 streams, 3 stations)

PhotopointsPhotopoints

Meacham Creek 1988Meacham Creek 1988

Meacham Creek 2004

PhotopointsPhotopoints

Wildhorse Creek 1994Wildhorse Creek 1994 Wildhorse Creek 2000Wildhorse Creek 2000

Relation to Subbasin Plan Relation to Subbasin Plan SummarySummary

Proposal meets the following Umatilla/Willow Proposal meets the following Umatilla/Willow Subbasin Plan strategies to:Subbasin Plan strategies to:

•protect, enhance or restore water quality.protect, enhance or restore water quality.

•protect, enhance or restore instream and protect, enhance or restore instream and riparian riparian habitat.habitat.

•protect, enhance and restore instream flows to protect, enhance and restore instream flows to improve passage conditions.improve passage conditions.

•improve fish passage conditions.improve fish passage conditions.

•monitor and evaluate fish in relationship to monitor and evaluate fish in relationship to instream instream and riparian habitat conditions.and riparian habitat conditions.

In the Future . . .In the Future . . .Future project efforts will be consistent with NPPC’s FWP and are expected Future project efforts will be consistent with NPPC’s FWP and are expected to include the:to include the:

•protecting of existing stronghold habitatsprotecting of existing stronghold habitats

•addressing of limiting factors through addressing of limiting factors through continued continued habitat enhancements utilizing the habitat enhancements utilizing the Umatilla/Willow Umatilla/Willow Subbasin Plan assessment and Subbasin Plan assessment and inventory to prioritize inventory to prioritize projects.projects.

•consolidating of existing project areas.consolidating of existing project areas.

•expanding partnerships and implementing expanding partnerships and implementing cooperative cooperative restorative efforts.restorative efforts.

•continuing public outreach efforts.continuing public outreach efforts.

Thank you for your Thank you for your interest. interest.