PARTICIPATING LANDOWNER (S) AND AGENCIES

US Forest Service
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
La Grande Ranger District
3502 Hwy 30 La Grande, OR  97850
(541) 962-8571, (541) 962-8580 fax

OWEB
10901 Island Ave, La Grande, OR  97850
(541) 963-9076, (541) 962-6593 fax

Union Soil and Water Conservation District
10507 N. McAlister, La Grande, OR 97850
(541) 963-0724, (541) 963-4201

PROJECT LOCATION:  
This project is located in the Upper Grande Ronde River Subbasin, within the Meadow Creek Watershed (17060104-86), and is specifically located in subwatershed 86G (Bear Creek).  The project area is located in the NW, NE, and SE ¼ of Sec 21 and SW ¼ of Sec 22, T. 4 S., R.34 E.  This project is within the Starkey Experimental Forest.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES and PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Introduction/Existing Conditions:

Currently, the 2105 road parallels the upper, non-fish bearing portion of Bear Creek for 0.5 miles, and a perennial non-fish bearing tributary to Bear Creek for 0.5 miles.  The 2105-260 road parallels the uppermost fish bearing reaches of Bear Creek for 0.6 miles.  These road segments are chronic sources of sediment and are inhibiting the establishment of riparian vegetation. Past management activities and road construction has removed in-stream structure, removed large trees important for recruitment to the stream channel, and impacted riparian vegetation.   A spring development, which is an offsite water source for livestock, is currently located adjacent to a road segment proposed for obliteration.

Bear Creek contains important steelhead spawning and rearing habitat and is a major producer of steelhead in the Meadow Creek drainage.   In 1999 the USFS PNW Lab sampled all major tributaries in the Meadow Creek drainage and found that the highest density of 1+ (one plus) steelhead occurred in Bear Creek.  

Specific Actions and Objectives:

This project will obliterate approximately 1.6 miles of draw bottom road, construct approximately 1.1 miles of ridge top road to replace obliterated road segments, plant riparian conifers and grasses, enhance approximately 1.6 miles of stream, and move a stream bottom watering site for cattle to an upslope location.  Obliteration of these draw bottom roads will remove a chronic source of sediment affecting steelhead spawning and rearing habitat, and alleviate constriction of the stream channel and floodplain. Adding structure to the stream channel will retain sediment, build the stream channel in downcut areas, stabilize streambanks, and provide habitat for fish.  


The objectives of this project are:

1. Eliminate sediment delivery from the segments of draw bottom road
2. Improve riparian function and habitat
3. Improve water quality
4. Restore in-stream structure to stream reaches adjacent to road obliteration segments

The specific actions/deliverables of the project are:

1. Place 200 whole trees at 70 sites.  
2. Obliterate 1.6 miles of draw bottom road.
3. Construct 1.1 miles of ridge top road to replace obliterated road segments.
4. Relocate spring development
5. Stabilize disturbed soils by seeding with native grasses and certified weed free straw mulch.
6. Plant riparian conifers and riparian grasses.
7. Survey for noxious weeds.

Stream restoration will occur along all stream reaches adjacent to road obliteration activities.  Approximately 0.6 miles of perennial fish bearing stream and 1.0 miles of non-fish bearing stream will be enhanced.  Large wood will be placed from the current roadway before obliteration.  Approximately 200 whole trees will be taken from adjacent upslope areas and placed in both the stream channel and floodplain to increase sediment storage, pool frequencies, fish habitat diversity and complexity, and improve effective fish hiding cover.  A tracked excavator will be used to place trees.  Trees will be 12-20 inch dbh and will not be anchored.  In-stream work will be conducted during the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife recommended in-stream work window of July 1 to October 15.  

Portions of forest road 2105 (1.0 miles) and 2105-260 (0.6 miles) will be obliterated totaling approximately 1.6 miles.  This includes removing rock surfacing, ripping, and re-contouring the road to the hillslope, and planting riparian grasses and conifers.  

A ridge top road will be constructed to replace the obliterated portions of the 2105 road.  Approximately 1.1 miles of new road will be constructed and is needed to connect the 2105 road with itself and allow continued access to the southern portion of the Starkey Experimental Forest.   The portions of the 2105 road to be obliterated are currently the only road access connecting the road system in the southern portion of the Starkey Experimental Forest.  No other road access exists (although still indicated on maps) within the fenced portion of the Starkey Experimental Forest.  All other roads in the area have not been used in years and are overgrown with vegetation (these are indicated on the attached map).  This road system is needed for research, forest management and administrative needs within the experimental forest.  The new road will follow approximately ½ mile of old roadbed.

The water trough (spring development) will be moved from its stream bottom location to an upslope location.  This new location is less than ¼ mile downstream and approximately 200 yards upslope.  The new location will draw cattle upslope and facilitate cattle distribution to upland portions of the pasture.

Disturbed areas will be stabilized using certified weed free straw mulch and seeding with native grasses where appropriate.  Straw mulch will be spread immediately following obliteration and construction activities.  Native grass seed will be applied in the fall.  Conifer planting will occur in the spring of the following year.  

Conifer species to be planted include Douglas fir, spruce, and larch.  Native grasses that will be used for disturbed soils include tufted hairgrass, California oatgrass, mountain brome, and blue wildrye.  Grasses are applied at a rate of 10 to 15 pounds per acre.  

Newly disturbed ground and stream will be protected from livestock by creating barriers.  Barriers will be trees placed in a "jackstrawed" configuration in and around the stream channel and obliterated sections of road.

Task One - Obtain Division of State Lands (DSL) Fill/Removal Permit and Army Corp of Engineers(ACOE) 404 Permit                                                                          Task Two - Locate trees for stream restoration
Task Three - Prepare and award contracts
Task Four - Place whole trees and install grade control structures
Task Five - Obliterate 1.6 miles of draw bottom road
Task Six - Construct 1.1 miles of ridge top road
Task Seven - Relocate spring development
Task Eight - Stabilize disturbed soils by seeding with native grasses and using certified weed free straw mulch
Task Nine - Plant riparian conifers
Task Ten - Survey for Noxious Weeds

Species Occurrence:  Bear Creek is spawning and rearing habitat for threatened Snake River Basin steelhead and sensitive redband trout.

Benefits: This project will eliminate a chronic source of sediment, improve water quality, improve riparian and floodplain function, enhance fish habitat diversity and complexity, and restore structural elements to stream channels.  

Project Maintenance:  The 1.1 miles of new road constructed will be maintained by the La Grande Ranger District as part the routine road maintenance program.  

Permits:  This project was consulted on in the 1999 Upper Grande Ronde Biological Assessment.  The USFWS and NOAA Fisheries issued a Letter of Concurrence in 2001 with a determination of Not Likely to Adversely Affect.  NEPA requirements have been completed.  A joint fill removal permit application will be submitted to the Division of State Lands and the Army Corp of Engineers.  Required permits for in-stream work will be obtained by May of 2004.  

Monitoring Plan:

Objective #1.  Eliminate sediment delivery from the segments of draw bottom road.

a. Obliterate 1.6 miles of draw bottom road:
A total of six photo points will be established.  Two representative photo points will be established for each stream segment (two for the non-fishing bearing               portion of Bear Creek, two for the fish bearing portion of Bear Creek, and two for the non-fish bearing perennial tributary).  Photos will be taken before, during,               and after project completion.  Photos will be taken for a period of five years following project completion.

b. Construct 1.1 miles of ridge top road to replace obliterated road segments:
Photos of the 1.1 miles of the new ridgetop road will be taken during construction and following completion.

Objective #2.    Improve riparian function and habitat.

a. Relocate spring development:
Take before and after photos of the new spring location.
b. Plant riparian conifers and grasses:
Survival of conifer plantings will be surveyed.
Representative photo points (discussed in objective 1a) will document the success of the establishment of native grasses (seeding of disturbed soils) and planted               conifer growth.  Photos will be taken for a period of five years following project completion.  

Objective #3.    Improve water quality

Representative photo points (discussed in objective 1a) will document improvements in riparian vegetation, which will be used as a surrogate for improvements in               water quality.  Photos will be taken for a period of five years following project completion.

Objective #4.    Restore in-stream structure to stream reaches adjacent to road obliteration segments

a. Place 200 whole trees at 70 sites:
Number and placement of whole trees will be documented within the three-treated stream segments identified above in Objective 1a.

Action item #7 (also task #10).  Survey for noxious weeds throughout the project area:

Disturbed ground will be surveyed for the invasion of noxious weeds for a period of two years and controlled when necessary.    
    
Reporting: USFS personnel will submit quarterly reports that coincide with the Federal fiscal year, i.e. December 31, March 31, June 30 and September 30 of each year.  These quarterly reports are due to BPA no later than two weeks after the end of the quarter.  They will also prepare a final completion report describing the implementation and achievement of the above stated objectives and submit to Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program and BPA within 120 days of the end of the contract.  This report will follow the guidelines that have been established jointly by BPA and the GRMWP.  Finally, the District will submit 5 annual monitoring reports to the GRMWP after the project/contract has been completed.  The District and the GRMWP may adjust the number of monitoring reports based on the determination of usefulness of the data.