This project is necessary to ensure that replacement of fish screening devices and fishways meet current NOAA design criteria for the protection of all salmonid life stages.  The mission of the fish passage program in Northeast Oregon is to protect and enhance fish populations by assisting private landowners, public landowners, irrigation districts, and others by maintaining fish screening devices and fishways.  These facilities reduce or eliminate fish loss associated with irrigation withdrawals, and as a result ensure fish populations are maintained for enjoyment by present and future generations.  Assistance is provided through state and federally funded programs and can range from simple technical advice to complete construction and maintenance of facilities.

This project is necessary to ensure that replacement of fish screening devices and fishways meet current NOAA design criteria for the protection of all salmonid life stages.  The mission of the fish passage program in Northeast Oregon is to protect and enhance fish populations by assisting private landowners, public landowners, irrigation districts, and others by maintaining fish screening devices and fishways.  These facilities reduce or eliminate fish loss associated with irrigation withdrawals, and as a result ensure fish populations are maintained for enjoyment by present and future generations.  Assistance is provided through state and federally funded programs and can range from simple technical advice to complete construction and maintenance of facilities.

Location:  The projects will occur on private and public lands within the John Day, Umatilla, and Walla Walla sub-basins.  The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife will plan to replace 20 fish screening devices and one fish passage project, if identified, within the three sub-basins during the 2005 work period.  These efforts reflect the ODFW's continued commitment to protect anadromous and resident fish species inhabiting their migration, spawning and rearing areas. A detailed list of potential screen sites and their locations can be found in Table 1. The number of potential project sites and locations listed in Table 1 will include more than 20 sites and may be modified throughout the work period as this is a voluntary program, as to when we can access private lands. Changes occur due to weather, irrigation, crop rotations and harvest, access conditions and landowner cooperation. The previous listed factors make it difficult to set priorities. We always have numerous project sites lined up so as to meet our commitment of 20 completed projects for the work period.