Protecting and Restoring the
Lapwai Creek Watershed
December 1, 2004

STATEMENT OF WORK AND BUDGET CY2005
BPA Project Number:  1999-017-00
Contract Number:  21342
Performance/Budget Period:  March 1, 2005 - February 28, 2006

SUBMITTED BY:

Technical Contact:  Emmit E. Taylor Jr.
Biologist III
Nez Perce Tribe
Department of Fisheries Resource Management
Watershed Division
P.O. Box 365, Lapwai, ID  83540
(208) 843-7144 ext. 3544
emmitt@nezperce.org

Finance Contact:  Arleen Henry
Accountant
Nez Perce Tribe
P.O. Box 365, Lapwai, ID  83540
(208) 843-2253 ext. 2437
arleenh@nezperce.org

SUBMITTED TO:

U.S. Department of Energy
Bonneville Power Administration
Division of Fish and Wildlife
Attn:  Sabrina Keen, COTR
P.O. Box 3621
Portland, OR  97208-3621

Applicable RPA Justification

149 The CY2005 SOW provides for addressing passage problems in the analysis area.  Land ownership in the watershed is 86% private, 12% Nez Perce Tribe, 2% State of Idaho, and 1% BLM, therefore this work is not the responsibility of other federal agencies.
In addition, this project is currently working with BOR and NOAA on addressing in-stream flows, passage and screening on their diversion managed by the Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District.  The diversion is on Sweetwater Creek, a major tributary to Lapwai Creek.  

150 This project will protect currently productive habitat from being further degraded and restore degraded habitat as a result of poor land management activities.  Within the Lapwai Creek watershed, steelhead is currently listed as "Threatened" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  In addition, Lapwai Creek flows into the main Clearwater River where "Threatened" fall chinook are located.  A fall chinook rearing facility is located 0.8 miles upstream from its confluence with the Clearwater River as part of the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery.  The StreamNet database lists Lapwai Creek with 31.5 Km of anadromous fish habitat (spawning and rearing).  The overall habitat quality has been assessed as 20.9 km fair (66.4%) and 10.6 km (33.6%) as poor.  Despite current habitat conditions, rainbow-steelhead production continues to persist in the middle reaches of Lapwai Creek.  It is believed that considerable potential exists for improving anadromous fish populations in these and other areas of Lapwai Creek (Kucera et al. 1983).

152 The CY2005 SOW provides for the project manager to coordinate with other programs and agencies in an effort to maximize cost sharing and complement BPA's efforts in restoring in-stream fish habitat.  In addition, the project manager will work with participating agencies to ensure efforts are not duplicated and restoration activities are coordinated at the watershed scale.
Projects address all the bullets listed for this RPA including TMDL development.  Lapwai Creek is currently listed for bacteria, dissolved oxygen, flow alteration, habitat alteration, nutrients, sediment and temperature.  The Nez Perce Tribe's Water Resources Department (NPTWRD) is leading the TMDL effort with EPA that is due in 2006.  All monitoring efforts (biological, physical, and chemical) associated with this project will be used in TMDL development.  All restoration efforts are working towards meeting TMDL standards.

153 This project does not involve CREP but is establishing riparian buffers.  The CY2005 SOW provides for locating and 4 miles of riparian/wetland protection fence.  This project is working with NRCS, local water and soil conservation districts, EPA, and the NPT Water Resources Department on cost-sharing these projects with the Public Law 566 program (cost-shares 65% of riparian fence and plantings), the Continuous Reserve Program and the Section 319 Clean Water Act Program to protect and restore in-stream fish habitat.  

TRAVEL

1 & 2.  It is anticipated that provincial meetings and workshops will be conducted in Portland, Oregon, and Boise, Idaho during the contract period that are critical to contract management and future funding.  The project leader will be expected to attend meetings in order to coordinate the objectives of this project with the goals of the Mountain Snake Province and the NWPPC program and other regional partners.  In addition, to meet requirements of BPA to improve data storage methods and accessibility, the project manager or the project assistant may require a coordination meeting with StreamNet in Portland to work out how this might be achieved.  

The total travel to Portland will require 1 airline ticket and hotel room for the equivalent of 4 nights.  The same will be required for travel to Boise

3.  Travel is required to Logan, Utah to transport macroinvertebrate samples for analysis.  The samples will be analyzed by the National Aquatic Monitoring Center.

4.  Travel to McCall, Idaho is required to attend a R1/R4 regional meeting.  The regional meeting is to go over monitoring protocols and standards and is critical to the monitoring and evaluation of this project.

Per Diem with Motel:  Inter-office project coordination meetings will require travel within the Mountain Snake Province.  


VEHICLES
ATV servicing: Required at the end of the field season.