This contract supports and is part of the Wind River Watershed Project, initiated in 1998.  The project's focus is on restoration of Wind River steelhead.  In 1998, the National Marine Fisheries Service listed the steelhead of the lower Columbia river as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act.  In 1997, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife rated the status of the Wind River summer run steelhead as critical.  Due to the status of this stock, the Wind River summer steelhead have the highest priority for recovery/restoration in the state of Washington's Lower Columbia Steelhead Conservation Initiative.  Project participants are the Underwood Conservation District, US Geological Survey, US Forest Service, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.  

This contract continues UCD support and participation in the project.  UCDs efforts include facilitation of the Wind River Watershed Council, the Wind River Technical Advisory Committee, education outreach to schools and the public, monitoring of water quality, and on-the-ground restoration work.  

This contract proposal involves
-Facilitation of both the Wind River Watershed Council and Wind River/White Salmon River Technical Advisory Group
-Continuous monitoring of water temperature at sites throughout the Wind River Watershed
-Water chemistry monitoring for low-level nutrients, in cooperation with the USGS Columbia River Research Laboratory
-Monitoring of past vegetation management work
-Planting of 2000 trees and weed removal from 5 acres
-Planning for the Middle Wind project south of Beaver Campground, involving installation of engineered logjams and related revegetation on about 1/2 mile of the Wind River, owned by Hollis/Misner families and the US Forest Service.  This work may be in conjunction with a US Forest Service Title II Grant.
-Additional project planning in the Wind River Watershed
-Technical Assistance to landowners
-Reporting and Administration of this BPA Contract