ODFW Ne Oregon Habitat Projects FY2006 Summary

This project continues Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's efforts to restore the habitat of salmon, steelhead and other fishes in the Blue Mountain Province as mitigation for losses resulting from development of the federal Columbia River Power System.  

This project has completed 50 projects restoring 70 miles of riparian and stream habitat in the Blue Mountain Province since it began in 1985.  Restoration efforts have focused on the Joseph Creek, Wallowa River and Upper Grande Ronde River systems based on recommendations of agencies, tribes and the Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program (CTUIR 1983; Noll et al. 1988; ODFW et al. 1990; and, Anderson et al. 1992, Huntington 1993, GRMWP 1994, , and Mobrand and Lestelle 1997,  NPCC 2004a , NPCC 2004b).  Review of these restoration efforts has found improving conditions in project areas for salmon, steelhead and other native fishes (Beschta et al. 1991, Kauffman et al. 2002 and McGowan 2005).

Project activities planned for this contract period include project planning, design, permitting, and construction as well as maintenance and implementation monitoring of existing projects.  Staff of this project works closely with the Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program (GRMWP) who provides policy direction, project review and organizes project funding for specific projects.  They work with staff of CTUIR  to support the activities of other agencies (NRCS, ODOT, USFWS, NOAA, USFS, etc) implementing habitat restoration projects.

ODFW will work on 4 new GRMWP projects during this contract period.  These include:

• End Creek (upper Grande Ronde River) -  Completion of design, permitting, contracting and construction activities begun in FY 2005 to restore approximately 1 mile of channelized stream;
• Meadow Creek (upper Grande Ronde River) - Completion of permitting, contracting and construction activities begun in FY 2005 to restore approximately 1 mile of channelized stream;
• Ladd Creek (Catherine Creek) - Conduct field surveys, design, and permitting work in preparation for construction in FY 2007 to restore 6 miles of channelized stream; and,
• Wallowa River - Conduct field surveys, design, and permitting work in preparation for construction in FY 2007 to restore 0.5 miles of channelized river.

In addition, ODFW staff are working with four landowners on small to medium size riparian fencing projects in the in the upper Grande Ronde River, Catherine Creek and Joseph Creek drainages.  Construction of the Doe Creek riparian fence in the Joseph Creek drainage will be completed this summer.  Planning for the remaining projects will be completed spring to summer and projects built as time is available.

ODFW staff will also inspect 50 projects built earlier, conduct maintenance (i.e. fix fencing and watergaps, repair off channel watering sites, order weed control, etc) necessary to ensure habitat treated by these projects continue to improve and perform implementation monitoring to track this improvement.  Administration, reporting and outreach activities will be conducted as well.

Literature Cited

Anderson, J.W., and others.  1992.  Upper Grande Ronde River Anadromous Fish Habitat Protection, Restoration, and Monitoring Plan.  USFS, ODFW, CRITFC, CTUIR, NPT, OSU

Beschta, R. L., Platts, W.S., and  B. Kauffman.  1991.  Field review of fish habitat improvement projects in the Grande Ronde and John Day River basins of eastern Oregon

CTUIR.  1983.  Summary Report:  Salmon and steelhead habitat improvement initiatives--John Day, Umatilla, Grande Ronde and Imnaha drainages.

GRMWP.  1994.   Grande Ronde Model Watershed Operations - Action Plan.  Available from www.grmw.org/docs/reports_assessments/GRMWP_Plan_1994/GRMWP_Action_Plan_1994.pdf

Huntington, Charles W.  1993.  Stream and Riparian Conditions in the Grande Ronde Basin:  A report to the Grande Ronde Model Watershed Board, Clearwater Biostudies, Inc.

Kauffman, J. B., P. Bayley, H. Li, P. Mc Dowell and R.L Beschta.  2002.  Research/Evaluate Restoration of NE Oregon streams: Effects of livestock enclosures (corridor fencing) on riparian vegetation, stream geomorphic features and fish populations.  DOE/BP  00006210-1.  Available from BPA online at https://efw.bpa.gov/searchpublications/

Mobrand, L. and L. Lestelle.  1997.  Application of the ecosystem diagnosis and treatment method to the Grande Ronde model watershed project.  BPA Task Order Number 95AT61148, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, OR.

McGowan, V.R. 2005.  Grande Ronde Basin Fish Habitat Enhancement Project:  2004 Annual Report to BPA.  Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, OR.  

Noll, W., Williams, S., and R. Boyce.  1988.  Grande Ronde river basin fish habitat improvement implementation plan.  Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

NPCC.  2004a. Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan.  Prepared for Northwest Power and Conservation Council by Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program.  Pgs 491.  Available from www.nwcouncil.org/fw/subbasinplanning/granderonde/plan/

NPCC.  2004b. Imnaha Subbasin Plan.  Prepared for Northwest Power and Conservation Council by Wallowa County Natural Resources Advisory Committee.  Paged by section.  Available from www.nwcouncil.org/fw/subbasinplanning/imnaha/plan/

ODFW, CTUIR, NPT, WDF, WDW.  1990.  Grande Ronde River Subbasin Salmon and Steelhead Production Plan.  Northwest Power Planning Council.  Portland, OR.