The watershed restoration work elements within this project area, the Asotin Creek Watershed, follow the watershed restoration approach adopted by the Nez Perce Tribe Department of Fisheries Resource Management (DFRM) Watershed Division.  The vision of the Nez Perce Tribe DFRM-Watershed Division  focuses on protecting, restoring, and enhancing watersheds and treaty resources within the ceded territory of the Nez Perce Tribe under the Treaty of 1855 with the United States Federal Government.  The program uses a holistic approach, which encompasses entire watersheds, ridge top to ridge top, emphasizing all cultural aspects and strategies that rely on natural fish production and healthy river ecosystems.  The Nez Perce Tribe DFRM-Watershed Division strives towards maximizing historic ecosystem productivity and health for the restoration of anadromous and resident fish populations and the habitat on which all depend for future generations.

PROJECT GOAL:  The ultimate goal of this project is to work with the holistic, ridge top to ridge top approach to protect and restore the ecological and biological functions of the Asotin Creek Watershed to assist in the recovery and protection of anadromous, resident fish species, and fish and wildlife.

LOCATION OF PROJECT:  Asotin Creek is a fourth order tributary to the Snake River (R.M.145), which drains approximately 325 square miles of Asotin and Garfield Counties in Washington. The headwaters of Asotin Creek originate in the Blue Mountains and flows east into the Snake River at Asotin, Washington.  Asotin Creek is within the treaty territory of the Nez Perce Tribe and within Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) #35. This project will take place in the upper headwaters of the Asotin Creek watershed, within the Umatilla National Forest. The Asotin Creek watershed is broken out into several sub-watersheds for project description purposes, Lick Creek, Charley Creek, North Fork Asotin Creek, South Fork Asotin Creek and Upper George Creek.

In 2002-2003 SEPA, road surveys/assessment and decommissioning were performed in the Lick Creek sub-watershed. In 2004-2005 SEPA, road surveys/assessments and decommissioning were performed in a major portion of the Charley Creek sub-watershed.  The 2006/2007 project area will encompass the South Fork subwatershed of Asotin Creek. Project areas are chosen based on completion of the SEPA process review for the various sub-watersheds.  In 2006 -2007, SEPA, road surveys/assessments and decommissioning were performed in the S. Fork Asotin Creek sub-watershed.  Road decommissioning projects that were unfinished in 2006 due to the forest fires were completed in 2007.   Further road decommissioning, for a total of 23 miles, was planned to be performed in 2007 in the S. Fork Asotin Creek sub-watershed.  A total of only 8.89 miles of roads were decommissioned prior to a Level IV Fire Precaution shutdown in the Umatilla National Forest.  In July, 2007, the Trent Grade Bridge over George Creek was completed.  The George Creek culvert was the #1 Priority for replacement (per WDFW) in the Asotin Creek drainage.   In August, 2007, road surveys were begun in the Upper George Creek and the South Fork Asotin Creek sub-watersheds.  Road decommissioning prescription, SEPA, EA or CE, and Public Comment work is scheduled for '08, with implementation later in the Summer/Fall.

In 2008, the project will include the proposal to Asotin County, alternative designs and possible implementation of a fish barrier replacement structure on Asotin Creek at Head Gate Park.  This work element will be implemented on Asotin County park lands in cooperation with the Asotin County Conservation District and Snake River Funding Board.  The existing headgate dam structure is a barrier to most aquatic life species and an upstream barrier to all  juvenile anadromous and resident fish species seeking refuge.  The Head Gate (Asotin Creek) Passage Structure drainage basin includes 156.17 square miles of area.  This will reconnect 181.11 miles of stream habitat by way of a natural stream channel to facilitate passage for all aquatic life forms.