EXISTING CONDITIONS

Lower Fly Creek is spawning and rearing habitat for Snake River Basin summer steelhead, and rearing habitat for Snake River Basin spring Chinook salmon.  Both are federally listed under ESA as threatened species.  

Lower Fly Creek (reach 1), where Phase II and III of the project is located, is a Rosgen B type channel with substrate dominated by cobble and small boulder.  The valley bottom is forested, and riparian vegetation consists of shrub species, primarily alder, with grasses and scattered sedges.  Conifers consist of lodgepole pine, fir, larch, and some ponderosa pine.  Historic timber harvest has removed the large conifers from the valley bottom greatly reducing the future recruitment of large wood to Fly Creek.  An abandoned road that runs the length of lower Fly Creek was used to harvest and transport trees out of the area in the 1970s.  The road is barricaded and grown over and is not feasible for transport of logs for Phase II and III of the project. Extensive work and funds would be needed to reconstruct the road to allow large truck travel for log haul into the project site including a turn around point.  This would also result in considerable ground disturbance and vegetation removal as well as the requirement of extensive funds to restore the reconstructed roadbed.   In addition, a splash dam from the early 1900s was located on Fly Creek at approximate river mile 2.0, which is within the Phase III project area.  This was likely the beginning of the removal of large conifers from the valley bottom.

In the 1980s, log weirs were constructed perpendicular to the stream flow in Fly Creek to create pool habitat.  Pools that were created are shallow with very little cover and complexity, and have created passage barriers to juvenile salmonids during periods of low flow.  

A stream survey of lower Fly Creek, that includes Phase II & III, was conducted in 2004.  Stream survey results indicate that there are few pieces of large wood and very few pools in lower Fly Creek (see Table 1 for stream survey results - found under PISCES Attachments).  This lack of channel structure has resulted in simplified habitat consisting primarily of riffle habitat with little habitat complexity.  Key pieces of wood are especially lacking from the stream channel. Average bankfull width within the project area is approximately 32 feet.  Average stream gradient is 2.3%.  

The planting area of Phase I: Fly Creek (reach 2) has a gradient of 1.7 and is a Rosgen Type B3c to C channel (see Table 1 for stream survey results).  This reach of stream has high bank instability associated with lack of streambank vegetation.

Lower Fly Creek is within the McCarty Allotment, which is a sheep allotment.  The season of use is mid June to Mid October.  There are no obvious signs of sheep use.  The permittee uses herders to frequently move the bands of sheep within each pasture.  The permittees performance in meeting management objectives and forage utilization has been excellent.  

LOCATION  

Fly Creek Restoration Project (Phase II and III) is located in Fly Creek, a tributary to the upper Grande Ronde River.  Fly Creek enters the Grande Ronde River approximately 3.5 miles upstream from the town of Starkey.  The project is located on Fly Creek from approximate stream mile 0.1 to 6.25 (T 4S, R 35E, S 22, 23, 27, 34 and T 5S, R 35E, S 3, 4, 8, 9).  Deciduous planting will occur in the Phase I area of Fly Creek (6.25 - 8.0 (see attached map))(T 5S, R 35 E, S 17 & 20).  

Phase I of the Fly Creek Restoration Project was implemented in 2006 and is located on Fly Creek from approximate stream mile 6.25 to 8.0.  Within this stream area, deciduous planting will occur.  Phase II of the Fly Creek Restoration Project, previously approved by the GRMW Board, will be implemented concurrently with Phase III in 2009, and is located from approximate stream mile .1 to 6.25.  Phase II and Phase III, and planting in Phase I will complete the enhancement of rearing habitat for spring Chinook salmon and steelhead over an approximate eight miles of stream.

OBJECTIVES

• Increase quantity and quality of pools within Fly Creek
• Improve bank stability
• Increase fish cover within Fly Creek
• Increase habitat complexity
• Increase forage availability
• Increase residual pool depth
• Lower or partially remove log weirs that prevent juvenile fish passage at low flows
• Decrease bankfull width to depth ratios within the stream
• Increase number of large and medium pieces of large woody debris in the stream
• Increase spawning gravel recruitment
• Increase stream shading