PROJECT/CONTRACT HISTORY:

The Big Canyon Creek Aquatic Ecosystem/Watershed Restoration and Protection Project began in 1999.  Since that time, the NPT Watershed Division has been working on resource assessments and project implementation throughout the Big Canyon Creek Watershed.  Restoration and protection activities have included native revegetation, riparian protection fencing, road decommissioning, and other Best Management Practices (BMPs).  Prior to the initiation of this project, a massive data gap existed on fish, the condition of fish habitat, and limiting factors within the watershed.  Only a minimal amount of baseline data collection had occurred.  We felt it was of utmost importance to address this issue prior to any large-scale implementation of restoration activities.  Thus, the early years of the project (1999-2001) were focused on watershed assessment and subbasin planning.  Unfortunately, these efforts were very broad in scope, and the watershed assessment was based on what minimal data existed on the watershed at that time.  This proved to be much too coarse to provide any substantial direction or to guide our restoration efforts.  To fill this data gap, beginning in 2002 the NPT Watershed Division developed and/or modified existing protocols to facilitate the collection of relevant baseline data within the watershed.  In realizing that this data collection phase would involve a substantial amount of personnel and take several years to complete, NPT Watershed, in collaboration with the Nez Perce Soil and Water Conservation District (NPSWCD), began implementing watershed rehabilitation actions concurrently with data gathering activities.  Due to the lack of a comprehensive, detailed watershed assessment to help prioritize restoration activities, implementation actions since 2002 had been concentrated on the “hot spots” or obvious areas in need of rehabilitation (e.g., livestock feeding operations, un-vegetated riparian areas, passage barriers, and areas with direct livestock access to the stream).  As mentioned previously, these projects were implemented in the interim while the detailed baseline data collection phase was completed.  The NPT Water Resources Division, Watershed Division, and NPSWCD were all involved in the data collection/analysis process.

Under the FY 2007 contract, we focused primarily on the analysis and compilation of the fish presence and abundance data, and stream habitat data collected annually since 2003.  The data was analyzed and converted into a GIS-compatible format and then combined with other available, watershed-wide data sets developed by the Nez Perce Soil and Water Conservation District and the NPT Water Resources Division.  The synergistic effect of these combined data sets came together in the development of the "Big Canyon Ecological Restoration Strategy," a document intended to direct efforts and resources toward the highest priority restoration projects and areas of the Big Canyon Creek Watershed.  This document provides an accurate assessment of the status and health of the aquatic resources within the watershed, and will allow us to spatially prioritize the implementation of future watershed protection and restoration projects for the Big Canyon Creek Watershed.
                                                                                                                                                                          
SUMMARY OF FY 09 CONTRACT:        

The "Big Canyon Ecological Restoration Strategy," which was completed under the FY 07 contract, was the main reference for prioritizing implementation and developing the FY 09 SOW.  

The NRAMP inventory and project selection will continue on tribal properties within the areas identified as priority assessment units in the "Big Canyon Ecological Restoration Strategy."  The NRAMP protocol will complete an inventory, assessment, and management plans to identify stream/watershed restoration projects on 10 properties within the top two prioritized assessment units in the Big Canyon Creek watershed.  Restoration projects identified and selected through the NRAMP process will be prioritized for implementation in FY 2010.

Implementation projects planned for the 2009 SOW include:
o  Tribal Allotment 771 on Cold Springs Creek - design and implementation of 3,300 ft of riparian fencing to exclude livestock from aquatic and riparian areas coupled with alternative water development, 0.4 acres of weed control and 1.16 acres of riparian restoration within the newly established riparian buffer.
o  Tribal Allotment 3183 on Big Canyon Creek- design and implementation of 3,000 feet of riparian fencing to exclude livestock from aquatic and riparian areas coupled with alternative water development, 0.1 acres of weed control and 3.09 acres of riparian restoration within the newly established riparian buffer.
o  Tribal Allotment 1363 on Long Hollow Creek - 1,460 feet of stream will be protected through design and implementation of 12 acres of riparian buffer planting to protect aquatic and riparian areas.  The riparian planting will be coupled with weed control within the newly established riparian buffer.  The possibility of converting to no-till agriculture will be discussed with the leasee.
o  Tribal Allotment 1020A on Holes Creek - 880 feet of stream will be protected through design and implementation of 6.3 acres of riparian buffer planting to protect aquatic and riparian areas.  The riparian planting will be coupled with wetland restoration and weed control within the newly established riparian buffer.  

In addition to the development of new projects, it is necessary to continue some specific project maintenance actions through the FY 2009 contract year.  Annual maintenance will be preformed on 3 miles of fence projects that were constructed between 2003 and 2008 to exclude livestock from aquatic and riparian areas on parcels throughout the Big Canyon Creek Watershed.  Weed control, plant maintenance, and occasional adjustments of project components will continue on 15 acres at Tribal Allotment 1029.  

Outreach and education to the general public, fellow professionals, and high school and college students will continue.  This will include providing opportunities for local student and community volunteers to actively participate in the implementation of our restoration projects. Partners include the Nez Perce Soil and Water Conservation District and the Nez Perce Tribe Water Resources and Land Services Departments.