Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program
SOW Report
Contract 42743: 199202601 CAP BIOP TOWNLEY DOBBIN & MILL CREEK FISH PASSAGE
Project Number:
Title:
Grande Ronde Model Watershed
BPA PM:
Stage:
Implementation
Area:
Province Subbasin %
Blue Mountain Grande Ronde 100.00%
Contract Number:
42743
Contract Title:
199202601 CAP BIOP TOWNLEY DOBBIN & MILL CREEK FISH PASSAGE
Contract Continuation:
Previous: Next:
n/a
Contract Status:
History
Contract Description:
BACKGROUND - TOWNLEY DOBBIN FISH PASSAGE

The Catherine Creek system contains three ESA listed species: Snake River spring chinook and summer steelhead, and bull trout.  All of these populations are severely depressed from historic levels.  Catherine Creek was rated one of the highest habitat restoration priorities in the Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan.  Elimination of passage barriers is one of the highest priority actions.

There have been numerous local Watershed Analyses, Biological Assessments completed by the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program and local groups within the Grande Ronde Basin.  The most relevant to fish passage issues in Catherine Creek are Stream and Riparian Conditions in the Grande Ronde Basin, Huntington 1993 and The Grande Ronde Model Watershed Action Plan 1994.  Both of these plans identified fish passage at irrigation diversion structures for this reach of Catherine Creek as factors limiting salmon production.  

The regional plan is the Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan (NPCC 2004) and Grande Ronde Supplement (NPCC 2004).   Much of the prior assessment information, as well as personal knowledge of the Basin fish biologists, was incorporated into these plans.  Restoration priorities were established through the planning process by the Grande Ronde Subbasin Planning Team. These documents identify Catherine Creek as the number two priority geographic area for Snake River ESA listed spring chinook.  Catherine Creek and the Upper Grande Ronde chinook populations were predicted (EDT analysis) to experience “dramatic” population increases as a result of habitat restoration work.  Although the plan did not identify individual passage barriers (lack of data); fish passage, in high priority watersheds, has always been considered one of the key issues where blockages are identified.  

The Grande Ronde Supplement identified key habitat quantity and temperature as factors limiting chinook survival in this reach of Catherine Creek, Table 3-1, p 15 (see Pisces attachment). The inability  of bull trout, and juvenile steelhead and chinook to pass the Townley Dobbin Diversion at low flows when water temperatures are warming limits access to better habitat and cooler  water  upstream of the site.

The Townley Diversion is a full channel-spanning concrete wall with about a one foot drop without diversion boards in place.  Check boards are used during low flow (July through October) to divert water into the irrigation ditch, creating a two foot+ drop.  The structure does not affect adult steelhead or chinook passage but does block any upstream juvenile steelhead and chinook, and bull trout at low flows when diversion boards are in place.  The structure does not meet fish passage standards (6”drop).  

Project Objectives are:

*  Reestablish year-around passage for all life stages of native fish, with emphasis on ESA-listed summer steelhead, spring chinook and bull trout.

*  Meet 6” passage criteria

*  Reduce downstream bank erosion caused by the diversion structure


Proposed Actions

The project will be implemented on Catherine Creek at the Townley Dobin Diversion, approximately RM 17.  Construction is scheduled during the in-water work window July 1 – August 15, 2009.  The proposed project was identified in the FCRPS 2008 BiOp, has been reviewed by the GRMW Technical Committee and approved by the GRMW Board of Directors for implementation in 2009.

The GRMW will be the project sponsor and will coordinate all aspects of project management including agency and landowner coordination, ESA consultation, permitting, cultural resource activities, contract administration, fiscal management, subcontracting and construction oversight.

Preliminary and final design, construction specifications and contract have been completed by Anderson Perry Engineering.  The proposed actions are to remove the existing channel spanning concrete wall and replace it with lower profile concrete block structures with bracket attachments to place check boards.  A steel sheet pile fishway will be installed adjacent to the north streambank. The diversion headgate will be repositioned along the north streambank. A J-hook will be installed approximately 175 feet downstream of the structure to reduce streambank erosion on the south bank.

MILL CREEK FISH PASSAGE

Mill Creek is a tributary to Catherine Creek. Mill Creek contains Snake River summer steelhead, resident rainbow trout and other native species. Irrigation water is currently diverted at the site by annually, or as needed, pushing up rocks and gravel to check water to the level necessary to divert water into the ditch. This activity requires equipment use in the stream causing sediment issues as well as probable injury and death to ESA listed steelhead.

Project Objectives are:

*  Reestablish year-around passage for all life stages of native fish, with emphasis on ESA-listed summer steelhead.

*  Meet 6” passage criteria

The proposed action is to install one full-channel-spanning rock vortex weir keyed into each streambank about six feet.

Design has been provided by Cahill Engineering and Energy, LLC Baker City, OR
Account Type(s):
Expense
Contract Start Date:
06/01/2009
Contract End Date:
12/31/2010
Current Contract Value:
$95,818
Expenditures:
$95,818

* Expenditures data includes accruals and are based on data through 31-Oct-2024.

BPA COR:
Env. Compliance Lead:
Contract Type:
Contract
Pricing Method:
Cost Reimbursement (CNF)
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Full Name Organization Write Permission Contact Role Email Work Phone
Mary Estes Grande Ronde Model Watershed Foundation Yes Administrative Contact mary@grmw.org (541) 663-0570
Tracy Hauser Bonneville Power Administration Yes COR tlhauser@bpa.gov (503) 230-4296
Carl Keller Bonneville Power Administration No Interested Party cjkeller@bpa.gov (503) 230-7692
Lyle Kuchenbecker Grande Ronde Model Watershed Foundation Yes Contract Manager lyle@grmw.org (541) 663-0570
Rosemary Mazaika Bonneville Power Administration Yes F&W Approver rxmazaika@bpa.gov (503) 230-5869
Jeff Oveson Grande Ronde Model Watershed Foundation No Supervisor jeff@grmw.org (541) 663-0570
Donald Rose Bonneville Power Administration Yes Env. Compliance Lead dlrose@bpa.gov (503) 230-3796
Jesse Steele Grande Ronde Model Watershed Foundation Yes Interested Party jesse@grmw.org (541) 663-0570
Connar Stone Grande Ronde Model Watershed Foundation No Interested Party connar@grmw.org (541) 663-0570
Kristi Van Leuven Bonneville Power Administration Yes Contracting Officer kjvleuven@bpa.gov (503) 230-3605


Viewing of Work Statement Elements

Deliverable Title WSE Sort Letter, Number, Title Start End Concluded
Receipt of EC clearance from BPA A: 165. Produce environmental compliance documentation - Townley Dobbin 03/31/2010 03/31/2010
Receipt of EC clearance from BPA B: 165. Produce environmental compliance documentation - Mill Creek 07/31/2009 10/09/2009
Coordination with GRMW as needed - may not include all Deliverable Specs C: 189. Coordinate with the GRMW as specified in the GRMW-BPA MOU (funded through a separate contract) 12/31/2010 09/30/2010
Fishway, irrigation diversion modifications and J-Hook D: 184. Construct Townley Dobbin fishway, modify diversion structure, install headgate, install J-hook 12/31/2010 09/03/2010
Channel-spanning rock weir E: 184. Construct Mill Creek rock diversion structure 12/31/2009 10/15/2009
Project management and administration F: 119. Project management 12/31/2010 09/03/2010
Project completion report H: 132. Project Completion Reports for Townley Dobbin & Mill Creek - June 2009 - December 2010 12/31/2010

Viewing of Implementation Metrics
Viewing of Environmental Metrics Customize

Primary Focal Species Work Statement Elements
Chinook (O. tshawytscha) - Snake River Spring/Summer ESU (Threatened)
  • 1 instance of WE 184 Install Fish Passage Structure
Steelhead (O. mykiss) - Snake River DPS (Threatened)
  • 2 instances of WE 184 Install Fish Passage Structure
Trout, Bull (S. confluentus) (Threatened)
  • 1 instance of WE 184 Install Fish Passage Structure

Sort WE ID WE Title NEPA NOAA USFWS NHPA Has Provisions Inadvertent Discovery Completed
A 165 Produce environmental compliance documentation - Townley Dobbin 02/09/2007
B 165 Produce environmental compliance documentation - Mill Creek 02/09/2007
C 189 Coordinate with the GRMW as specified in the GRMW-BPA MOU (funded through a separate contract) 02/09/2007
D 184 Construct Townley Dobbin fishway, modify diversion structure, install headgate, install J-hook 10/20/2009
E 184 Construct Mill Creek rock diversion structure 07/14/2009
F 119 Project management 02/09/2007
G 185 Periodic Status Reports for BPA 02/09/2007
H 132 Project Completion Reports for Townley Dobbin & Mill Creek - June 2009 - December 2010 02/09/2007