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