Contract History: The purpose of this project is to protect and enhance habitat for improved natural production of indigenous, Mid-Columbia River (MCR) Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU) summer steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), listed as threatened under the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), and spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) within the North Fork of the John Day River Basin. The project entails coordinated, cooperative efforts to protect and improve anadromous fisheries habitat consistent with the strategies and objectives outlined in the John Day Subbasin Plan.

This project originated in 2000 with initial on-the-ground implementations occurring in 2001. These projects were implemented within lower Camas Creek tributaries (Snipe and Owens Creeks), Deer Creek and the Lower North Fork John Day River. Approximately 16.8 miles of riparian fencing and 20 off-stream water developments have been constructed and two wells reactivated under the project. These improvements have resulted in enhancement of approximately ten stream miles and 708 acres of riparian and floodplain habitat on private properties.

To date, all projects have included cost share funding and/or in-kind assistance from various sources including the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), U.S. Department of Agriculture' s (USDA) Wildlife Habitat Incentive and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Programs (WHIP and CREP), U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF), North Fork John Day Watershed Council (NFJDWC), Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB), U.S. Fish & Wildlife (USFWS) Partners for Wildlife Program, Umatilla National Forest (UNF), Community Action Program of East Central Oregon (CAPECO), and Columbia Power Cooperative Association. The project has also partnered with other entities, including the UNF and Grant Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to assist them in obtaining NOAA cost share and habitat recovery on additional North and Middle Fork John Day tributaries. These efforts have resulted in further enhancement of approximately 2.7 stream miles and 97 acres of floodplain and upland habitat.  Upland fencing associated with this project will be financed by these cost share entities since BPA is reluctant to approve funding for this purpose.

Summary of 2008-2009 Contract Work: Implementation during this project cycle shall include: (1) coordination with landowners, resource agencies and the NFJDWC to identify and select FY 2008/09 passive and active habitat enhancement projects within the Lower Camas, Upper Camas, Desolation and Granite Creeks Geographic Areas (GA's), (2) Provide outreach and educational opportunities through meetings with private and public agencies, the Ukiah Schools, NF John Day Watershed Council within the Lower Camas, Upper Camas, Desolation and Granite Creek GA's for FY 2008/09 (3) Maintain water developments for easements on Lower and Upper Camas Creek, Snipe Creek, Deer Creek, and NF John Day, (4) Investigate livestock trespass for easements on Lower and Upper Camas Creek, Snipe Creek, Deer Creek, and NF John Day, (5) Maintain fences for easements on Lower and Upper Camas Creek, Snipe Creek, Deer Creek, and NF John Day, (6) Maintain vegetation for easements on Lower and Upper Camas Creek, Snipe Creek, Deer Creek, and NF John Day, (7) Collect monitoring data to identify the effectiveness of restoration projects and provide an adequate base for future efforts, (8) Acquire stream temperature data and pass on to NOAA, (9) Use previously secured materials and funding from a OWEB grant award to install a solar pump and associated equipment in a 275 acre upland pasture and supplement existing stock watering ponds and facilitate pasture management above Camas Creek, (10) Use previously secured materials and funding from an OWEB grant award to cross fence an existing 275 acre upland pasture and facilitate rotational pasture management above Camas Creek, (11) Install a riparian exclusion fence along a 0.8 mile reach of Camas Creek averaging thirty five feet from the high water mark, (12) Work with the NFJDWC and UNF to complete a 2.75 mile riparian exclusion fence on Upper Kelsay Creek started in 2008, (13) Complete three surveys on Ten Cent Creek suitable for culvert replacement design and implementation during 2010 and beyond, (14) Produce a survey capable of supporting in-stream restoration design efforts on Camas Creek, (15) Produce a design for in-stream restoration implementation on Camas Creek to increase in-stream complexity, (16) Replace a passage barrier (culvert) on Battle Creek, (17) Replace a passage barrier (culvert) on Granite Creek, (18)  Remove a push-up dam on the lower NFJD, (19) Replace native vegetation planted along Camas Creek in 2007 required to meet the survival rates required by CREP contracts, (20)  Produce weed control compliance documentation, (21) Produce necessary status reports, (22) Create SOW and budget for project year 2010, (23) Submit 2008 Annual Report. These projects include partnerships and cost share with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Services Agency (FSA), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), NOAA, NFJDWC and potentially OWEB.

Changes in the performance period for 2009 reflect the difficulty in securing contracts for and completing late spring work with a 1 April start date. Consecutive contracts will return to the 12 month performance period beginning on 1 February 2010.

CTUIR is aware of a region wide programmatic MOU between BPA and the USFS requiring a 30% USFS cost share for projects on USFS lands.