The project proposes a coordinated approach to address management challenges on a private cattle ranch and habitat limiting factors associated with priority ESA fish habitat in the Upper Grande Ronde Subbasin for Threatened Snake River ESU summer steelhead and spring-summer Chinook. The project includes assisting the private landowner with upland infrastructure development to offset a reduction in access to pastures and water resources for habitat conservation purposes along Meadow Creek and Dark Canyon Creek. The upland portion of the project, consisting of 3.4 miles of pasture cross fence and four spring developments, has been funded through non-BPA sources and schedule for completion in late 2010.  

This project focuses on instream habitat enhancement activities, including instream structural additions (large wood complexes and rock clusters) and removal/breaching portions of an old railroad grade adjacent to Meadow Creek. Following completion of "active" instream habitat actions, riparian habitat along Dark Canyon and Meadow Creek will be enrolled in the FSA CREP program which will provide funding for planting, seeding, and riparian conservation easement boundary fencing.

Approximately 4 miles of summer steelhead spawning and rearing habitat will be protected and enhanced under a 15 year conservation easement. Project benefits also extend to spring Chinook with suitable rearing habitat in both Meadow Creek and Dark Canyon.  Expected project results include increased availability of large pool habitat associated with installation of large wood and rock complexes, recovery of riparian vegetation, including conifers, hydrophytic trees and shrubs, and macrophytes through a combination of active (planting) and passive (protection and elimination of livestock grazing), and improved floodplain connectivity along 0.25 miles of lower Meadow Creek by removing artificial channel confinement (railroad grade) and restoration of channel morphology processes that promote habitat complexity and function. Additionally, the project could potentially lead to improved trends in water quality (long-term) with a decrease in diurnal water temperature variations and decreased summer maximum water temperatures with improving trends in channel morphology (decreased width:depth) and riparian vegetation.

In addition to expected direct effects, the project will complement completed and ongoing habitat enhancement activities in the Meadow Creek watershed. For example, the project is located immediately downstream of the McCoy Meadows complex where restoration work has been ongoing since the 1980’s and on National Forest system lands in Dark Canyon where the Forest Service has obliterated roads and completed instream habitat activities.