The Oxbow Conservation Area was purchased as a high priority project in 2001 with BPA mitigation funds by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon (Tribes).  The Project has since received BPA annual funding for O&M as part of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Tribes and BPA.  

The property is located within the John Day subbasin plan’s highest priority 5th Field HUC, Camp Creek, for Middle Fork subwatershed. The property holds a high concentration of adult spring Chinook salmon through the high temperatures and low flows of the summer months, offers spawning and rearing habitat to Chinook salmon, ESA-listed as Threatened Mid-Columbia summer steelhead and bull trout as well as access to the five fish-bearing perennial tributaries that come into the property from National Forest lands.

Before acquisition, activities on the property severely impacted its habitat potential via overgrazing, dredge mining, invasive plants, and the clearing of trees and shrubs from riparian habitat.  Since acquisition, the Tribes have been working to protect existing habitat, restore degraded habitat, and assess conditions within the property and its valuable fish and wildlife habitat.  The Project will continue to follow the goals, objectives, and guidelines presented in the property management plan. Biological objectives for this Project target habitat for anadromous fish populations and other ESA-listed and sensitive species found on the property.

This Project will continue to address aquatic priorities outlined in the John Day Subbasin Plan:

•Protect High Quality Existing Habitat – achieved through various property O&M, education and outreach, riparian fencing, controlled access, monitoring trends, etc.
•Enhance Riparian and Instream Habitat – achieved through channel restoration of historically dredged and degraded streams, intensive riparian planting, adding large wood for habitat and stream complexity where needed, and controlling invasive  plants in riparian corridors.  
•Fish Passage and Habitat Connectivity – achieved through improving irrigation diversions, and replacing outdated fish screens.
•Flow Restoration - achieved through protection of existing water rights, careful use irrigation for riparian enhancement and groundwater storage, and monitoring of flows surrounding such usage.

*The Tribes request to pre-schedule $42,448 from left over funds in FY10 to next years 2013 budget.


May 14, 2012:  We initiated CCR-27237 to move $80,000 from FY13 into the current contract to cover funding shortages for the Oxbow Tailings Restoration Project, Phase 2.  This project's low bid was received at $516,958.95.  We currently have about $452,729 for this project with funding from Ecotrust ($160,250), OWEB ($188,000), USFWS ($25,000), and PCSRF (~$172,720).
Contract line item budget has been adjusted to add $78,900 to Subcontracts for the project, plus $1,100 to food and admin to cover large volunteer force related to the Phase 2  project's fish salvage exercise on July 26.  With the added funds, we can fully fund the implementation of the project.
Updated Budget and scan of the bid sheet has been attached.
Other subcontracting adjustments were made to add an irrigation system install ($4500), but these funds were broken out of the fencing install funding.  Cultural Resource subcontract was reduced by $1000.