The Restoring Anadromous Fish Habitat in the Lapwai Creek Watershed, project 2002-070-00, began in 2003.  This multi-year project focuses on restoring and improving fish habitat within the Lapwai Creek watershed.  The limiting factors addressed include low summer flows, wide fluctuation in annual stream flows, connectivity, loss of all or partial floodplain, sedimentation of spawning and rearing habitat, high summer stream temperatures, and lack of in-stream cover.  Past accomplishments have entailed the installation of land improvement projects to address these limiting factors, including 8.2 miles of riparian fencing, 6.21 miles of upland fencing, 385 acres of weed control, two livestock waste systems, 9,000 LF of riparian plantings, three stream crossings, 10.5 miles of road improvements, 2 miles of streambank bioengineering restoration, 4.5 acres of wetland enhancement, 15,209 acres of direct seeding, 14 alternative watering systems for livestock, 13 water and sediment control structures, and the development of 42 habitat conservation plans, 9.27 miles of access restored, 3.1 miles of floodplain reconnected, 82 acres of tree planting, and 200 acres of grass seeding.  

Prior to the initiation of this project, a massive data gap existed on fish, the condition of fish habitat, and limiting factors within the watershed.  Under the FY 2007 contract, we focused primarily on the analysis and compilation of the fish presence and abundance data, and stream habitat data collected annually since 2003.  The data was analyzed and converted into a GIS-compatible format and then combined with other available, watershed-wide data sets developed by the Nez Perce Soil and Water Conservation District, the Nez Perce Tribe Watershed Division (NPT) and the NPT Water Resources Division.  The synergistic effect of these combined data sets came together in the development of the "Strategy for the Ecological Restoration of Lapwai Creek Watershed," a document intended to direct efforts and resources toward the highest priority restoration projects and areas of the Lapwai Creek Watershed.  This document provides an accurate assessment of the status and health of the aquatic resources within the watershed, and will allow us to spatially prioritize the implementation of future watershed protection and restoration projects for the Lapwai Creek Watershed. This plan was updated in FY08 to incorporate information identified by the ISRP review.
                                                                                                                                                                          
FY 12 Contract Summary:

The "Strategy for the Ecological Restoration of Lapwai Creek Watershed," which was completed under the FY 07 contract and revised in FY08, was the main reference for prioritizing implementation and developing the FY 12 SOW.  

Under this contract, the NPSWCD plans to install 4,464 LF of fence, control  6 acres of noxious weeds, improve 700 LF or road, plant 6 acres with native trees and shrubs, install 3 water developments, install one erosion control structure, maintain vegetation at 33 sites (310 acres), develop 8 habitat restoration plans, remove two passage barriers, treat 73 acres of hybrid knotweed, treat 115 acres of orange hawkweed, release biocontrol adults at 5 sites, and install 2,225 acres of direct seeding.

Status and Trend and Implementation/Effectiveness monitoring under this contract is coordinated with the Nez Perce Tribe.  The Nez Perce Tribe conducts the monitoring and evaluation required to determine population status and trends, as well as the physical and biological response to the habitat/watershed restoration efforts.  The Nez Perce Soil and Water Conservation District (NPSWCD) utilizes the Nez Perce Tribe's monitoring data to prioritize habitat improvement and site specific project areas.  Since the majority of the land within the watershed is privately owned, the District also coordinates with the landowners to obtain project approval for both the NPT and the NPSWCD to continue habitat restoration actions throughout the Lapwai Creek watershed. The NPSWCD efforts focus on non-tribal properties, while the NPT efforts focus on tribal properties.