The Clearwater River subbasin was designated a Focus Program in late 1996 under the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's (Council) 1994 Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (FWP), Section 7.7A.4. The Bonneville Power Administration (Bonneville) funds this program.

The Clearwater Subbasin Management Plan was formally adopted into the Council's program February 2005 and the Salmon Subbasin Management Plan was adopted into the Council's program in late 2004.  Fiscal Year 2007-2009 solicitation for projects was the first to be framed by the Clearwater and Salmon subbasin management plans.

Goals of the Focus Program are to coordinate protection, enhancement, and restoration of fish and wildlife habitat in the Clearwater River subbasin and the lower and Little Salmon rivers, 4th field HUCs 17060109 and 17060210 respectively.  The agency sponsor for this contract is the Idaho Governor's Office of Species Conservation. A coordinator is retained under this contract to provide technical and management assistance to sponsors of implementation and R/M/E projects that implement subbasin management plans, support draft recovery plans, and support the Biological Opinion for ESA listed fish species of the Snake River.  

The different mandates, policies, and legal obligations of the various agencies in the Focus Program area may be confusing to private landowners, non-governmental organizations, and other agencies often leading to frustration and inaction. The Clearwater Focus Program coordinator facilitates cooperation and collaboration to implement habitat work as effectively, efficiently and within technical constraints as possible.

The coordinator also liaisons between the Council, Bonneville, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Idaho Department of Lands, Idaho Department of Water Resources, Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission, the Nez Perce Tribe,  the Columbia Basin fish and Wildlife Authority, and other state and federal agencies.

Conservation districts, counties, watershed groups, state and federal agencies, individuals, and any other qualifying sponsor of habitat restoration projects  in the Focus Program area may request assistance from the program coordinator.  

Specific duties of the coordinator include:

• Assist Bonneville contractors, as requested, with Council FWP solicitation cycles.

• Coordinate and assist Bonneville funded project sponsors to plan, develop, and implement projects that will meet the goals of the Clearwater or Salmon subbasin plans.

• Secure funding sources through grant writing and proposal development for cost share with Bonneville funded projects and other subbasin projects that meet the goals and objectives of subbasin plans and/or associated draft recovery plans, and biological opinions for ESA listed fish species. Coordinate Bonneville funded projects with other fish restoration funding programs.

• Connect habitat project sponsors with technical experts to assist with planning, design and implementation of projects. Provide technical review, editing, and writing assistance as requested by project sponsors.  

• Provide advice and assistance with environmental consultations including NEPA, National Historic Preservation Act, and state and federal permitting.

• Offer general management, support, and contract administration assistance.

• Manage the Subbasin Implementation Database.

Groups the coordinator oversees and/or facilitates meetings for:

• Clearwater Technical Group (CTG) is composed of interested agency staffs, organizations, individuals, and conservation districts interested in restoration project coordination and collaboration.  Purpose:  Develops partnerships and project proposals to restore fish populations and habitats.

• Clearwater Core Review Team (CCRT) is composed of technical staff from the following: Bureau of Land Management, Clearwater - Nez Perce National Forest, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, and two retired agency fish biologists. The function of this group is to review project proposals developed for various fish restoration funding programs using review criteria the team developed. None of the team members (6 fish biologists and 1 hydraulic engineer) by design, have a stake in the project proposals they review.  Project proposals will be prepared in response to solicitations for the Idaho Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund, the Idaho State - Bonneville Power Administration Accord, the Geographic Review cycle, and the Snake River Basin Adjudication (SRBA) program. The Idaho PCSRF allows Bonneville funds to be used as non-federal cost share; the SRBA does not.