The watershed restoration work elements described in this project area, the South Fork Salmon River and Big Creek Watersheds, follow the watershed restoration approach adopted by the Nez Perce Tribe (NPT) Department of Fisheries Resource Management (DFRM) - Watershed Division.  The mission of the Nez Perce Tribe Watershed Division (NPT-WD) is to protect and restore aquatic ecosystems using a holistic approach encompassing entire watersheds from ridge-top to ridge-top throughout the Nez Perce Tribe Ceded Territory.   This restoration work has its roots in exercising Tribal sovereignty and protecting rights reserved under the Nez Perce Treaty of 1855 with the United States Federal Government.  Specifically, our mission is to:
• Be a leader in holistic aquatic ecosystem restoration;
• Ensure and facilitate the protection of currently healthy and properly functioning aquatic ecosystems;
• Aggressively restore degraded aquatic ecosystems by any and all means necessary;
• Ensure our efforts focus on restoring the functions that support healthy ecosystems, such as natural stream flows, appropriate sediment loads, floodplain connectivity, and appropriately vegetated riparian corridors;
• Develop clear and quantitatively defined goals and standards for healthy aquatic ecosystems, as well as the protocols to monitor the success and status of recovery efforts and facilitate adaptive management strategies;
• Coordinate and collaborate with appropriate individuals and/or entities with land management authority to ensure plans and activities are protective and respectful of aquatic ecosystems;
• Provide educational opportunities and outreach materials for all age groups, other agencies, and the public on environmental issues and ethics;
• Maintain a workforce which possesses the highest level of integrity and professionalism, and is well organized, passionate, creative, and connected to the land and resources, and;
• Work within and implement the integrated management strategies of the Department of Fisheries Resource Management.
  The NPT DFRM - Watershed Division is working in partnership with the Payette and Boise National Forests; Valley and Idaho Counties; Idaho's Department of Environmental Quality; Idaho's Department of Fish and Game; Idaho's Office of Species Conservation; NOAA; USFWS; and private landowners to achieve restoration goals.    

PROJECT GOAL:
The ultimate goal of this ongoing project is to protect and restore the ecological and biological functions of the South Fork Salmon River and Big Creek Watersheds to assist in the recovery and protection of anadromous and resident fish species, and all other fish and wildlife.  

PROJECT SUMMARY:
The NPT Watershed Division initiated watershed restoration projects in the South Fork Salmon River Watershed in 2008,  which included a comprehensive road inventory and assessment to prioritize future road decommissioning and road-trail conversions, the design of the Salt, Profile, and Parks Creek culvert replacement Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP) projects, and the beginning of a cooperative partnership between the Payette National Forest and the NPT.  In 2009, the 3 fish passage barrier culverts on Parks, Salt and Profile Creeks were replaced with pre-stressed, pre-cast concrete free-span modular bridges returning 15.64 miles of fish habitat; full recontour of 22 miles of roads within the Secesh River subwatershed (within the Cow, Calf, Marvrick, Zena subwatershed complex); continuation of road inventories, transportation planning, and fish barrier data collection for the entire South Fork Salmon Watershed on the Payette and Boise National Forests to identify future high priority restoration projects.  In 2010, restoration activities included restoration planning for the Wapiti Meadow Ranch Conservation Easement; the replacement of 5 fish passage barrier culverts to return 7.3 miles of highly valuable cold water fish habitat along Curtis and Trail Creeks;  full recontour of 16 miles roads within the South Fork Salmon River watershed; completion of 39 miles of road surveys and transportation planning in sub-watersheds, and continuation of fish barrier data collection for the entire South Fork Salmon Subbasin on the Payette and Boise National Forests to identify future high priority restoration projects; and 4 fish passage barrier replacements were designed for culverts in the Upper Secesh watershed.  In addition, the Big Creek Watershed was included and an additional 18 miles of roads were surveyed using the GRAIP methodology; numerous fish passage problem areas were investigated; and work to replace the Big Creek Ford was initiated.  In 2011, restoration activities included removal of non-native vegetation along Cox creek, planting of native vegetation, the building of riparian fencing in Wapiti Meadow Ranch Conservation easement and along the adjacent Johnson Creek; full recontour of 9 miles of roads within the Payette National Forest and 12 miles of road within the Boise National Forest, road inventories in the Camp/Phoebe Creek (South Fork WS) and Lake Creek subwatersheds (Upper Secesh WS); continuation of implementation effectiveness monitoring; fish barrier surveys; Thunder Mountain potential project review; and the replacement of the Big Creek Ford with a 85 foot span bridge.  Long-term restoration planning will continue to focus on sediment reduction, re-connecting tributaries, and habitat protection and restoration.  These activities will require the maintenance of existing partnerships and the development of new partnerships mostly with private property owners within the South Fork Salmon River and Big Creek Watersheds.

In 2012, restoration activities will include installation of an AOP culvert on Cox Creek, riparian planting and fencing along Cox and Johnson Creek at Wapiti Meadows Ranch through a conservation easement.  On the Payette National Forest restoration projects include the rehabilitation of riparian habitat at Phoebe Creek dispersed campsite, sediment reduction project at the Sunny Side Pit in the Thunder Mountain mining reclamation site and the installation of an AOP culvert on Burgdorf Creek, a restoration and monitoring plan for the conservation easement on Burgdorf Meadows and road inventories within the Lake Creek, Jakie, and Cougar Creek sub-watersheds.  On the Boise National Forest within the SFSR, restoration projects include: road surveys in the upper SFSR watersheds, full recontour and obliteration  of 10  miles of road in the Burntlog and 10 miles along the upper SFSR watersheds within the Boise National Forest.