Project Overview

This project’s Phase I goals and objectives are the initial steps in an overall large scale local partnership effort between 8 private landowners and the USWCD, BOR, CTUIR, and ODFW. These partners are working to strategize, plan, and design a multi-faceted and phased project addressing critical Spring/Summer Chinook habitat limiting factors to promote increased capacity for spawning, summer rearing, and overwintering habitat within the Middle Catherine Creek Reach. Phase I’s goal is to address the landowners immediate concerns of high water event bank erosion, fencing loss, occasional livestock loss, and potential outbuilding flooding while larger scale planning and design for Phase II is completed. Phase II and potential subsequent project phases include a variety of habitat enhancement and restoration strategies including:

*  Re-meandering channel segments
*  Re-activation of historic channel segments
*  Construction/re-activation of side channels and alcove habitat
*  Reclamation of channelized reaches into complex side channel and wetland habitat
*  Removal of dykes to promote floodplain connectivity Installation of Large Wood Material (LWM) structures and riffle complexes
*  Riparian plantings and seeding
*  Irrigation POD’s consolidations, seasonal push-up dam removals, and water conservation measures such as irrigation delivery pipelines, off channel watering systems, and riparian exclosure easement fences.

Project goals such as easements and exclosure riparian fencing is not included with Phase I. However, all landowners have agreed to enter into conservation easement agreements once Phase II, scheduled for 2014, is completed. Phase I actions are a subset of the overall multi-phase project.

Specific Actions

1. Install Engineered Large Wood Material Structures.
2. Re-seed and Re-plant Disturbed Areas
3. Trap and haul (salvage) fish and other aquatic species from construction areas to avoid any unintentional take or injury.

Specific project benefits

*  Engineered LWM structures will maintain the desired channel configuration and increase in-stream habitat complexity.
*  Creation of scour pools, runs, and riffles of various sizes and complexity.
*  Potential increase for sediment storage at controlled locations.
*  Increase LWM recruitment from near non-existent conditions through re-vegetation of native Willow, Cottonwood, Alder, shrubs and grass plantings.   The additional vegetation will also add stability to stream banks and decrease erosion and sediment loads into the creek.
*  Phase II plantings and exclosure riparian fencing will increase wildlife habitat created within the project area.
*  Phase II conservation easements will protect the project and allow it to mature.

Project Maintenance

USWCD, CTUIR, ODFW staff, and the landowners will maintain the project. Extensive maintenance of in-stream habitat enhancement structures and exclosure fencing is not anticipated.  Maintenance associated with the conservation easements includes annual fence inspection, repair and maintenance of planted materials consisting of managing competing vegetation to increase plant survival rates.  A weed management plan will be developed and implemented once Phase II of the project is completed.