This contract covers work to be completed by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), Lemhi Soil and Water Conservation District (Lemhi SWCD), Centered Consulting International (CCI) and CH2M Hill.  

IDFG will complete two projects, Lemhi Basin Habitat Improvement - BPA, and the Amonson Upper Lemhi Side Channel project.  Both are cost share projects between Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) and BPA.    

Lemhi SWCD projects include portions of Upper Hawley Water Rights Point-of-Use Transfer,  the Lemhi Side Channel at Mabey Lane, Carmen Creek SCC-03 flow enhancement project and Lower Hawley Creek Culvert to Bridge project.  The Upper Hawley Water Rights Point-of-Use Transfer project and Lemhi Side Channel at Mabey Lane were both on the last Lemhi River Restoration contract, #59768, but could not be completed before the end of that contract.  The Carmen Creek project was cancelled in 59768 due to landowner concerns, however those concerns have been addressed.

IDFG's Lemhi Basin Habitat Improvement - BPA will include work elements for design work on Bohannon Creek #3 Diversion, Big Timber #2 Diversion, and Lower Lemhi River Restoration.    

The Amonson Upper Lemhi Side Channel project will include work elements for construction of a new side channel, the addition of structures to increase habitat complexity, installation of a new fence, and revegetation.    

The Upper Hawley Water Rights Point-of-Use Transfer project will be funded by BPA, Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund and EQIP (NRCS).  The objective of this project is to increase water quantity in Hawley Creek below the Lemhi Hawley Creek three (LHaC-03) diversion by transferring the point of use (POU) thereby creating on farm irrigation efficiencies. To accomplish this, a point-of-use transfer will be completed to realign the pivot configuration to conform to the existing 521.7 acre water right without expansion of irrigation. The open ditch water conveyance system will be converted to a more efficient irrigation pipeline laid inside of the existing irrigation ditch.  This project will improve water quantity for fish migration by approximately 5.3 cfs or 3,841acre-feet/year.

The Lemhi Side Channel at Mabey Lane project is a cost share project funded partly through BPA Accord funds and partly through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund.  The project's main objective is to construct a Lemhi River side channel. A new side channel will be developed to allow access to the river's natural floodplain on approximately 15 acres and a back-water side channel will be developed for off-channel habitat from the Lemhi River. The new side channel will be approximately 800 feet in length, with meanders, instream pools, and large woody debris features. A jack fence will be built to protect existing vegetation and new plantings. These two objectives are proposed to happen concurrently.

The Carmen Creek SCC-03 project will be funded by BPA, Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund and EQIP (NRCS).  The objective of this project is to increase the flows below the Salmon Carmen Creek 3 diversion by transferring the point of diversion and providing on farm irrigation efficiencies. This project will improve stream flow by 2.0 cfs (1,448.90 acre-feet/year), improve riparian function and fish migration. To accomplish this, two landowners will exchange the point of diversion from Carmen Creek and pump water from an alternate source. An open ditch irrigation system will be converted to a pivot sprinkler and K-Line system to improve water conveyance and distribution efficiency.

Lemhi SWCD will utilize BPA funds for the Lower Hawley Creek Culvert Replacement-County Road Project. Currently, a corrugated metal culvert is used to convey Hawley Creek underneath the Hawley Creek Road which is maintained by the Lemhi County Road and Bridge Department.  This culvert will be replaced to provide unimpaired fish passage for some or all life stages of ESA-listed anadromous and resident fish species.  This project proposes to replace the culvert with a prefabricated modular steel bridge.  Removal of these fish passage barriers will provide approximately 0.9 miles of access upstream to an existing irrigation diversion.

CCI will support Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) personnel by providing guidance, modeling development when additional efforts are required, and technical support for the Lemhi MIKE BASIN Model (LMBM).  

CH2M Hill will provide support to IDWR on the Upper Salmon Basin Ground Water-Surface Water (USB GW-SW) Interactions Study, Phase 2.