Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program
SOW Report
Contract 73352: 1992-026-01 EXP LICK CREEK BRIDGE
Project Number:
Title:
Grande Ronde Model Watershed
BPA PM:
Stage:
Implementation
Area:
Province Subbasin %
Blue Mountain Grande Ronde 100.00%
Contract Number:
73352
Contract Title:
1992-026-01 EXP LICK CREEK BRIDGE
Contract Continuation:
Previous: Next:
n/a
Contract Status:
Closed
Contract Description:
The Imnaha Subbasin Plan (Ecovista and Nez Perce Tribe, 2004) identifies reconnection of existing functional habitats as a key strategy for restoration actions in the subbasin.  Three fish passage barriers in the Big Sheep Creek watershed have been identified: the Wallowa Valley Improvement Canal and Buhler diversions on Big Sheep Creek and the Lick Creek culvert.  GRMW replaced the Buhler diversion in 2011. Replacement of the Lick Creek culvert is part of the Lick Creek Aquatic Restoration Project (LCARP) that the Wallowa-Whitman NF is currently implementing.  Additional activities associated with LCARP include road reconstruction, campground improvements, OHV trail improvements, hardwood restoration, and closure of dispersed sites to restore and improve aquatic/riparian habitat in the Lick Creek Watershed.

The Lick Creek culvert is undersized, is a barrier to juvenile salmonids during low summer flows, and is structurally failing.  Lick Creek is prone to high stream temperatures downstream of the culvert while cool water refugia is present upstream of the culvert.  The culvert represents a risk to an estimated 1 mile of spawning and rearing habitat for all species present downstream of the culvert should the culvert fail.  The stream crossing is located in an area with a relatively broad floodplain and historically Lick Creek was likely a multi-thread channel through the project area.  The road prism interrupts floodplain connectivity through the project area.  Lick Creek provides high quality habitat for native salmonids both upstream and downstream of the stream crossing.  A large pool is located just downstream of the culvert.  This pool provides important holding habitat for adult spring Chinook salmon.

USFS has been monitoring the condition of the culvert since 2006 when cracks started to form in the concrete abutments on the upstream side of the culvert.  Since 2006, the condition of the culvert has continued to decline.  Failure of the culvert would likely result in degradation to an estimated 1 mile of spawning and rearing habitat for all species present below the culvert.  Since failure would likely occur during spring runoff there is a high likelihood of smothering of redds resulting in the death of salmonid embryos. The roadbed of FR3925-015 is built up where it crosses the floodplain of Lick Creek.  This has resulted in a disruption of floodplain connectivity through the project area.  An overflow culvert is present in the roadbed on the eastside of Lick Creek.  However, this culvert is too small to effectively handle a 100-year flood and resultant overbank flow.

Objectives for the Lick Creek Culvert Replacement Project are:

•   Restore access to spawning and rearing habitat above the culvert,
•   Restore access to cool water refugia present above the culvert for juvenile salmonids,
•   Remove risk to spawning and rearing habitat downstream of the culvert,
•   Restore floodplain connectivity through project area,
•   Retain/enhance habitat features that provide complex habitat for all life stages of native salmonids.

Replacing the culvert will remove a passage barrier to 2.5 miles of spawning and rearing habitat for SR steelhead; 1 mile of rearing habitat for juvenile SR spring Chinook salmon, 5 miles of spawning and rearing habitat for bull trout, and an estimated 2.5 miles of spawning and rearing habitat for Pacific lamprey.  Replacing the culvert will allow juvenile salmonids to access cool water refugia upstream of the stream crossing.  Replacing the culvert will also remove the risk to an estimated 1 mile of spawning and rearing habitat for all species present below the culvert should the culvert fail.  Replacing the culvert and installing floodplain relief culverts will restore floodplain connectivity through the project area.  The new stream channel through the project area will retain and enhance complex habitat features (i.e. pools and LWD) currently present.

The project will replace the culvert on the FR 3925-015 crossing with a bridge using the design developed through a 2015 OWEB Technical Assistance Grant.

Construction of the precast concrete bridge will involve removing the existing culvert, constructing the new channel, adjusting the road alignment to provide space for the fill for the abutments, and installing the proposed concrete bridge. The new bridge will be a 40-foot-span concrete bridge with concrete footings and abutments, and riprap banks.

Maintenance would occur as need by the USFS.

Monitoring Plan – The new bridge will be monitored annually for 3 years after replacement of the culvert to determine if the bridge and stream channel are functioning as designed.  This monitoring would occur after spring runoff and will be accomplished by the Forest engineering staff representative, District fish biologist and/or hydrologist.  The bridge will be inspected every two years by the Forest bridge inspector for structural integrity.  The FS and NPT will conduct effectiveness monitoring for five years above the stream crossing to determine it Chinook spawning or juvenile habitat is extended upstream of the stream crossing.
Account Type(s):
Expense
Contract Start Date:
09/01/2016
Contract End Date:
11/30/2017
Current Contract Value:
$112,200
Expenditures:
$112,200

* Expenditures data includes accruals and are based on data through 31-Oct-2024.

BPA CO:
BPA COR:
Env. Compliance Lead:
Contract Contractor:
Work Order Task(s):
Contract Type:
Coop
Pricing Method:
Cost Reimbursement (CNF)
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Full Name Organization Write Permission Contact Role Email Work Phone
Nils Christoffersen Wallowa Resources Yes Contract Manager nils@wallowaresources.org (541) 426-8053x25
Mary Estes Grande Ronde Model Watershed Foundation No Interested Party mary@grmw.org (541) 663-0570
Tracy Hauser Bonneville Power Administration Yes COR tlhauser@bpa.gov (503) 230-4296
Coby Menton Grande Ronde Model Watershed Foundation Yes Technical Contact rcoby@grmw.org (541) 426-0389
Christopher Roper Bonneville Power Administration No CO Assistant cproper@bpa.gov (503) 230-3514
Tybee Sheidler Bonneville Power Administration No CO Assistant tasheidler@bpa.gov (503) 230-3820
Robert Shull Bonneville Power Administration Yes Env. Compliance Lead rwshull@bpa.gov (503) 230-3962
John Skidmore Bonneville Power Administration Yes F&W Approver jtskidmore@bpa.gov (503) 230-5494
Jesse Steele Grande Ronde Model Watershed Foundation No Interested Party jesse@grmw.org (541) 663-0570
Connar Stone Grande Ronde Model Watershed Foundation No Interested Party connar@grmw.org (541) 663-0570
Alexandra Towne Grande Ronde Model Watershed Foundation Yes Interested Party alex@grmw.org (541) 663-0570
Peg Vanderzanden Wallowa Resources No Administrative Contact peg@wallowaresources.org (541) 426-8053x26
Ian Wilson Grande Ronde Model Watershed Foundation No Interested Party ian@grmw.org (541) 426-0389
Karen Wolfe Bonneville Power Administration Yes Contracting Officer ktwolfe@bpa.gov (503) 230-3448
Elham Zolmajd-Haghighi Bonneville Power Administration No CO Assistant ezolmajd-haghighi@bpa.gov (503) 230-7414


Viewing of Work Statement Elements

Deliverable Title WSE Sort Letter, Number, Title Start End Concluded
EC Compliance Documentation Completed A: 165. Environmental Documentation 09/30/2017 09/30/2017
Install Precast concrete bridge B: 184. Replace Existing Culvert with Bridge 08/31/2017 09/18/2017
Install Large Wood and Channel Rocks C: 29. Install large wood and rock 08/31/2017 08/31/2017
Road drainage and surface improved D: 38. Road drainage system and surface improvements & reconstruction 09/01/2017 09/08/2017
All administrative tasks fulfilled with timely quality products E: 119. Project Administration 11/30/2017 11/30/2017
Upload Completion Report F: 132. Lick Creek Bridge Completion Report - Sept 2016 - November 2017 11/30/2017 11/30/2017

Viewing of Implementation Metrics
Viewing of Environmental Metrics Customize

Primary Focal Species Work Statement Elements
Chinook (O. tshawytscha) - Snake River Spring/Summer ESU (Threatened)
  • 1 instance of WE 29 Increase Aquatic and/or Floodplain Complexity
  • 1 instance of WE 38 Improve Road for Instream Habitat Benefits
  • 1 instance of WE 184 Install Fish Passage Structure
Steelhead (O. mykiss) - Snake River DPS (Threatened)
  • 1 instance of WE 29 Increase Aquatic and/or Floodplain Complexity
  • 1 instance of WE 38 Improve Road for Instream Habitat Benefits
  • 1 instance of WE 184 Install Fish Passage Structure

Sort WE ID WE Title NEPA NOAA USFWS NHPA Has Provisions Inadvertent Discovery Completed
A 165 Environmental Documentation 09/01/2016
B 184 Replace Existing Culvert with Bridge 07/05/2016
C 29 Install large wood and rock 07/05/2016
D 38 Road drainage system and surface improvements & reconstruction 07/05/2016
E 119 Project Administration 09/01/2016
F 132 Lick Creek Bridge Completion Report - Sept 2016 - November 2017 09/01/2016
G 185 Quarterly Status Reports 09/01/2016