The CTUIR’s North Fork John Day Fisheries Enhancement Project (The Project) works to protect and enhance physical and biological process and in turn habitat to improve the natural production of indigenous, Mid-Columbia River (MCR) Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU) summer steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) listed as threatened under the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) within the North Fork of the John Day River Basin. The Project originated in 2000 with initial on-the-ground implementations occurring in 2001. Restoration actions were initially undertaken within lower Camas Creek tributaries (Snipe and Owens Creeks), Deer Creek and the Lower North Fork John Day River. Over time however, the Project identified three focus basins (Camas, Desolation, and Granite Creeks) for which analysis and actions plans have been developed to guide restoration actions.

Focus basins including Camas, Desolation, and Granite Creeks were identified in 2006 ISRP Geographic Review based upon basin condition, qualities, and potential for maximizing benefits. Selection was also based upon subbasin plans, recovery plans, and regional priorities of CTUIR’s co-managers and collaborators. These focal basins have been carried forward through subsequent ISRP reviews, in part, to avoid a scattergun and opportunistic approach to restoration.

Focal basins contain a mix of privately held and publicly managed lands still influenced by past land management practices that affect each basin somewhat differently. However, past and current grazing, timber harvest, and transportation infrastructure development and maintenance influence all basins. The Granite Creek basin has been heavily placer and lode mined as well. Restoration prioritization within focal areas evolved from opportunistic efforts on individual properties to the use of agency derived basin specific action plans. Around 2015 the CTUIR began developing subbasin prioritization largely based on BPA’s ATLAS framework until the John Day Basin Partnership’s ATLAS based aquatic prioritization was developed for the entire John Day River basin. The partnership will soon produce an ATLAS based uplands prioritization for the entire John Day River basin. Restoration practitioners are now basing priorities on these documents. CTUIR is now undertaking larger reach scale projects with multiple participants.

Documents upon which focal basin selection were based and John Day Basin Partnership prioritizations have and will continue to support the CTUIR’s First Foods Policy implemented through the Umatilla River Vision and Upland Visions. Our approach to habitat restoration is rooted in the CTUIR’s First Foods Policy and Umatilla River Vision. The First Foods Policy identifies food groups integral to the tribe’s religion and culture while the Umatilla River Vision outlines a framework for process-based analysis using five primary touchstones (Hydrology, Geomorphology, Aquatic Biota, Riparian Vegetation, and Connectivity). The framework has been adopted by the CTUIR’s Department of Natural Resources for all management and restoration actions. The First Foods Policy, Umatilla River Vision and Upland Vision are inherently consistent with the strategies and objectives outlined in the John Day Subbasin Plan and other planning and recovery documents.

Thus far, habitat has been improved through nine conservation agreements, nine complete or partial barriers to passage removed, 515 Km and 8,138 acres of stream channel and floodplain habitats improved, and two assessments and one action plan have been developed to guide restoration actions. Work will continue with the Camas, Desolation, and Granite Creek basins until priorities guide our work elsewhere.

Our 2024 efforts will focus on low tech hand crew work on Desolation, Camas, and Kelsay Creeks, designs for 2 miles of Bull Run and 1.8 miles of Hidaway Creeks, contributing to designs for 2.3 miles of Bull Run Creek Meadows, reestablishing native vegetation on Kelsay Creek, watershed coordination for native plantings along Granite and Desolation Creeks, coordination for removal of 0.3 miles of the USFS 1003 Road from a wetland, maintaining past native plantings, coordinating with Grant County to secure funds for the replacement of three passage barriers along Bull Run Creek, and beginning work to restoring Kelly Prairie. Efforts will continue concurrently to select and develop actions to be developed and implemented beyond 2022.

CTUIR staff have been working with Trout Unlimited and Umatilla National Forest staff to identify areas for and implement low tech hand crew techniques in higher elevation meadow habitats which are sensitive to heavy equipment access and movement. During BPA contract 73982 Releases 106, 136, 162, and 191 work began and continued in the Camas and Desolation Creek basins. The approach uses minimal designs and site sourced wood to increase stream channel and floodplain roughness. Work has been occurring under a TU/USFS agreement sunsetting in late 2024. Permits are secured by the Umatilla Nation Forest under their ARBO B.O. and the CTUIR supplements funding Trout Unlimited obtains from other sources. Trout Unlimited staff are responsible for veteran crew administration and oversight.

CTUIR staff have been coordinating with Trout Unlimited and the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest to develop designs to address legacy effects of past mining and grazing in Bull Run Creek Meadows. Trout Unlimited is leading the design effort with technical review and input by the forest and CTUIR. CTUIR will pass on design iterations for review. Collaborators tentatively expect to implement the final design in 2025 or 2026.

In 2023 the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, North Fork John Day Watershed Council, and CTUIR completed Phase 1 of the Kuckucéepe téekin (Bull Run Creek RM 0.5) Implementation effort (BPA Contract #73982 release 186) with Phase 2 set to begin in 2025. Tailing excavation created an inset floodplain in which new stream channel was developed. However, collaborators found large deposits of sorted sand which exists on floodplain surfaces and new channel substrate which will need to be dealt with as part of Phase 2. During 2024 collaborators will reconsider the design to address these issues to improve the project’s success.

In 2022 (BPA contract 73982 Release 162) the CTUIR worked with a private landowner to increase channel complexity through the addition of large wood. The following spring wood moved about without leaving the site. Designs will improve wood stability and encourage more sediment deposition using helicoptered whole trees.

In 2008/09 the Umatilla National Forest and CTUIR collaborated (BPA Contract 32946 & 37318) to enclose ~100 acres of stringer meadow with fencing to prohibit cattle access. While grasses have recovered native hardwood recouperation has been limited. More recently hand crew work resulted in greater water retention throughout the summer which should encourage native hardwood growth if encouraged. To that end, the Umatilla National Forest, Trout Unlimited, and CTUIR will plant native hardwoods within buck and pole fences (~3 acres) within the 2008/09 wire fence.

The Umatilla National Forest has had staffing shortages including the North Fork John Day District Ranger which has made communication and coordination difficult. With a new ranger in place the CTUIR will work with district staff to permit supplementation of past plantings at the Granite Creek RM 7.5 (BPA Contract #73982 Release 106 & 136) and Desolation Creek Reach 3 (BPA Contract #73982 release 158) sites. Staff will also work to permit removal of 0.3 miles of the USFS 1003 Road which could not be removed during the 2023 Desolation Creek Reach 3 Implementation effort 3 (BPA Contract #73982 release 158) due a need to transfer the road easement.

Several years ago, the CTUIR supported a federal grant application from Grant County in their request for federal funds to resurface the 24 Road along Bull Run Creek and replacement of five culverts. Three of the culverts form partial passage barriers to aquatic organisms including one along Boundary Creek adjacent to the Bull Run Creek Mine Tailing Design completed in early 2022. A 2023 funding application subbimmitted by Grant County was not funded. As such, the CTUIR will work with Grant County and the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest to resubmit the application. Implementation will occur in 2025 if the application is successful.

The CTUIR will coordinate with the Umatilla National Forest to determine if a restoration project in Kelly Prairie, east of Ukiah, Oregon can be fully developed. If the project is deemed feasible the CTUIR or North Fork John Day Watershed Council will work with the forest to acquire funds to fully design and permit the project.