The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Grande Ronde Subbasin Restoration Project (199608300) was initiated in 1996 to develop and implement a fish habitat program that contributes to the mitigation of Snake River Basin salmon and steelhead losses associated with the Federal Columbia River Hydropower System (FCRPS) and recovery of ESA anadromous fish. The project works collaboratively with multiple agencies, organizations, and private landowners to identify, prioritize, plan, design, implement, maintain, and monitor tributary fish habitat restoration and enhancement projects. The Project embraces the goals of the CTUIR established in its’ Columbia Basin Salmon Policy (CTUIR, 1995) River Vision (Jones, et. al., 2008), Wykan-Ush-Me Wa Kush, Spirit of the Salmon (CRITFC, 1995), and is tiered to the Northwest Power Planning Council Fish and Wildlife Program as amended(NPPC, 2009), Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan (NPPC, 2004), Draft Recovery Plan For Oregon Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon And Steelhead Populations In The Snake River Chinook Salmon Evolutionary Significant Unit And Snake River Steelhead Distinct Population Segment (NMFS, 2010), and the Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion (FCRPS BiOP), (NMFS, 2008).

The CTUIR propose ongoing fish habitat protection, enhancement, maintenance, and monitoring under the CTUIR-BPA Accord to protect, restore and enhancement watershed and habitat conditions for focal species. Project staff participate in basin project planning and prioritization and collaboration through the Grande Ronde Model Watershed on the technical implementation team and the project leader is a GRMW Board Member.

In FY 2020, the project will be focused on construction of the Longley Meadow Project along the Grande Ronde River and planning/design on additional phases of the Middle Upper Grande Ronde River.  Additionally, CTUIR is planning on initiating planning/design on the Catherine Creek Rivermile 42 fish collection facility to evaluate passage and infrastructure, development of project prospectus' for future projects, including Lookingglass Conservation Property and McCoy Meadows, and participate on planning teams for Hall Ranch and Buffalo Flats projects.
Project staff will continue to work on development of new land acquisition opportunities to protect important habitat.