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 contain a mix of privately held and publicly managed lands. Historic land management practices influenced each basin somewhat differently, however, the influence of grazing, timber harvest, and transportation infrastructure occurred throughout all basins. The Granite Creek basin however, has been heavily placer and lode mined as well. Efforts in Camas Creek are guided by the Camas Creek Assessment and prioritization which informed the John Day Partnership's ATLAS prioritization process. Within Desolation Creek efforts are guided by the Desolation Creek Geomorphic Assessment and Action plan completed in 2017 which was incorporated into the John Day Partnership's Atlas Framework. The Bull Run Creek Action Plan informs work in portions of the Granite Creek watershed and also was incorporated into the John Day Partnership's Atlas Framework.  

To date, all restoration actions have included cost share funding and/or in-kind assistance from various sources including the CTUIR, U.S. Department of Agriculture' s Wildlife Habitat Incentive and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Programs (WHIP and CREP), U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, North Fork John Day Watershed Council, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Partners for Wildlife Program, Umatilla National Forest, and Columbia Power Cooperative Association. The Project has also partnered with other entities, including the Monument and Grant Soil and Water Conservation Districts to assist them in obtaining NOAA cost share and habitat recovery on additional North and Middle Fork John Day tributaries. More recently the CTUIR has been involved in the development of the John Day Partnership and contributed to Partnership’s securing Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board’s Focused Investment Partnership program.

Thus far, habitat has been improved through nine conservation agreements, nine complete or partial barriers to passage removed, 15 miles of existing riparian fence improved through heavy maintenance, two assessments and one action plan have been developed to guide restoration actions, four noxious weed control or mapping efforts outside of conservation agreements were undertaken, mining tailings were addressed along 3.8 km of floodplain habitats, and three designs are currently being developed to address historic mine tailings and floodplain and stream channel connectivity and complexity.

The Project’s 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 documents such as action plans inherently consistent with the strategies and objectives outlined in the John Day Subbasin Plan and other relevant planning and recovery documents.

During 2021 design and permitting efforts will continue for the 10 Road Relocation and Bull Run Creek Restoration projects. The CTUIR expects contractors will complete the Granite Creek RM 7.5 Instream Restoration Project and implement the approved Hidaway Creek design to the extent possible. The CTUIR and Umatilla National Forest will collaborate with Trout Unlimited to implement hand crew work on Camas, N FK Cable, and potentially N FK Desolation Creeks.