Kuckucéepe téekin (Bull Run Creek RM 3) Implementation Project
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, past and current grazing, timber harvest, and transportation infrastructure development and maintenance influence all basins. The Granite Creek basin, however, has been heavily placer and lode mined as well. Restoration Prioritization is primarily guided by the John Day Basin Partnership’s ATLAS prioritization of the John Day basin supplemented by the CTUIR derived Camas Creek Assessment and Desolation Creek Geomorphic Assessment and Action plan. 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.

The North Fork of the John Day watershed was ranked as a Tier 1 high priority watershed under the John Day Basin Partnership prioritization effort using BPA’s ATLAS framework. The Partnership scored the project reach 83 out of 100 which was the second highest opportunity ranking in the North Fork John Day Watershed. Restoration actions identified for the reach included floodplain construction, perennial side channel, channel reconstruction, LWD placement, and restoration of floodplain topography and vegetation. The accepted design incorporates all but one (perennial side channel).

These documents do not however replace the CTUIR’s First Foods Policy implemented through the Umatilla River Vision and Upland Vision. 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 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 reek basins until priorities guide our work elsewhere.

This contract will cover implementation of the Kuckucéepe téekin (Bull Run Creek RM 3) design. This contract includes all phases of the project and spans the entire construction period anticipated to run from the spring 2023 to winter 2025. This contract will provide partial funding for subcontract implementation and engineering oversight with additional cost share funding supporting implementation. Costs for Phase 2 will be finalized during the contract period. It is anticipated that additional funding will be allocated through a contract change request to support Phase 2 implementation in 2025. CTUIR staff time for project oversight is not included in this contract and will be covered under a concurrent CTUIR NF John Day contract that renews annually.

The Kuckucéepe téekin (Bull Run Creek RM 3) design was developed over the past several years in collaboration with the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, North Fork John Day Watershed Council, and BPA. Large scale placer mining which occurred prior to the early 1940s turned over the project site from hillslope to hillslope to an unknown depth. This occurred throughout lower Granite Creek and its larger tributaries such as Bull run Creek. Tailings were left I place after mining ceased and effectively constrained Bull Run Creek to a narrow band within the larger historic floodplain. Constraining the creek to the extent it did effectively eliminate any potential for restoration of physical and biologic process which would have allowed for site recovery.

Given the extent and intensity of past mining a phased restoration approach has been adopted. Under this approach ~5 acres of tailings will be excavated to create new channel segments and inset floodplain with 207 or more large wood structure constructed, and 3,500 native hardwoods planted as Phase 1. Two years later these new channel segments and floodplains will be activated, old channels filled, and additional large wood structures may be developed, and a more extensive planting effort will compose Phase 2.

While 1,750’ of new stream channel will be created during Phase 1’s floodplain excavation the new channel will not be activated until Phase 2. This approach was selected given the extent of mining and restoration disturbance and composition of remaining tailings which are not as competent as native floodplain stratigraphy with rooting mass. Developing stream channel, large wood structures, and planting native vegetation without channel activation will improve site stability and recovery in the long term. Because stream channel creation and activation will occur during two phases as does staging channel fill rock (Phase 1) and filing portions of the existing channel (Phase 2) metrics for channel creation and fill will be accounted for at the completion of Phase 2.

CCR-48666 - CCR to add $700,000 in BPA/USFS agreement funds from Project 2023-004-00 for Bull Run phase 1 implementation. The funding is the result of a USFS commitment to CTUIR to fund the Bull Run project implementation and a Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) and funding agreement between the USFS and BPA for habitat and passage work on USFS property in the John Day Basin. Additional details are provided under project 2024-004-00. The funding is being added directly to this standalone habitat implementation contract to assure that the project timelines are met, and phase 1 implementation remains on track for 2023. An agreement for the implementation oversight and project funding will also be developed between CTUIR and the USFS for the Bull Run project. There is no change to contract scope associated with the CCR as the entirety of implementation, including anticipated cost share, was covered by the initial contract.