The CTUIR and USFS propose implementation of fish habitat and floodplain enhancement using the CTUIR’s River Vision increase habitat suitability for native fish spawning and rearing, fluvial processes and ecological functions.

The Project area presents a large-scale and significant opportunity to expand, create, and enhance core spawning and rearing habitat for ESA listed spring-summer Chinook salmon and summer steelhead.  The Project is a continuation of habitat restoration actions previously conducted by the US Forest Service (primarily large wood additions). Strategies include: 1) identifying and prioritizing response reaches within project area for improved floodplain connection and side channel habitat creation; 2) Utilizing apex Engineered Log Jams (ELJs) to force split channel flow and increase habitat complexity and diversity, particularly in areas identified under strategy #1; and 3) Installation of channel spanning wood structures to increase depth and pool habitat and decrease velocity to mimic onsite examples exhibiting these key habitat conditions (e.g, ELJ’s, natural wood, and beaver dams). Proposed large wood additions include previous and existing large wood sites as well as locations with potential for achieving depth, velocity, and floodplain/peripheral habitat connectivity objectives. Gravel augmentation and additional large wood installation will be evaluated in conjunction with future project phases (phases II-III) along an 8 mile planning reach.

The long-term rehabilitation vision (CTUIR’s River Vision) for the Middle Upper reach of the Grande Ronde River is to improve physical and ecological processes by rehabilitating and restoring the project area to achieve immediate and long-term benefits to chinook, steelhead, and bull trout at all life stages.

The Project will involve a combination of helicopter and tracked or rubber tire excavator placement of large key member wood pieces with rootwads to increase complexity and floodplain connectivity for fish, both within the river channel and along the floodplain, as well as sort and store sediment. Sediment and bed load dynamics is currently unknown. Future project phases will evaluate and consider gravel augmentation at selected locations at or near large wood installation sites as well as potential to add additional wood material to the reach. Sediment sorting, storage, and potential future gravel augmentation could help in addressing the legacy effects of historical splash dam logging and impacts on suitable spawning and rearing habitat. The successful implementation of this project will enhance in-stream habitat for Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed and non-ESA-listed native fish species. The successful completion of this project will improve:


•   Floodplain connectivity (base flow, shallow groundwater capacity, and capability of functional connection and interaction with the floodplain through hyporheic flow);
•   Channel morphology (channel form, sinuosity, complexity, geomorphic and hydrograph stability through the addition of large wood);
•   Fish habitat (the quality and diversity of in-stream habitat for resident and anadromous fish in the Grande Ronde River);
•   Restoration of natural channel processes through the addition of large wood to increase channel complexity and gravel augmentation in future phases to address channel substrate conditions.

Benefits to salmonids will be achieved through restoration and rehabilitation of the whole floodplain ecosystem.  Targeting of present and specific limiting factors such as temperature, in-stream habitat conditions, and sediment loads will achieve immediate benefits to salmon. Long term benefits will be realized through a focus on restoring fluvial habitat-forming processes, floodplain and groundwater hyporheic connectivity, riparian and wetland plant communities, and instream complexity and diversity commensurate with the reach’s natural potential.