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| A | 224935 | 165 | Produce Environmental Compliance Documentation | Provide Environmental Compliance Documentation to BPA | All applicable NEPA, ESA and Cultural Resources consultation will be completed and submitted to the BPA Environmental Lead for review and approval. This work will be performed for Road Decommissioning, Installing Fish Passage Structures Plantings, and addition restoration work as necessary. Any Project requiring HIP III coverage will be brought to the BPA Environmental Lead with adequate time to review.
The PNF and BNF may have already completed comprehensive CE's, EA's or EIS's for some areas, and some of the environmental compliance requirements may have already been met. All environmental compliance documents will be provided to EC lead. | $5,000 | 0.64% | 04/01/2022 | 03/31/2023 |
| B | 224936 | 119 | Manage and Administer Projects | Project Management, Coordination, and Administration | Project management and administration for Nez Perce Tribe Watershed Division includes contract preparation, statements of work, provide cost share, monthly invoicing, status reports and budgeting. | $25,000 | 3.22% | 04/01/2022 | 03/31/2023 |
| C | 224937 | 99 | Outreach and Education | Public outreach and education | As a steward of the land and resource, NPT-WD strives to provide educational opportunities and outreach materials on environmental issues and restoration work implemented by the Nez Perce Tribe and funded by BPA. Educating Nez Perce people about the importance of the SFSR , BC and LSR project areas and its resources remains a specific goal of the NPT-WD. Although younger generations may lack knowledge of the area’s historical significance to their culture, they will play a vital role in preserving its ecological integrity in the future. The NPT-WD has been successful in procuring and administering grants to educate youth. Furthermore, the NPT-WD uses interpretative media at restoration sites to inform multiple user groups about the anthropogenic alterations to the SFSR and BC watersheds and explain the importance of restoration efforts. Project personnel participate in community outreach through hosting symposiums and training's, as well as participating in local classrooms, collaborative settings, and field trip outings.
As with past years, in FY22 we would like to continue our public outreach and education in regards to the LSR, BC and SFSR watersheds.
In the LSR watershed we will continue to outreach within the LSR Watershed Collaborative https://littlesalmonriverwatershedcollaborative.com/
using a $100,000 Bureau of Reclamation grant. There will be roughly 50 individuals in the collaborative we will be highlighting the benefits of restoration actions. This collaborative will meet monthly.
In BC we will be working with landowners to educate them on the impacts of their domestic water diversions structures. We will educate and help install 3 water diversions structures with Snake River Adjudication (SRBA) grant funds. This outreach will likely impact 10-15 people.
In the SFSR our goals are to work with local McCall students to bring awareness to environmental issues regarding anthropogenic impacts to anadromous fish. There are identified educational opportunities to present to students and teachers at the McCall grade/high school this spring. As in years past we will work with teachers to aid in Trout in the Classroom, this is a program aimed at educating students on the ESA listed fish species present in their area. We are also hoping to work in cooperation with the McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS) a satellite campus at the University of Idaho's College of Natural Resource. Educating NPT students about resource issues in our watershed continues to be one of our priorities. In the past we have had students from the Student Conservation Association work with our field crews, we are examining opportunities for this in 2022 as well. Project staff also participate in the Big Creek/Yellow Pine/SFSR Collaborative, a group of resource management agencies, special interest groups and stakeholders and Forest Service personnel who work together to provide recommendations to the Forest Service on transportation system roads and restoration opportunities within the Payette National Forest. | $25,000 | 3.22% | 04/01/2022 | 03/31/2023 |
| D | 224938 | 198 | Maintain Vegetation | Maintain Riparian plantings at Wapiti and Burgdorf Meadows | In an effort to enhance the riparian habitat along Cox Creek at Wapiti Meadows 494 riparian plants were planted in 2011 and 583 plants in 2012, in the 2020 field season an additional 140 plants were planted along Forstrum Creek. In Burgdorf Meadows 500 riparian plants were planted in 2013 and 800 in 2014, 65 in 2015. The plantings were comprised of the following native plant species: Black hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii), Golden current (Ribes aureum), Mountain alder (Alnus incana), Red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea), Woods rose (Rosa woodsii), Black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa), Booths willow (Salix boothii), Sandbar willow (Salix exigua) and Geyer’s willow (Salix geyeri). Field crews will spend time at Wapiti and Burdgorf Meadows making sure weeds do not overtake the riparian vegetation and that the plants are watered to increase plant survival. | $15,000 | 1.93% | 04/01/2022 | 11/30/2022 |
| E | 224939 | 198 | Maintain Vegetation | Remove Reed Canary Grass | The NPT fence crew removed 0.6 acres of reed canary grass by digging it out at the roots with a shovel. In areas where reed canary grass was most pervasive, wetland sods mats infused with rushes and sedges were placed in an effort to smother the existing vegetation. This proved to be very successful with rushes and sedges being the dominant plant species. Several times a season field crews knock down remaining reed canary grass with a weed eater before it develops seed heads. There has been a documented shift in the recovery of native rushes and sedges recovering in areas that were once a monoculture of reed canary grass. | $7,000 | 0.90% | 04/01/2022 | 10/31/2022 |
| F | 224946 | 199 | Remove Vegetation | Remove Invasive Weeds from the SFSR and BC Watersheds | The NPT-WD will continue to treat roadside invasive vegetation with herbicide. Invasive vegetation reduces native plant abundance, increases erosion, and depletes soil moisture and nutrient levels. Within the SFSR and BC watersheds, the Forest Service and Valley County spray for invasive weeds along system roads. However, remote system and non-system roads are routinely missed during invasive weed treatment, due to difficult access. During road surveys, our crews document the locations of invasive weeds along hundreds of miles of system and non-system roads. Between 2019-2021, the NPT-WD sprayed weed-infested areas that were not being treated by Valley County or the Forest Service. We will continue these herbicide treatment efforts in 2022. | $20,000 | 2.57% | 04/01/2022 | 11/30/2022 |
| G | 224940 | 198 | Maintain Vegetation | Maintain vegetation to stabilize banks and provide riparian cover on Forstrum Creek. | Forstrum Creek is located along the northern boundary of the Wapiti Meadow Ranch CE and provides juvenile rearing habitat for fishes listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). At the upper end of the Wapiti Meadow, Forstrum Creek flows through dense riparian vegetation and juvenile Chinook salmon were surveyed in pools throughout this reach (Keller et al., 2018b). Below this reach, Forstrum Creek spreads out through the meadow, with no defined channel, reduced riparian vegetation, and no fish use observed.
During the 2020-2021 field seasons, crews added coarse woody debris and planted 252 native plants, including willow, hawthorn, alder, dogwood, and currant. Rehabilitation efforts will improve juvenile fish rearing habitat by providing habitat structure, stabilizing stream banks, and increasing stream shading and large woody debris recruitment. These efforts improved approximately 150 meters of Forstrum Creek through the degraded meadow section. The NPT-WD will assess plant survival and tailor additional restoration efforts in 2022, adding 100 more native riparian plants and in-stream structure as needed. | $9,000 | 1.16% | 04/01/2022 | 11/30/2022 |
| H | 224947 | 47 | Plant Vegetation | Plant Riparian Vegetation along the Little Salmon River | Critical issues in the LSR watershed include riparian ecological degradation resulting in water quality issues, such as excess sediment and high water temperatures and nutrients as documented by Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. There are Total Daily Maximum Loads (TMDL) for elevated stream temperatures, bacteria and nutrients in the reach we are planting in. Many acres of riparian habitat have been degraded from their historical condition, primarily through development or conversion to agriculture. There is limited riparian vegetation helping to shade the Little Salmon. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) instream temperature data showed that elevated stream temperatures occurring above the falls at Round Valley Creek are creating potential thermal barriers to anadromous Chinook and steelhead trying to reach Boulder and Hazard creek. Reducing water temperatures in the Little Salmon from upstream (above Round Valley Creek) reaches will benefit downstream areas occupied by Chinook and steelhead.
The Nez Perce Tribe purchased 35.5 acres along the LSR that was lacking riparian habitat. This property is 6 miles upstream of anadromous fish passage barriers. In 2021, we partnered with Idaho Fish and Game and planted 437 riparian vegetation adjacent to the LSR within this property boundary. In 2022, we will plant an additional 500 riparian plants along the Little Salmon and continue these planting efforts for a total of 5 years (3 years after 2022 planting). We want to use this property to showcase riparian restoration to the surrounding landowners to encourage similar work.
There are ESA listed Adult and juvenile Chinook, steelhead and bull trout found 6 miles downstream of our planting site based on recent eDNA samples taken by the NPT in 2020 and numerous IDF&G snorkel surveys that are publicly downloadable. | $30,000 | 3.86% | 04/01/2022 | 11/01/2022 |
| I | 224949 | 47 | Plant Vegetation | Warm Lake Road Obliteration Supplemental Planting | Background:
The NPT-WD, in partnership with the Boise NF, obliterated approximately 47 miles of roads in the Warm Lake area from 2013-2016. The vegetation on the obliterated roads is recovering slower than similar projects, possibly due to a wildfire that burned the area prior to obliteration and hillslope aspects facing largely south and west with little shading. Grasses and forbs are growing on the obliterated roads, but trees and shrubs are sparse and small, especially on exposed aspects. The obliteration scars on the landscape are glaringly obvious and especially visible from the Warm Lake Highway.
During the 2021 field season the NPT-WD partnered with the Boise NF to plant 2,000 ponderosa seedlings to accelerate vegetation recovery on the hillside aspects that are recovering slowly. In the 2022 field season, an additional 2,000 ponderosa seedling are scheduled to be planted. The NPT-WD suggests planting 2,000 ponderosa pine seedlings per year until we reach our desired planting plan of 10,000 trees, focusing on south and west-facing obliterated sections. Ponderosa pine was chosen because it is the dominant tree species observed in the area. Roughly 20 miles of the total 47 obliterated miles are on south and west-facing aspects. The obliteration disturbance is about 15 feet wide on average and areas identified as priorities for planting total approximately 36 acres. The proposed planting rate would be 278 trees per acre, or 500 trees per linear mile. | $15,000 | 1.93% | 04/01/2022 | 11/01/2022 |
| J | 224941 | 33 | Decommission Road/Relocate Road | Zena Creek Project Area Road Decommissioning of 16 Miles of Forest Roads | Background:
The NPT-WD conducts road surveys using the Geomorphic Road Analysis and Inventory Package (GRAIP) protocol, this protocol was developed by the Rocky Mountain Research Station and is considered the best available science for quantifying road sediment delivery to streams. GRAIP surveys in the Zena Creek area in 2017 and 2018 to prepare for future road decommissioning efforts. These road surveys identified 25.7 miles of historic logging roads, 3.8 miles of which are in the Riparian Conservation Area (RCA), 36 stream crossings, 50 landslides and a GRAIP road to stream sediment delivery estimate of 15.5 tons annually. Considering the entire Zena Creek area burned in 2007, decommissioning needs to occur soon to reduce the risk of more landslides and sediment delivery to streams with listed fish species. Zena Creek is critical habitat for Chinook salmon, steelhead and bull trout. Both steelhead and bull trout have been documented in Zena Creek using eDNA and snorkel surveys. Juvenile Chinook salmon have been documented at the confluence of Zena Creek.
Historic high-density logging road construction coupled with the erodible geology of the SFSR watershed results in instream sedimentation that causes deleterious effects on aquatic ecosystem health. Higher road densities are correlated to lower abundance of Chinook parr (Thompson & Lee, 2000). Road densities in Zena Creek are as high as 3 (mi/mi2), road decommissioning is the only way to reduce road densities. Decommissioning has a significant positive correlation with reduction of fine sediment in stream substrate cores (McCaffery et al., 2007). In 2022, we will partner with the Payette NF to decommission 16 miles of road through full recontour. Decommissioning in this area will further reduce road density, the associated risk of landslides, and result in a reduction of sediment delivery to Zena Creek. | $300,000 | 38.60% | 04/01/2022 | 11/30/2022 |
| K | 226279 | 184 | Install Fish Passage Structure | Install Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP) structure on Two-Bit Creek | The NPT-WD and Boise NF will replace an undersized culvert that is acting as a fish passage barrier during low flow conditions with an AOP structure. Two-bit Creek is critical steelhead habitat and flows directly into the SFSR, which is critical habitat for Chinook salmon, steelhead, and bull trout. Additionally, over 300 Chinook salmon redds have been surveyed in the SFSR within a half mile downstream from Two-bit Creek (NPT data, 2004-2018). The Two-bit Creek culvert blocks 2.1 miles of upstream fish habitat, due the current culvert being undersized and perched. During low flow conditions it acts as a full passage barrier to juvenile steelhead and bull trout. Juvenile steelhead occupy habitat above and below the culvert and are likely able to pass the current culvert during higher spring flows; however, bull trout have only been documented below the culvert based on eDNA samples collected by the NPT-WD in 2019. To remove this fish passage barrier, an AOP structure was designed in 2021 and is scheduled to be installed in 2022.
This AOP project was prioritized based on stream habitat data collected and summarized in a AOP Passage Priority Report in 2021. To aid in the prioritization process we walked upstream of the current culvert and collected stream gradients, median wetted widths, median pool depths and sampled for fish species present. Two-bit ranked the highest of remaining culverts needed to be replaced to benefit listed fish species as documented in our AOP priority report specific to the Boise National Forest.
NPT-WD funds, acquired through BPA, will be used to purchase the AOP structure and for project implementation (mobilization, equipment, installation, sediment control...). Cost share for this project will be a 50/50 split with the Boise NF. | $80,000 | 10.29% | 04/01/2022 | 01/10/2023 |
| L | 226281 | 184 | Install Fish Passage Structure | Install a bridge on Six-Bit Creek | The NPT-WD and Boise NF will replace an undersized culvert that is acting as a fish passage barrier during low flow conditions with an bridge. Six-Bit creek is critical habitat for steelhead and bull trout. Bull trout are present above and below the culvert but steelhead are only observed below the culvert. Juvenile Chinook and Chinook redds are located at the mouth of Six-Bit Creek. In addition to being a fish passage barrier should this undersized culvert ever be washed out there would be sediment delivery that could impact downstream fisheries. To remove this fish passage barrier, an AOP structure was designed in 2018 and is scheduled to be installed in 2022. This project received additional prioritization due to grant funding obtained by the Boise NF. The NPT-WD is using BPA funds to help with cost share purchase of the concrete AOP structure. The Boise NF will use grant funds to pay for the rest of the AOP and oversee installation of the AOP structure. | $80,000 | 10.29% | 04/01/2022 | 01/17/2023 |
| M | 224944 | 184 | Install Fish Passage Structure | Replace a vehicular ford with a bridge on the South Fork Smith Creek | The NPT-WD and Payette NF were scheduled to partner on replacing a vehicular ford with an bridge in the South Fork (SF) of Smith Creek in 2021. This project was delayed a year and implantation will now occur in 2022.
Background:
Vehicular fords have the potential to negatively impact ESA-listed fish species by disturbing the stream bed and bank, adding fine sediment to streams, reducing riparian plant cover, and potentially crushing redds located on fords. Stream channel morphology is routinely altered by vehicular fording, often becoming wider and shallower at the point of crossing.
The NPT-WD participated in a two-year collaborative effort with the Payette NF, member of the surrounding community to prioritize restoration efforts in the BC watershed. This project along with the Smith Creek bridge (WE N) and replacing vehicular fords with AOP structures (WE O) ranked the highest for aquatic passage projects.
SF Smith Creek is designated critical habitat for bull trout and is approximately 0.5 miles upstream of critical habitat for steelhead and Chinook salmon. Both adult and juvenile bull trout and steelhead presence has been confirmed by eDNA and snorkel surveys downstream of the proposed AOP site.
The goal of installing this bridge structure is to eliminate the continued direct effects from turbidity plumes associated with vehicular fording and to restore the altered stream channel. Prior to installation of the new bridge, the remnants of an old bridge will be removed and the stream channel will be restored to a more natural condition. Restoration of the stream channel will reduce erosion and improve fish passage.
BPA funds were used to purchase the bridge in 2021, only staff time and site visits will be needed in 2022, the rest of the cost of installation will be on the Payette National Forest. | $15,000 | 1.93% | 04/01/2022 | 11/30/2022 |
| N | 226280 | 184 | Install Fish Passage Structure | Install a bridge on Smith Creek | Background:
Vehicular fords have the potential to negatively impact ESA-listed fish species by disturbing the stream bed and bank, adding fine sediment to streams, reducing riparian plant cover, and potentially crushing redds located on fords. Stream channel morphology is routinely altered by vehicular fording, often becoming wider and shallower at the point of crossing.
Smith Creek is occupied by bull trout, steelhead, Chinook salmon (in the lower part of the drainage) and is critical habitat for all three species.
A vehicular ford located on Smith Creek will be replaced with a bridge to reduce impacts to ESA listed fish, we plan to purchase the bridge this year and implementation could happen in 2022 but will more realistically happen in 2023. The Payette National Forest was awarded a RAC grant to install the bridge, the BPA portion of the funding will cost share for both the purchase of the AOP structure and for project implementation. | $54,249 | 6.98% | 04/01/2022 | 01/17/2023 |
| O | 226288 | 184 | Install Fish Passage Structure | Replace two vehicular fords with AOP structures on Smith Creek road | Background:
Vehicular fords have the potential to negatively impact ESA-listed fish species by disturbing the stream bed and bank, adding fine sediment to streams, reducing riparian plant cover, and potentially crushing redds located on fords. Stream channel morphology is routinely altered by vehicular fording, often becoming wider and shallower at the point of crossing.
Smith Creek is occupied by bull trout, steelhead, Chinook salmon (in the lower part of the drainage) and is critical habitat for all three species.
There are two vehicular fords on the Smith Creek road that will be replaced with open bottom pre-cast concrete AOP's to allow fish passage. Both AOP's are near the confluence of these tributaries to Smith Creek, so not only will these structures provide fish passage they will also reduce sediment delivery resulting from vehicular fording. Bull trout and steelhead have been documented using eDNA in these perennial tributaries at the vehicular ford locations. The goal is to purchase the two-AOP's in 2022 and hopefully have them installed this season, but there is a chance that they could be implemented in 2023.
eDNA results:
Smith Creek (unnamed) perennial tributary # 1 –2014 Rainbow Trout, Westslope Cutthroat Trout
Smith Creek (unnamed) perennial tributary # 2 –2014 Rainbow Trout, Bull Trout; 2016 Bull Trout | $56,000 | 7.20% | 04/01/2022 | 01/17/2023 |
| P | 224948 | 115 | Produce Inventory or Assessment | GRAIP road inventory surveys | Background:
The NPT-WD conducts surveys to locate and map roads, quantify the extent to which these roads are negatively impacting habitat of ESA-listed fishes, and prioritize restoration efforts. Numerous roads in the SFSR are undocumented, as they were built for historic logging which has not occurred in the SFSR watershed in more than 50 years. Legacy effects of road networks for historic timber harvest continue to be a chronic source of excess fine sediment, which is identified as a limiting factor for the recovery of Chinook salmon and steelhead populations in the SFSR watershed. Road surveys identify chronic sediment sources as well as acute, episodic events such as landslides. The NPT-WD uses road surveys to prioritize future road decommissioning and improvement efforts, through quantifying sediment delivery points and landslides. All road decommissioning and improvement actions implemented in 2022 are a result of planning facilitated by road surveys conducted in previous years.
The NPT-WD surveys roads using the Geomorphic Road Analysis and Inventory Package (GRAIP) protocol (Black et. al., 2015). This protocol requires collecting individual road segment data based on locations where flow is directed off of the road. Surveyors document key attributes such as road surface material, flow path vegetation, and length of each road segment. The GRAIP model then uses these surveyed attributes and the base erosion rate and slope to estimate road-to-stream sediment delivery.
In 2022 we will do road surveys in the Johnson Creek and Landmark subwatersheds which are part of the larger SFSR watershed, and surveys in the Little Salmon River Watershed. Roads surveys will help us prioritize future road decommissioning/improvement projects.
Because the results of these surveys are geospatial we can overlay them to prioritize areas with known Chinook spawning based on NPT redd data, steelhead and bull trout eDNA samples taken by the Tribe over the last 9 years. | $17,000 | 2.19% | 04/01/2022 | 11/30/2022 |
| Q | 224950 | 122 | Provide Technical Review and Recommendation | Review of Proposed Partner Actions | The US Forest Service is a federal government agency that maintains a trust responsibility to the NPT. The NPT periodically reviews projects proposed on lands within its treaty territory. Review of proposed projects may be at the technical level by Watershed personnel or elevated to formal consultation within the NPT Executive Committee . The NPT also submits comments on proposed projects pursuant to the NEPA process. This may include analysis of data, participation in field visits and or production of maps. A large gold mine (Stibnite Gold) is being proposed in the headwaters of the East Fork of the South Fork Salmon River. The NPT is participating in the NEPA project of this proposal to ensure that treaty resources and BPA habitat restoration projects are not compromised by this mine. | $5,000 | 0.64% | 04/01/2022 | 03/31/2023 |
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