CREST proposes to continue to implement estuary habitat restoration projects during this contract period.  Projects developed, designed, and permitted during previous contract periods will move to construction.  CREST will continue to develop and design new restoration projects working with landowners, stakeholders, and subcontracted design and engineering consultants.    CREST will continue to invest staff time in community outreach and project development including participating in regional meetings with BPA, the Corps, as well as partner coordination forums such as the Estuary Partnership's Science Work Group (SWG).  CREST biologists will conduct Level 3 pre and post project evaluation (Action Effectiveness Monitoring; AEMR) at our restoration sites in coordination with partners and the Columbia Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program (CEERP).....  

Restoration of estuary habitat focuses on habitat opportunity, capacity, and realized function critical to the recovery of Threatened/Endangered salmon utilizing the Columbia River Estuary.  CREST Habitat Restoration Program Deliverables include:
1)  Identification, prioritization, and development of potential estuary habitat restoration projects.
2)  Scoping and selecting restoration projects based on technical evaluation during feasibility stage and scientific review by Estuary Partnership Project Review Committee and partners.
3)  Design, permit, and implement 3-5 on the ground estuarine restoration projects each year.
4)  Conduct Action Effectiveness Monitoring and Research of restoration projects in coordination with regional partners.

The following projects are currently in full design, engineering, and permitting and will move to construction in 2017:
• Flights End:  This project, a ODFW managed property on Sauvie Island, aims to enhance tidal wetlands by removing 3 culverts and associated berms in order to reconnect 42 acres of floodplain wetlands to Crane Slough and Multnomah Channel. This project also includes lowering 11 acres of low productivity wetland to reduce the presence of reed canary grass and convert the area to wet prairie habitat.

• Enyarts Property/McCarthy Creek: This project involves the removal of two culverts and wetland grading to restore floodplain connection and juvenile rearing habitat to 70 acres of wetlands along the Multnomah Channel of the Columbia River.  


The following projects are currently in feasibility and will begin design, engineering, and permitting phases and will move to construction in 2018:
• Bear and Mary's Creeks:  Restoration actions for the Bear Creek and Mary's Creek sites will involve lowering 2,050 linear feet of levee, creating an additional 1,775 linear feet of tidal channels, removing 3 undersized culverts, and replanting nearly 15 acres of native vegetation species. These actions will improve access to approximately 40 acres of off-channel habitat for juvenile salmonids, as well as restore tidal inundation and food web connectivity.

• Ferris Creek: Project actions at the Ferris Creek project site will entail restoring connection to approximately 25 acres of off-channel habitat to juvenile salmonids through the removal of 44 feet of remnant levee, creating approximately 220 linear feet of tidal channels into the floodplain. An additional 2 acres at the Ferris Creek project site will be planted with native vegetation.

• West Sand Island: The West Sand Island project aims to enhance fish access and tidal connection to approximately 80 acres of shrub-scrub/ forested marsh habitat through the removal of a berm, and creation of tidal channels into the interior of the island. This project also proposes to treat 16 acres of invasive plants and revegetate the area with beneficial native plants.

• John Day #11:  The John Day #11 restoration replacing 2 undersized culverts on an unnamed tributary to the John Day River, with a free- span bridge to improve salmonid access to more than 20 acres of upstream wetland and spawning habitat.

• Dairy Creek: This project will reconnect Sturgeon Lake to the Columbia River, opening up off channel habitat, improving water quality, and increasing estuarine wetland function through nutrient exchange and food web productivity. Project elements will include replacing 2 existing culverts under Reeder Road with a free-span bridge, and enhancing the existing channel connection.

CREST will also continue to work through design and engineering process in support of the following projects for implementation in 2019.
• Palensky Wildlife Area
• Aldrich Point Railroad
• Wolf Bay Railroad
• Government Island

Each of the projects described above provides immediate access to estuarine habitats for juvenile salmonids.  CREST will also invest project manager staff time working with specific landowners, project partners, and in data gathering and investigations at other sites including the Youngs Bay Watershed, John Day River, and other potential restoration sites for construction in 2019 and beyond.  

CREST will pursue cost share for project engineering and construction during this contract period from the National Park Service, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, Salmon Recovery Funding Board, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership.  

Within this contract, major work elements are directly related to implementation of previously designed projects and on engineering and permitting for out year projects.  Additional actions focus on community outreach and project development.  

Projects in development will be subject to review by the Estuary Partnership's Project Review Committee (PRC) at 30% design and review and assignment of survival benefits by the Expert Regional Technical Group (ERTG) at 60% design.  All projects in the estuary are also subject to cost benefit analysis and approval by BPA.  Each of the projects CREST is proposing during this contract undergoes a cost/SBU preliminary review and final scoring by ERTG.  If at any time during the scientific review and ERTG process it is determined that proposed restoration projects do not meet BPA criteria CREST will work with BPA to address these issues.

Post project evaluation (Level 3 AEMR) will be conducted by CREST biologists at Otter Point, Colewort Creek, Gnat Creek Phases 1 and 2, South Tongue Point, Diblee Point, Sharnelle Fee, Karlson Island, Sauvie Island Phases 1, 2, and 3, Buckmire Slough Phase I, Crane, Domeyer, Willow Bar, and Westport Slough.  Both pre and post project monitoring will be conducted at the Bear and Mary's Creek, Ferris Creek, Flights End, Enyarts/McCarthy Creek, West Sand Island, and John Day #11 sites.  Pre project monitoring at other project sites such as the Palensky Wildlife Area will also occur during this contract period.  Project monitoring is used at restoration sites to better quantify use and habitat lift for individual restoration sites and to inform benefits of restoration actions at projects in development.