This version REL -15 makes changes to REL 10 summarized by

WE B will be descoped, and it budget moved to WE AA
WE D will be descoped, and it's associated budget moved to WE Z
WE E will be descoped and its budget will be moved to various Work Elements
WE Z will be added to make changes in stream restoration designs
WE AA will be added to cover NEPA requirements, includiung the addition of two cultural resource surveys.

WE E to do on the ground work channel and floodplain work is eliminated. Cultural Resource surveys are needed prior to construction, making it impossible to complete in 2022. Two cultural resource surveys will be completed, one for the area encompassing the Shaw property up to the confluence of the upper boundary of the properties identified as k'wne' 'ulchiyark'wmtsut. WE D will involve completion of a design for a property that will pass thru escrow on December 1st, 2021, as well as extensive work on the original design called out in REL-10, the Shaw property. Additional surveying was needed, as well as additional internal review of options and risk assessments. Since heavy equipment operators and technicians were used to complete the cultural resource surveys, the salaries from WE E were transferred to WE B to complete NEPA requirements. Since a major design for the Morefield property, and another partially completed design will be part of WE Z.

The Scope of Work and budget presented in this document represent the activities associated with the Coeur 'd Alene Tribe's resident fish enhancement project on Hangman Creek within the Spokane Sub-basin corresponding to the contract period May 1, 2021 to April 30, 2022. Total amount of this budget request is $356,051 The Coeur d'Alene Tribe has requested that BPA transfer funds available to BPA project #199004400 to Project #200103200 in order to meet the Tribe's restoration priorities in the amount of $48,951.

Ongoing objectives include:
o Determine areas that are in need of restoration to supply spawning and rearing habitat for Redband and other naturally reproducing trout.
o Support an educational outreach program to facilitate a “holistic watershed protection process managed thru BPA Project #199004400.
o Implement a habitat/in-stream restoration strategy that will provide self-sustaining, naturally reproducing, and harvestable populations of native trout.
o Implement a monitoring and evaluation program to determine the effectiveness of habitat/in-stream restoration project.

The Hangman Creek watershed has experienced land use changes that have resulted in degraded in-stream habitat for fish and other aquatic species. Conserving habitats in the upper tributaries is a priority along with increasing fish distribution and reconnecting fragmented populations. Four fish-bearing tributaries: Mission Sheep, Nehchen, and Indian were prioritized to conserve and enhance the existing population of redband trout (Herrera 2011 and Hardin-Davis 2005). Hardin-Davis (2005) defined the methods used to restore both mainstem and tributary habitat. A primary method of accomplishing habitat enhancement is to enlist beaver in a holistic strategy to address multiple ecological and hydrologic process deficiencies. Beaver influenced channel and floodplain morphology and vegetation historically, but alteration of their habitat and trapping have substantially reduced their influence and the ability for their populations to rebound. The absence of large wood to serve as foundations for dams and impacts to the availability of suitable dam-building material in the riparian zone have influenced the resilience of beaver dams currently. If conditions could be made more favorable for their re-establishment, it is likely that channel conditions and in-stream habitat could be restored to a more desired state, thereby restoring fish habitat, the riparian zone, and the floodplain in the process.

Herrera Environmental Consultants provided to the Coeur d'Alene Tribe:  Recommendations for Beaver Habitat Restoration in the Upper Hangman Watershed (Report is uploaded under Project Documents). Technical Report prepared for the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. 2011), who identified reaches between Indian Creek and Mission Creek as the most feasible to use beaver as a partner in restoration. Reaches below Mission were deemed unsatisfactory because of the stream power was too high to support beaver dams. The reach upstream of Smith Creek was identified to need only riparian enhancement to aid beaver to agrade the channel. Reaches immediately below Smith Creek were prescribed to need heavy equipment work to improve stream floodplain connection. Work began after purchase of lands in the area downstream of Indian Creek referred to as  k'wne' 'ulchiyark'wmtsut translated as "To make it crooked again". All restoration work starting in 2013 and planned thru 2026 in within this zone of the mainstem of Hangman Creek from k'wne' 'ulchiyark'wmtsut  downstream to Mission Creek..

Prioritization of tributary restoration was also analyzed by Herrera and it was determined that Indian Creek was not suitable in its entirety due to its narrow floodplain width, gradient, and lack of hardwoods. Hardin-Davis (2005) using an IFIM study providing redband trout habitat using physical habitat and temperature models concluded that tributaries could add useable trout habitat by adding large woody debris to improve pool quality and quantity.  Among all the tributaries, Indian Creek has been identified as the stronghold of redband trout in the entire watershed within tribal boundaries, and the highest priority among the tributaries to maintain a stronghold and disperse to other parts of the Hangman watershed. Other fish-bearing tributaries within the reservation include Mission, Sheep, Nehchen, and Smith Creek.

This two pronged strategy to protect and enhance existing redband habitat in the tributaries and restoring severely degraded habitats in mainstem reaches to connect those fish bearing tributaries are equally weighted in the overall strategy. Once k'wne' 'ulchiyark' wmtsut is complete, there is a desire to move methodically downstream with each restoration action along mainstem reaches. Priority among fish-bearing tributaries will continue to be Indian and Sheep Creek for improving habitat, and Nehchen Creek because of the threat of non native cutthroats found in the sub-watershed.

The following work will facilitate measured progress toward achieving the objectives for the project during this scope of work:

1) Implementing restoration designs for utilizing beaver as a partner in restoring natural hydrologic function, overbank flow, and connection between streams and riparian habitats.

WE Z:  A large scale design will be completed in this contract for construction in 2022 on recently purchased land formerly owned by the Morefield family. The original scope of work for this contract was on the Shaw property and work continues on this design, but due to extenuating circumstances, additional surveying is to be completed in fall 2021, and internal coordination and examination of options to deal with a difficult piece of land. An external source may be brought in within the next contract to assess the options that will be under consideration by May 2022.  

WE E - This Work element within the original SOW is to be removed because of the need to perform Cultural Resource surveys prior to implementation at a later contract. Salaries of CDAT staff and a contract with a Culture Resource contract will take up the salaries from this deleted WE and moved mostly to WE AA.

WE F: Place LWD on the EF Indian Creek to create more pools

WE G: Replace a culvert that is not passable to fish on Indian Creek

WE H: Place aspen cuttings that will provide a temporary source of food and building materials for beaver by providing clippings at key locations with active beaver colonies. This work element will also repair analog beaver dams built in the previous contract

WE I: Maintain 2.8 miles of stream with almost continuous riparian plantings, some of which is enclosed in a fence.


2) RM&E activities to track status and trends for water quality and fish populations and their movement.
This includes WE's for trout populations and movement include summer backpack electroshock surveys (WE J & Q), evaluate status and trends in redband trout populations, and spring migration trapping (WE K, L, & R ) and associated pit tagging technology (WEs L, P & S) to monitor seasonal movements of redband trout in specific reaches of the upper Hangman watershed.

Fixed PIT-tag antennae arrays will be installed at three locations on Hangman Creek to monitor mainstem use by redband trout: one at the mouth of Indian Creek; at the mouth of Nehchen Creek; and a new station within the k'wne' 'ulchiyark'wmtsut restoration area. New tributary stations will be installed at Indian Creek, Smith Creek, Nehchen Creek and Sheep Creek.

WE M is a non-native fish removal project on Nehchen Creek where a genetically confirmed population of illegally introduced cutthroat trout have occupied the upper reaches of the mainstem. Non-native fish removal began in summer of 2015. WE M and WE P help monitor the responses to removal efforts.

3) Reporting on project activities and outcomes.
A Technical and a non technical reports are due in this contract period (WE X).