Background: The purpose of this project is to develop, evaluate, prioritize and implement selected habitat restoration and enhancement projects in: (a) the Grande Ronde and Imnaha subbasins, and the Wallowa, Lostine & Pine watersheds in northeast Oregon; and (b) the Tucannon River, Alpowa Creek and Asotin Creek watersheds in southeast Washington. Leadership and collaboration within existing partnerships with the Grande Ronde Model Watershed, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, private landowners, the Snake River Salmon Recovery Board, Conservation Districts and other entities informs and supports project identification and selection through rigorous evaluation and prioritization, and ongoing development and implementation. In addition, Watershed Program staff continues to pursue new partnerships and project collaborators as well as implement on the ground fish passage and restoration projects across NE Oregon and SE Washington.

    •    Projects in Eastern Oregon are evaluated and prioritized on the basis of the Atlas implementation framework. Together, the Nez Perce Tribe (NPT) and The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) collaborated with several local partners in the Grande Ronde Sub basin to develop the Atlas in Wallowa County. The Atlas is a dynamic tool that utilizes existing empirical data, current research evidence, and the knowledge of local biologists to create a collaborative, strategic, and prioritized habitat restoration implementation plan. The plan synthesizes critical information, subbasin conditions, and recovery plan priorities to strategically identify and prioritize targeted restoration actions and locations to improve aquatic habitat and increase the productivity, abundance, and distribution of focal fish species (spring/summer Chinook salmon, fall Chinook salmon, coho salmon, summer steelhead, Pacific lamprey, and bull trout).
    •  Within Washington State the Tribe and project partners utilize subbasin and recovery plans, with an emphasis on the Tucannon River Geomorphic Assessment and Habitat Restoration Study (2011), and the Assessment and Restoration Strategy developed for Asotin County. The assessments further an understanding of process and function in the basin, and serve to inform and prioritize restoration actions in key areas for spring/summer Chinook salmon, summer steelhead and bull trout.

Summary: This contract provides project development, evaluation, coordination, design and implementation funding for the NPT, in support of watershed restoration projects on the ground through direct BPA program funding or outside (WA/OR grant) funding sources. In addition to implementation of Atlas, assessment, sub basin, and recovery plan driven restoration continued contract activities include identifying and evaluating projects, coordinating with other entities to develop and manage implementation priorities, and seeking funds to implement selected and prioritized projects. Typically, the primary focus of restoration projects during the contract period will be efforts to reduce instream sedimentation, channel reconstruction and enhancement to improve habitat complexity, riparian planting to reduce stream temperatures, and addressing passage barriers to increase available in-channel habitat area.  Other project types may occur during this period, but the majority of the time will be spent implementing these projects and developing these types of projects for the next contract cycle.

Current Emphasis (FY23): In addition to the ongoing project activities described for this contract, the NPT will:
*   complete the design, permitting, and pre-construction activities for the main stem and side-Channel Development and Floodplain Complexity habitat improvement project on the Lostine River at RM 5.7 in the town of Lostine (Lostine Town Project);
  *  complete permitting, pre-construction and construction activities for the Fish Passage and Habitat Improvement project at the Poley Allen diversion on the Lostine River, currently at initial design and preliminary permit stage.
  *   the other newly initiated design work described in the SOW. Newly initiated projects include the Chesnimnus, 9 mile reach and the Lower Lostine River.

Ongoing (WA): Included in this contract is ongoing support for the NPT that sustains the development of future habitat projects, the prioritization across multiple watersheds, and the refinement of work planning, consistent with the Tribes' sovereignty and self-governance. In SE Washington, the NPT will assist with the identification, evaluation, selection and sequencing of projects for implementation pursuant to the prioritized restoration strategy of the Tucannon Programmatic Habitat Project (#2010-077-00), and partner with SRSRB participants to implement those projects. This contract continues the NPT role anticipated in this Habitat Project and in the Tucannon Programmatic Project to: (a) perform project evaluation and selection, implementation management, monitoring planning, data collection, outreach, and other tasks where tribal staff can provide expertise and capacity; and (b) be an implementer of the on-the-ground project construction activities for projects identified in the Programmatic work plan, and in the sub-regional Snake River Salmon Recovery Plan.

NPT staff will be initiating the Cummings Creek LTPBR. Staff are also working on the PA 5-15 Geomorphopic assessment and restoration prioritization partnering with CTUIR 2023-2024 to complete.

Project staff include Kathryn Frenyea, project leader; and Montana Pagano and Elizabeth Eastman, both classified as Watershed specialist II.  Montana's job station is Joseph, Oregon and therefore her focus is on eastern Oregon projects. Elizabeth Eastman's job station is Lapwai, ID with her primary focus area being southeast Washington with current projects in the Tucannon and Asotin Watersheds. Montana's position is fully funded by the Program budget (26 pay periods/yr.), Elizabeth is funded 3/4 by the Program and 1/4 by Washington state dollars.  Both staff share the same job description and expectations as listed below:

The Nez Perce Tribe Department of Fisheries Resource Management Watershed Restoration Specialist II position works within an experienced collaborative team working on restoring and protecting aquatic ecosystems and watersheds the NEOR/SEWA Project area.  This position works on all aspects of watershed/aquatic ecosystem protection and restoration projects that includes, but is not limited to; assessments, fish passage, riparian/stream restoration, reducing sediment from road sources, and monitoring and evaluation.  Activities include data collection/analysis, project design/cost-estimates, permitting, project implementation, and report writing.  Position coordinates with private, local, state, federal, and tribal entities. On the daily basis, specialist II coordinate with the project leader for assigned and completed job duties. They have five key focus areas including: Planning, Coordination, Project Design, Project Implementation (as assigned by the project leader), and reporting. These staff spend most of their time working on duties pertaining to WE: A, B, C, and J.

As the Program Project Leader Kathryn works within the same overarching goals and parameters as the Specialist II positions (listed above) as well as the following job description:  This position develops, updates, and implements short and longer-term goals and strategies and is responsible for seeking grants and managing contracts, statement of works, and budgets.  A working knowledge and sustained experience with watershed data analysis and interpretation, project planning and design, implementation, and associated monitoring is required.  Position requires a high level of coordination with private, local, state, federal, and tribal entities.  Project leader must maintain a highly motivated attitude and have excellent communication skills with partners. This position is fully funded by the Program and has the same five overarching focus areas listed above but to a higher degree and with an added area of supervision of project staff and any sub-contractors currently run through the Program. Kathryn spends her time overseeing all WE but the majority of her time is spent on WE: B, C and I.

Other staff listed and partially funded by the Program are listed below:

Jody Connor and Ermie Whitman - Administrative staff based at JFO and Lapwai, 7% Program funded/yr./staff.

Perform administrative duties for The NPT DFRM including payroll, invoicing, human resources, travel arrangements and reimbursements as well as maintains office files and manages leased GSA vehicles. Staff may also assist with the tracking of contracts and grants going through the Tribe.

William Jackson - Building and facilities maintenance for JFO.  William manages snow removal and general maintenance at JFO and associated facilities. He is funded by all JFO projects and at a of rate of 4%/yr. by the Program.

Keith Mortensen - Watershed IT Specialist based in Lapwai, ID. Keith oversees, manages and assists with all Watershed Program IT both in Lapwai and all field stations across the Tribe's territory.  This position also maintains the NPT servers and project database, and provides mapping and GIS assistance. Keith is a shared employee across the Watershed division, % Program funded/yr.

Robyn Armstrong - NEPA Coordinator NPT Watershed Division based in McCall, ID. Robyn oversees all NEPA tracking and collaboration across all forests in the the Tribe's ceded territory. For NEOR/SEWA this includes the Wallowa Whitman and Umatilla National Forests. Robyn is a shared employee across the Watershed division, 7% Program funded/yr.