Project/Contract History:

This project is an ongoing part of the Watershed Restoration Partnership between the Nez Perce Tribe, the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest and BPA. This project is a combination of two continuing BPA and NPT restoration projects; Project 1996-077-03, Project 2002-074-00, and an extension of the project area to include the entire Lochsa Watershed rather than just the upper subwatersheds. This project unification has significantly increased administrative and financial efficiency in order to maximize the direct benefit to fish and wildlife.

The Nez Perce Tribe's Watershed Division views restoration from a ridge top to ridge top approach, with implementation focused on decreasing sediment inputs into area streams, increasing aquatic habitat connectivity, decreasing resource impacts from roads, and eradicating exotic, invasive plants. The cost share for this project has been contributed by the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests which provides an approximate 21% match including cash and in-kind contributions. Project planning and implementation responsibilities are also shared with the Forest, as they have been for twenty two years. In the last two years, the partnership has also added an agreement with Trout Unlimited to provide increased capacity for in-stream habitat work.

To date, the partnership has re-opened access to nearly 100 miles of habitat, removed approximately 570 miles of roads through decommissioning or abandonment, improved 36.4 miles of roads, planted 841 acres of trees and native plants, and treated over 5,400 acres of invasive, non-native plants.

In 2016, the Nez Perce Tribe, BPA, Forest Service, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, NOAA,  and several other partners gathered the most current fish and physical habitat data to collaboratively prioritize watershed areas and restoration actions. The process, known as ATLAS,  is an evidence based prioritization framework and a 20 year strategic action plan to maximize biological benefit and return on investment.  As the Lochsa ATLAS is implemented and adaptively managed, projects are selected from the action plan each year for implementation. All projects selected for implementation in this contract are a result of collaboration between the Nez Perce Tribe's Lochsa Watershed and our partners on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest. The restoration actions identified are directly informed by the continuing assessment of existing and changing conditions in the watershed.

FY 2020 Contract Implementation:

FY 20 implementation includes design for future projects including meadow restoration, stream channel realignment, and rehabilitation of a river-adjacent salt storage area. We also plan continued work on in-stream projects including PALS (in-stream wood placement) and side channel reconnection. In addition, the project includes our usual suite of invasive plant treatment and inventory, riparian and restoration planting, culvert replacement designs, road survey and decommissioning design, and continued prioritization and planning for future habitat improvement projects as identified in the ATLAS strategic prioritization framework.

While no longer funded as a discrete work element, coordination with an environmental non-profit to pursue the purchase of some 38,572 acres of private land continues. These lands, alternating with public land to form a 'checkerboard' pattern were part of the railroad land grant deeded to Northern Pacific Railway. Ownership and management evolved through Burlington Northern and then Plum Creek, until being sold to Western Pacific Timber in 2005. These private parcels feature all the same limiting factors as the surrounding lands, and ATLAS identified their acquisition and return to federal ownership and management as one of the highest priority restoration opportunities within the upper Lochsa.

Matching Costs Summary 2020:

The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests will provide approximately 21% of project costs for culvert design and culvert replacement, which includes project planning, contract administration, and implementation as described in the existing MOU with BPA.

The Lochsa project continues to work with an environmental non-profit organization to pursue the purchase of, and return to federal ownership of, nearly 39,000 acres of privately held timberlands in the upper Lochsa. This land acquisition was identified as the highest priority protection action within the three highest priority Subwatersheds during the development of the BPA facilitated Lochsa ATLAS strategic restoration prioritization framework.

All restoration actions within the Lochsa Watershed are designed with the recognition of the complex interplay of current and future climate change. In particular, project revegetation efforts are directed toward restoring robust and resilient native plant communities better able to withstand increasing 'pressure' from non-native infestation. Additionally, instream habitat projects are designed to provide more complex habitat, within which cover and its attendant temperature effects are an integral component. The Nez Perce Tribe Watershed Division considers climate change in all of its restoration actions, and is particularly sensitive to the importance of the upper Lochsa as a likely area of 'refugia' given the higher elevation and cooler temperatures typical of the headwaters of the watershed.