Under this contract Cascade Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group (CCFEG) d.b.a Cascade Fisheries will develop a 30%, and 80% design collaboratively with BPA and project stakeholders.  This restoration project will address high priority ecological concerns in Nason Creek by establishing a perennial side channel with connection to off channel wetland habitat, installing wood structures to increase instream complexity and habitat, and establishing riparian vegetation in the floodplain and newly created side channel.  The project is located on Chelan-Douglas Land Trust (CDLT) and US Forest Service (USFS)  property at RM 10.8 - 11 on Nason Creek.  The project will benefit ESA listed spring Chinook salmon, steelhead, and bull trout in Nason Creek.  The main deliverables of this contract include development of collaborative, progressively advanced, designs that incorporate stakeholders’ input, leading to a design that is suitable to submit for project permits.  This project was approved for funding through Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)/Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board (UCSRB) FY2020 Targeted Solicitation Notice and was reviewed and ranked by the Regional Technical Team (RTT).  The RTT is a team of technical experts familiar with the priority areas and limiting factors, and identify projects that will best contribute to the recovery of salmonids and other species of concern in the Upper Columbia.

The goal of this project is to improve abundance, productivity and spatial structure for ESA-listed species by addressing the highest priority ecological concerns in Nason Creek, which is the highest priority assessment unit for restoration in the Wenatchee Basin.  The ecological concerns that this project will address in priority order are: 1) Peripheral and Transitional Habitat (Side Channel and Wetland Connections) 2) Channel Structure and Form (Bed and Channel Form) 3) Riparian Condition 4) Channel Structure and Form (Instream Structural Complexity).  Implementation of this project will address these ecological concerns by: excavating 836 feet of side channel to create a perennially flowing connection to the mainstem, connecting the new side channel to relic oxbows and “First Bend” side channel to create a total of over 1700 linear feet of perennial side channel, providing a total of 0.43 acres of off channel habitat at low flow and 2.67 acres off channel habitat at the 1.25 year event, install approximately 24 wood structures to improve instream habitat complexity and cover, densely planting approximately 3750 willow, cottonwood and dogwood live stakes along new side channel, and helping ensure success by controlling invasive weeds at the project site.

Cascade Fisheries will be responsible for managing the project.  BPA, CDLT, USFS and other project stakeholders will provide design review.  NEPA, ESA, and cultrual consultation activities will be led by BPA as the lead action agency.

An 80% design was previously developed for this project.  The approach for this design differs from the previous version due to the addition of a mainstem constructed riffled at the side channel inlet.  It is anticipated that design elements, including large wood location and structure type with the side channel, will largely stay the same as the previous 80% design.  This contract covers 80% design (BPA phase 1 in FY2020- 2021) and construction is planned for FY2022.

PROJECT PARTNER COLLABORATION

The Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board (UCSRB) is co-sponsor to Upper Columbia Programmatic Habitat Project.  As such they are a key partner to BPA and within the UC region, a local first point of contact for general Programmatic inquiries and coordination.  It is possible from time to time that the UCSRB may seek general project information and updates from CCFEG to preform and fulfill their necessary role and obligations under the Northwest Power and Conservation Council approved Programmatic with BPA.  CCFEG has agreed to coordinate with UCSRB and accommodate any such requests.  As examples, UCSRB may request the following:

Participation in periodic BPA-UCSRB-Sponsor check-in calls, if/as needed
Information about partner contributions for reporting cost-share
Copies of presentations about the BPA-UCSRB Programmatic project  

The contractor CCFEG, its designated agents, sub-consultants and project stakeholders will be available, responsive and will collaboratively address contract related issues during the term of the contract.  Contract issues include but are not limited to technical, policy, regulatory, project management and associated elements related to the project.  Successful execution of this contract is contingent on alignment of the preceding contract issues with the BFAI or BPI and BPA contracting processes, project management plans, design review protocols (including but not limited to BPA engineering design review, Technical and Design Team guidance, review, input, comments, integration, stakeholder congruence with proposed actions and decisions rendered by 1) the project executive team (BPA, CCFEG).  Arbitration and dispute resolution will occur relative to the following two tier escalation ladder: 1) conference with the project Executive Team and 2) Direct consultation between program managers.  

CCFEG Contract Manager and CCFEG's design consultant (a mutually agreed to and selected subcontractor) will all cooperate, coordinate, collaborate, and maintain effective communication with the BPA PM/COR, EC Lead, and Hydraulic Engineer(s) during the entire length of this contract with regards to project design.  CCFEG, USFS and its subcontractors will address BPA comments and concerns, and the three entities will arrive at a mutually beneficial consensus.  CCFEG contract manager will upload all of the subcontracts being executed under this contract to cbfish.org.