This contract supports and is part of the Wind River Watershed Project, initiated in 1998.  The project's focus is on restoration of Wind River steelhead.  In 1997, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife rated the status of the Wind River summer run steelhead as critical.  In 1998, the National Marine Fisheries Service listed the steelhead of the lower Columbia river as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act.  Due to the status of this stock, the Wind River summer steelhead have the highest priority for recovery/restoration in the state of Washington's Lower Columbia Steelhead Conservation Initiative.  Project participants are the Underwood Conservation District (UCD), US Geological Survey, US Forest Service, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.  

This contract continues Underwood Conservation District's support and participation in the project.  UCD will provide habitat restoration work in support of the recovery of the Wind River summer steelhead stock in 2021 and 2022.  Work will focus on finalizing design plans and permitting for the Stabler Bend side channel enhancement project, the highest priority project in the watershed, as identified in the Wind River Habitat Restoration Strategy (LCFRB 2017, https://www.lcfrb.gen.wa.us/windriver).  Additional work involves removing noxious weed vegetation at the Stabler Bend project site, in preparation for construction in 2022 (construction was delayed one year due to lack of construction funds).  As Skamania County continues to plan and implement High Bridge Park improvements to prevent erosion and turbidity and restore riparian vegetation along the mainstem of the Wind River (at one of the only access points along the Wind River canyon, a priority migratory and rearing reach for steelhead), UCD will continue to provide technical assistance and support toward riparian habitat improvement and best practices.  Other work such as participating in the ISRP habitat category review process, producing periodic (quarterly) status reports, the annual progress report, coordinating with project partners, producing environmental compliance documentation, stream temperature monitoring, as well as managing and administering the project will be funded at levels to allow continued maintenance of these activities.

Future projects have been identified and are being developed with partners and landowners, and UCD will coordinate closely with BPA to plan future project work for subsequent contract renewals.  UCD prioritizes projects that were identified and prioritized during the creation of the Wind River Habitat Restoration Strategy in 2017 (https://www.lcfrb.gen.wa.us/windriver).  However, UCD’s work on habitat restoration is influenced by many factors, including input from BPA, and watershed partners, USFS, USGS, and WDFW.  Additional issues such as feasibility, access, funding, permitting, and landowner readiness often dictate which projects can move forward.  

UCD's work benefits greatly through coordination and information sharing with BPA partners, USGS, WDFW, and USFS.  The RME partners provide integral information on fish use and abundance, habitat bottlenecks and capacity constraints.  This local expertise ensures that 1.) we are prioritizing habitat work where it is needed most and provides the biggest lift for steelhead, and 2.) we are able to get feedback and even biological monitoring in some cases, showing the effectiveness of restoration work.  In addition, coordination with USFS partners ensures that 1.) we can coordinate and partner on key, high priority projects, and 2.) we can share expertise and lessons learned about project methodologies for best results in the watershed.