The John Day is the nation’s second longest free-flowing river in the contiguous United States and the longest containing entirely un-supplemented runs of anadromous fish. Located in eastern Oregon, the basin drains over 8,000 square miles, Oregon's fourth largest drainage basin, and incorporates portions of eleven counties. Originating in the Strawberry Mountains near Prairie City, the John Day River flows 284 miles in a northwesterly direction, entering the Columbia River approximately four miles upstream of the John Day dam. With wild runs of spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead, westslope cutthroat, and redband and bull trout, the John Day system is truly a basin with national significance.

The goal of this project is to address limiting factors by implementing restoration actions that protect and restore passage, flow, and habitat for anadromous fish and listed species in the John Day River Basin. This includes the use of the John Day Basin Watershed Restoration Strategy to assist the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs (CTWS), John Day Watershed Restoration Program with the ability to focus on implementing suites of restoration actions that will more effectively address priority-limiting factors.

The CTWS John Day River Watershed Restoration Strategy (2014) prioritized geographic areas with the greatest restoration potential for focal fish species, these areas were identified based on a synthesis of analytical results from the Ecosystem Diagnostic and Treatment model, Qualitative Habitat Assessments, and Technical Team review. Watersheds are delineated with a Restoration Potential Benefit (RPB) score along the range of low potential (0) to high potential (9). Within the Strategy, the target and focused restoration actions were identified for each Subbasin to have the most impact in addressing limiting factors.

The John Day River basin is within the CTWS ceded lands and supporting restoration efforts such as this project is an important part of maintaining cultural foods and fish populations. The mission of the CTWS Branch of Natural Resources Fisheries Department is to provide fisheries populations at harvestable levels for tribal members using information gained from research, management, production, and habitat programs while exercising co-management authority across ceded lands and usual and accustomed stations. In 1997, the Tribes established an office in the basin to coordinate restoration projects, monitoring, planning and other watershed activities on private and public lands. Once established, the John Day Basin Office formed partnerships with local agencies and stakeholders to implement restoration actions.

In addition to Tribal Strategy, CTWS worked as part of the John Day Basin Partnership to collaboratively analyze the most current biological and physical habitat data to prioritize areas and actions for habitat restoration at the watershed level. The Partnership's Prioritization utilized the Atlas Framework to determined tier I, II, and III priority areas and prioritized hundreds of restoration projects that could be implemented within these areas. The goals are to assist partners to implement projects that will address the highest priority limiting habitat factors to benefit the limiting life stages for focal species within the basin.

Work implemented under this contract will cover restoration and conservation efforts in:

1. Structured Implementation and Monitoring (SIM) Framework - this is a joint effort between CTWS and ODFW to focus restoration and monitoring that will guide our efforts in the future. 2019 - 2022 will cover prioritized implementation in the Middle Fork Subbasin.
2. The John Day Basin Partnership – CTWS is one of 28 organizations signed onto a Memorandum of Understanding. The Partnership was awarded funding through OWEB’s Focused Investment Partnership (FIP) program in 2019 for 6 years of funding focused on native fish habitat. The Partnership uses the Atlas framework for prioritization of both native fish habitat and uplands restoration. CTWS works with the Partnership on projects covered under the FIP and located in priorities identified by the CTWS Watershed Restoration Strategy. The Atlas prioritization adds another level of focus and prioritization to the CTWS John Day River Watershed Restoration Strategy.
3. The Fox Creek watershed - work in this watershed was prioritized to improve juvenile steelhead rearing habitat several years ago. A geomorphic and habitat conditions assessment was completed in 2010. Work will continue in this area for several years, pending a collaborative effort between BPA and CTWS to justify continued restoration actions within the watershed.
4. The Resource Conservation and Partnership Project (RCPP) - CTWS was awarded an RCPP project for irrigation efficiency practices and conservation easements in the upper John Day and upper Middle Fork sub basins. This award spans 2018-2022 and will cover irrigation efficiency projects matched with BPA funding for irrigation diversion improvements and instream habitat projects.

Specific projects covered in this contract include:
1. NFJD – Fox Creek Reach 9 – Produce design.
2. NFJD – Fox Creek Reach 18 – Irrigation Project. Replace 3 unscreened diversions with 1 pump station and pivot. Related instream/riparian project completed in 2019. (continued from last contract)
3. NFJD – Fox Valley Juniper Treatment – Remove vegetation.
4. NFJD – Cottonwood Creek Cole-Engle Passage – Remove passage barrier.
5. MFJD – Caribou Creek Reconnection – Produce design.
6. MFJD – Davis Creek Habitat – Produce design.
7. MFJD – Oxbow Phase 6 and 7 – Produce design.
8. MFJD – Middle Fork Planting and Fencing. Work covers the collection of seed, propagation, and planting of native riparian plants, as well as protection from browse.
9. UJD – Upper John Day and Jeff Davis Creek Restoration – Produce design.
10. UJD – Upper John Day Juniper Treatment – Remove vegetation.
11. SFJD – Murderers Creek Riparian Plantings – Plant vegetation.
12. Effectiveness Monitoring covers large scale projects implemented through the CTWS Program, such as Fox Creek, the Middle Fork, and the Upper John Day. The purpose is to monitor the overall effectiveness of achieving project objectives, and relate those objectives back to the overarching goal of benefitting ESA listed steelhead and non listed Chinook salmon.