Through this Sugar Levee & Sugar Left Design - Phase 2 contract, MSRF will expand upon the work initiated/completed in previous BPA contract # 88617 to further develop the preferred alternative for discreet habitat improvement actions at the Sugar Levee and Sugar Left project areas.

Under this contract, MSRF will advance the preliminary design developed collaboratively under a prior BPA funded agreement, BPA contract # 88617, to final design. Final design will demonstrate direct benefits to floodplain connectivity, in-stream habitat complexity, and/or reconnect and enhance side-channels and wetland areas.

Under this contract, BPA, BOR, and MSRF will continue work with the selected design engineer in coordination with Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office -Salmon Recovery Funding Board (RCO-SRFB) to develop final designs. MSRF has received a two-year extendable funding award for design through RCO-SRFB, which is a cost-share for this contract. MSRF will work with the selected design contractor to establish a coordination plan that ensures local, state, and federal stakeholder concurrence on permitting and design requirements, and acceptance of final designs in anticipation of construction beginning in 2024.

The Sugar project is along the Methow River north of Twisp. This is in Reach 1 of the Methow-River-Thompson Creek Assessment Unit (AU) which is included within the Middle Methow Reach Assessment.  This area is considered to be a major spawning area for steelhead, and critical rearing habitat for both steelhead and spring Chinook. This reach is considered to be a priority for restoration (ranked #6/14) by the Revised Upper Columbia Biological Strategy (2017), and highly ranked in the EDT (restoration priority rank of #2/49 for steelhead and #4/49 for spring Chinook) and current prioritization framework. The UCSRB/RTT Prioritization Framework identifies this as an important reach for restoration for spring Chinook (#11/51), due to high intrinsic capacity, and low habitat quality. Current flood and infrastructure protection measures have resulted in loss of side channel habitats, lateral habitat connectivity, in-stream habitat conditions, and riparian conditions. The UCSRB/RTT Prioritization Framework is very responsive to changes in habitat quality in this reach. The EDT indicates restoration in this reach has high potential to increase productivity, abundance and capacity and recommends projects that target riparian and floodplain conditions as well as cover and complexity.   BPA support will allow MSRF to expedite design and implementation of priority actions to increase habitat capacity, particularly for juvenile rearing for the target species.

Completed habitat assessments for this segment of the Methow River identified opportunities to enhance floodplain connectivity on nearly 90 acres of currently isolated or partially isolated floodplain, wetland and side channel habitat areas where protections have previously been secured through land acquisitions using a combination of HCP Tributary Committees, PRCC, state, and federal funds. These actions would result in increased connectivity specifically during the periods beneficial to steelhead and Spring Chinook.

MSRF Contract Manager and staff  will all cooperate, coordinate, collaborate, and maintain effective communication with BPA PM/COR, EC Lead, HIP Review Lead, and Hydraulic Engineer during the entire length of this contract with regards to project design.  MSRF and its subcontractors will address BPA comments and concerns, and the two entities will arrive at a mutual beneficial consensus.