The Trout Creek Watershed Restoration Project’s primary goal is to improve the habitat (in-stream, riparian, and upland), providing a more resilient landscape to the effects of climate change, while increasing the carrying capacity for native salmonids in Trout Creek and its tributaries.  The species of focus are the ESA listed Middle Columbia River DPS Summer Steelhead and their counterpart, the interior redband trout.  The status of the summer steelhead population in Trout Creek, within the Deschutes River eastside population is rated as "maintained" (moderate risk) per the 2022 Mid C Evaluation.  Our goal is to return the Trout Creek population to "viable" status, with long term goals of reaching "highly viable".

Project work supports the goals listed in the Deschutes River Sub-basin Summary (Nelson, 2001), the Deschutes Subbasin Plan (2004) that addresses Trout Creek, and the Trout Creek Watershed Assessment (2002).  The project work also supports tributary habitat improvements under the 2019 CRS Biological Opinion targeting ESA listed Middle Columbia River steelhead.  This project also follows the habitat strategies and actions found in the Oregon Middle Columbia (Mid-C) Steelhead Recovery Plan (2010).  A summary of accomplishments and prioritized actions is provided in the Trout Creek Basin Long-Range Action Plan & Restoration Accomplishments document prepared by the Jefferson SWCD and ODFW and can be found on the CBFish.org website.

The Jefferson SWCD has successfully implemented many large-scale projects in the past 24 years.  In this time, we have managed to restore function to more than 13.4 miles of stream channel & floodplain habitat, removed 24 seasonal irrigation barriers, and eliminated 3 passage barriers, opening an additional 8 miles of habitat to migrating adult steelhead.  Refer the Trout Creek Basin Long Range Action Plan & Restoration Accomplishments for more detail on past accomplishments.  This has been implemented at an extremely low cost to the BPA.  We have been able to keep costs exceptionally low because of our in-house knowledge and experience.   With our working relationship with ODFW – Trout Creek Project, we have put high quality conservation on the ground at the lowest costs seen anywhere in the Columbia Basin.  Combined with our ability to secure funding from other sources to help offset costs from BPA, and our ability to perform the work “in-house” from start to finish, we have been an extremely efficient project since our inception, more than doubling funding received from BPA for habitat improvement in the Trout Creek Watershed.  The Trout Creek watershed covers 692.4 square miles, with 117 miles of stream currently available to summer steelhead, so there is still great opportunity to continue improving the habitat well into the future.

Planned Projects:

All projects are designed to improve fish habitat, water quality and quantity in the Trout Creek basin.  Projects within the riparian zone that directly impact the stream will be conducted during the in-water work period (July 1 - October 31) as dictated by ODFW guidelines.  All projects will follow all pertinent state and federal law, regulations, and executive orders.    

Trout Creek Vegetation Improvement:
This project will plant native seed in designated riparian exclosures and disturbed upland areas throughout the Trout Creek Watershed.  Areas that have been freshly scoured with recent high-water events may be re-seeded with native seed mix.  Areas that have been treated for noxious weeds will be a priority for this work element. We will locate areas with exposed soil or little vegetation and broadcast native seed in those areas within the Trout Creek Watershed.  These sites may coincide with sites treated through the Trout Creek Noxious Weed Program.  Re-vegetating the disturbed ground will help stabilize the soil and reduce overall erosion and sediment entering the streams/waterways in the watershed.  

Trout Creek Noxious Weed Program:
Continue the noxious weed program for the Trout Creek Watershed for the 13th year, the 11th in conjunction with the Jefferson Co. Public Works and local licensed applicators, and now the 5th with the Jefferson County Weed Advisory Committee (JCWAC).  Collaborate with Public Works and JCWAC to provide them with herbicide to be used in the Trout Creek Watershed on "A" list weeds.  Collaborate with the County to provide them with herbicide to be used in the Trout Creek Watershed on "A" list weeds. The County will disperse herbicide to approved landowners and apply the chemical as well.  Coordinate with local licensed applicators that are spraying on private property in the Trout Creek Watershed to potentially provide herbicide for "A" list species.  The SWCD will continue to apply chemical to known weed patches throughout the watershed.  The program will attempt to control noxious weed species that are found on the county's "A" list.  These include Scotch Thistle, Spotted Knapweed and Yellow Starthistle.  We will continue to monitor areas with known biological control on certain weed patches to determine if more biological control is necessary or if herbicide will need to be used.  Ensure the proper reporting from the SWCD and the County to provide accurate accounting of herbicide use to EC.

Future Project Design:
The JCSWCD will continue to collaborate with ODFW on project designs. We anticipate the Foley Creek Complex design will be completed and permitted in the spring of 2023 with implementation scheduled for 2023 and 2024.  The Foley Creek Complex entails relocating a road, re-configuring stream channel locations and confluences, eliminating 4 fords and 2 culverts, leaving one road/stream interface by repurposing a concrete bridge that fell into the creek during the 1996 flood. We will continue to work in conjunction with the HIP Team throughout the design process on all projects to ensure the best possible product for the resource.  Prior to the initiation on the ground work we plan to have an approved design that follows the HIP guidelines that can be implemented in 2023 and 2024.  

Watershed Coordination:
The JCSWCD will continue to assist ODFW on their day-to-day operations when timing allows.  These activities include performing redd surveys, assisting with smolt trapping, operation of the video fish weir, and applying herbicides.  

Habitat Restoration Project Development:
The Jefferson Co. Soil and Water Conservation District (JCSWCD) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) have developed a collaborative approach to project prioritization, development, and implementation. JCSWCD and ODFW Project Managers have collaborated from start to finish on habitat restoration project development, funding, design, construction, and monitoring. The experience and unique skillsets of the JCSWCD and ODFW personnel minimizes the need for expensive outside contracting, engineering, and consulting. This coordination has worked well on past projects and has resulted in quality habitat restoration at a low cost to BPA. BPA funding has allowed for the establishment of a quality population monitoring program that has given insight to the population size, as well as revealing information that assists in the planning and development of current and future habitat restoration actions. Based on 51 years of combined experience and observation in the Trout Creek Watershed, the ODFW and JCSWCD Project Managers have gained the necessary knowledge and relationships with the landowners in the watershed. This information along with numerous planning documents and assessments has allowed us to prioritize stream reaches and upland habitats that provide the best restoration opportunities.  With the current funding level that BPA provides the JCSWCD, extensive on-the-ground habitat projects can not be implemented without the assistance from outside sources.  These sources include the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) and Portland General Electric (PGE).  Once a project is identified, pursuing these funding sources for grant funding is a painstaking, time-enduring exercise necessary to continue to improve habitat in the Trout Creek Watershed.