Through this Sugar Material Procurement contract, MSRF will expand upon the work initiated/completed in previous BPA contracts # 88617 and #91008 and complementary/concurrent CR-361405 to procure materials for upcoming habitat complexity actions at the Sugar project.

Under this contract, MSRF will procure wood complexity habitat materials and stage them on MSRF-owned property at the Sugar Levee site for use in future habitat complexity project features.

Due to the size and scope of the overall project, implementation of the Sugar project will be phased. The current plan is to initiate part of the work in the Sugar Levee (Right) project area in Phase 1 and expand to include the work in the Sugar Left project area in Phase 2; however, this plan may need to be adjusted depending on floodplain permitting and other requirements. We currently anticipate construction beginning in 2024 (Phase 1) and continuing to final implementation (Phase 2) starting in 2025 subject to securing FEMA authorization.

Cost Share:
MSRF has secured cost share funding award for Sugar project design through RCO-SRFB. MSRF has secured implementation cost share from RCO-SRFB and WA Department of Ecology through Floodplains by Design. Planned implementation actions at the Sugar project will be funded through a variety of state and federal grant sources. Wood procured under this contract will be pooled for use where most appropriate, which may include structures completed under cost share agreements. Metrics for the completed complexity features will be provided to BPA for metric credit accounting.

Habitat Prioritization:
The Sugar project is located along the Methow River north of Twisp, WA, in Reach 1 of the Methow-River-Thompson Creek Assessment Unit (AU), which was included within the Middle Methow Reach Assessment (BOR 2010). This area is considered to be a major spawning area for steelhead, and critical rearing habitat for both steelhead and spring Chinook. The UCSRB/RTT Prioritization Framework identifies this as an important reach for restoration for Upper Columbia River (UCR) spring Chinook (#11/51), due to high intrinsic capacity, and low habitat quality. This reach is considered to be a priority for restoration (ranked #6/14) by the Revised Upper Columbia Biological Strategy (2017) and current prioritization framework, and is also highly ranked in the Methow EDT (restoration priority rank of #2/49 for UCR steelhead and #4/49 for UCR spring Chinook). 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. Implementing 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.