84044 REL 66: Rev 1: WE B: Work Element Summary

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Basics

Contract Number:

84044 REL 66

Contract Title:

2007-393-00 EXP PROTECT RESTORE SE WA/NE OR WATERSDHED HABITAT 25

Contract Start Date:

5/1/2025

Contract End Date:

4/30/2026

WE ID:

114. Identify and Select Projects

Work Element Usage Report

Title:

B: 114 - Develop and identify project concepts; evaluate, prioritize and select Habitat Projects

Description:

This work element encompasses contract efforts that continue through the contract period: ongoing work to screen and select potential projects throughout the Grande Ronde and Imnaha subbasins, including the Pine, Wallowa, and Lostine watersheds in Northeast Oregon, as well as the Asotin, Alpowa, and Tucannon drainages in SE Washington. In addition, select fish passage barriers for replacement, using the report and prioritized list of structures for replacement consideration that was prepared as part of the BPA Wallowa Culvert Inventory project. Grants will be obtained to replace high-priority problem structures identified within that final report.

This work is closely linked to Produce Project Specific Designs: projects that will be planned and developed need to be evaluated and selected prior to submitting proposals for funding support to advance a conceptual restoration approach. Once a project is selected as a priority, outside funding sources will be sought for design development and subsequent implementation.

Management Considerations (most watersheds): No matter the funding source, the final contract(s) and funds would need to be in-place by June 30th of the year in which a selected project would be implemented. This deadline has to be met in order to meet the instream work window in most of the watersheds in Wallowa County. There are exceptions to this deadline however. The watersheds that only contain steelhead (e.g., Toynima, the Lower Grande Ronde) have a much longer work window. Thus, contract funds could be secured later in the year and still leave adequate time to accomplish the implementation work.

Background: When this contract began, the project selection process included utilizing the adopted NPT Department of Fisheries Resource Management priority HUC 5 watersheds. This process also involves the coordination with other entities (FS, ODFW, OWT, NRAC, Hells Canyon Collaborative, Wallowa Resources and etc) to prioritize areas to work, which will be the first step in deciding where work should occur. Once the areas are prioritized, specific high priority projects will be developed. This coordination is also essential to ensure that other entities are not already planning the same project, funding matches can be sought and to seek input on project designs.

The selection process for fish passage projects is outlined in great detail in the final report for the previous project. Other types of projects are selected based on Subbasin Plans, the Wallowa County-Nez Perce Tribe Salmon Habitat Recovery Plan, and watershed assessments. For example, the Toynima watershed has a current watershed assessment, which outlines the need to close over 100 miles of road. This assessment also provides the prioritization for the selection of roads to begin decommissioning. This watershed is also listed in the Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan as having one of the highest road densities of anywhere in the subbasin. This area has also been the focus of implementation activities for NRAC, Wallowa Resources and the Forest Service. However, none of these entities have begun working on the roads aspect. In order for the NPT to fit into the existing network of restoration efforts, we have offered to begin this work.

WE Agreement Type:

Contracted

Deliverable Specification:

Priority projects are those evaluated and selected on the basis of criteria derived from a conceptual strategy, restoration framework or implementation work plan (Wallowa Atlas, Tucannon River assessments - 2021, 2025).

Prioritized Project List for 2025 work likely to implement in the next 2-3 years:

* Chesnimnus fourteen+ Mile Reach Initiation
* Lower Lostine habitat and floodplain project
* Lostine Town Planting
* Cummings Creek PALS and BDA Project Phase II, III
* Tucannon River Project Area (PA) 5-15 Assessment and Design Study
* Big 4 lakes decommission and restoration

NPT project oversight and implementation will be conducted by project biologist's Montana Pagano and Elizabeth Eastman and project leader Kathryn Frenyea.

WSE Effective Budget:

$52,000

% of Total WSE Effective Budget:

9.96%

WSE Start:

05/01/2025

WSE End:

04/30/2026

WSE Completion:

WSE Progress:

Planned

WSE ID Continued From:

[Unassigned]

WSE ID Continued To:

[Unassigned]

Finite or Recurring:

Finite

Budget History

SOWRevision	Planned	Updated	Contractor Comments (optional)	BPA Comments (optional)
Work Element Budget (Current Performance Period)	$52,000	$52,000

Milestones

10 Milestones

Sort	Type	Title	Start	End	Status	Modified By	Modified Date
A	Priority areas	Determine priority areas and actions (projects) based on the most current empirical data	5/1/2025	4/30/2026	Active	Tracy Hauser	11/13/2024 1:23:56 PM
		Description: Prioritize areas and actions (projects) at the site, reach, or watershed level based on the most current biological and physical data (e.g., habitat and fish data).
B	Review projects	Review proposed near-term habitat work before drafting a SOW for the subsequent contract (CR)	5/1/2025	12/31/2025	Active	Tracy Hauser	11/13/2024 1:23:56 PM
		Description: Communicate with the COR and EC-lead; to check in and discuss the near-term list of prioritized projects (next 12-mos). Complete a conference call with BPA’s Environmental Compliance (EC) staff about which projects the contractor is likely to design and permit, or implement, in the next contract period. Your communication should include: what Work Elements to use in the SOW with guidance from COR/EC, the applicability of EC review requirements and timelines (especially for activities that include ground-disturbing work) and work plan, before you start editing your subsequent SOW. (milestone end-date is 6-mos before contract end).
C	COR/EC discuss	Discuss prioritized list with COR and EC Lead; plan for subsequent contract work.	5/1/2025	12/31/2025	Active	Tracy Hauser	11/13/2024 1:23:56 PM
		Description: Coordinate with the BPA COR and EC Lead for large, complex, or multi-year actions before including the project in the SOW, or developing a design. Coordination for these types of projects could include holding coordination meetings; leading site visits; and/or including the COR and EC Lead at annual reviews, solicitation meetings, or other sponsor-lead evaluations. Assure that project design review and approval, and funding commitments, are fully vetted with BPA staff; timely environmental compliance clearance for planned work requires the earliest possible coordination.
D	HAL/COR/EC call	For Habitat Projects: Discuss prioritized list w COR, Habitat Lead, EC Lead;.	5/1/2025	12/31/2025	Active	Tracy Hauser	11/13/2024 1:23:56 PM
		Description: Coordinate with the BPA COR, Habitat Area Lead (HAL) and EC Lead for large, complex, or multi-year habitat restoration projects before including the project in the SOW, or developing a design. Coordination for these types of projects could include holding coordination meetings; leading site visits; and/or including the COR and EC Lead at annual reviews, solicitation meetings, or other sponsor-lead evaluations. Assure that project design review and approval, and funding commitments, are fully vetted with BPA staff; timely environmental compliance clearance for planned work requires the earliest possible coordination.
E		Chesnimnus Nine Mile Reach Initiation	5/1/2025	4/30/2026	Active	Tracy Hauser	11/13/2024 1:23:56 PM
		Description: Located in the Joseph Creek watershed (Atlas MCC-1) Chesnimnus Creek and associated tributaries (Lower Chesnimnus, Swamp, Alder, Devils Run, Peavine, Salmon) have been reviewed by the Wallowa County Atlas IT and partners to be impacted by the following limiting factors: 1.1 Anthropogenic Barriers 4.1 Riparian Vegetation 5.2 Floodplain Condition 6.1 Bed and Channel Form 6.2 Instream Structural Complexity 7.2 Increased Sediment Quantity 8.1 Temperature 9.2 Decreased Water Quantity Limiting life stages for Steelhead and Lamprey have also been identified as these are the key species with historical and current distribution in the watershed. Steelhead have been the most abundant in recent years therefore alternative analysis and design alternatives will focus on related limited life stages including winter rearing, summer rearing, and incubation and emergence. Adult migration (flow, anthropogenic barriers), holding and spawning will also be considered and the above mentioned limiting life stages are also believed to be severely limiting lamprey recovery. Utilizing the above Atlas data summaries to inform project initiation and design have been deemed appropriate by project partners and IT members. The project area is over nine miles long across three parcels of private property and adjacent to USFS (Pine Creek tributary, Wallowa Whitman NF) all contiguous and on the maintstem of Chesnimnus Creek. Project initiation for 2023-2024 will be to focus on the upper 4.5 miles of the project area seeking to hire an engineering firm, survey, assess design alternatives and move through 15% and 30% design iterations, possibly 60%. The project team including NPT, ODFW, GRMW, and USFS will then move towards seeking implementation funds in 2024-2026 while concurrently designing the middle and downstream reaches. Project planning is to phase the project over 9 miles and 3 landowners. Beginning in spring 2023 NPT staff will apply for BPA funds through GRMW and OWEB. If awarded funds will pay for surveys, alternative analysis, conceptuals and design. Phase II of planning and design will be initiated in fall 2024-spring 2025 on the second (middle) parcel seeking the same objectives and results as phase I.
F		Cummings Creek PALS and BDA Project Phase I	7/1/2025	12/1/2025	Active	Tracy Hauser	11/13/2024 1:23:56 PM
		Description: The project is located within Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Lands in Columbia County, WA. Cummings Creek is a tributary to the Tucannon River and flows into the mainstem Tucannon at approximately RM 34.5. The downstream extent of the project will be at the mouth of Cummings Creek (46.3324707, -117.6749339) to an upstream extent of approximately two miles upstream (46.3313451,-117.6533401). The Tucannon River watershed is a major spawning area for ESA listed steelhead and is listed as a priority restoration reach in the Snake River Salmon Recovery 3-5 Year Provisional Work Plan. The degradation of physical and ecological processes in the Tucannon River caused three very common problems for salmonids associated with confined, incised channels: (1) diminished velocity refuge, (2) minimal food production and availability, and (3) redd scour (Cluer, 2019). Stage 3 rivers with a high conveyance capacity undergo a decrease in velocity refuge when discharge increases, limiting food production and requiring high energy expenditure for foraging salmonids (Facey and Grossman, 1990; Sommer et al., 2001a; Kemp et al., 2006; Jeffres et al., 2008; Katz et al, 2017). NPT requested and was awarded funding in 2022 through the SRSRB. Reid Camp of Cramer Fish Sciences and staff were hired. NPT project oversight and implementation will be conducted by project biologist Elizabeth Eastmen and project leader Kathryn Frenyea. The goal of this project is to promote self-sustaining, natural stream processes that improve and maintain spawning and rearing habitat for Snake River steelhead. A site survey and field-based design report was completed. Site prep, implementation, and implementation report for construction of 60 post assisted log structures (PALS) and 10 Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) is scheduled for 2024-2025.
G		Cummings Creek PALS and BDA Project Phase II, III	8/1/2025	4/30/2026	Active	Tracy Hauser	2/13/2025 10:09:14 AM
		Description: The project is located within Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Lands in Columbia County, WA. Cummings Creek is a tributary to the Tucannon River and flows into the mainstem Tucannon at approximately RM 34.5. The downstream extent of the project will be at the mouth of Cummings Creek (46.3324707, -117.6749339) to an upstream extent of approximately two miles upstream (46.3313451, -117.6533401). The Tucannon River watershed is a major spawning area for ESA listed steelhead and is listed as a priority restoration reach in the Snake River Salmon Recovery 3-5 Year Provisional Work Plan. The degradation of physical and ecological processes in the Tucannon River caused three very common problems for salmonids associated with confined, incised channels: (1) diminished velocity refuge, (2) minimal food production and availability, and (3) redd scour (Cluer, 2019). Stage 3 rivers with a high conveyance capacity undergo a decrease in velocity refuge when discharge increases, limiting food production and requiring high energy expenditure for foraging salmonids (Facey and Grossman, 1990; Sommer et al., 2001a; Kemp et al., 2006; Jeffres et al., 2008; Katz et al, 2017). The goal of this project is to promote self-sustaining, natural stream processes that improve and maintain spawning and rearing habitat for Snake River steelhead. Funding will be used for a field-based low-tech process-based restoration design and implementation for installation of up to 140 structures: beaver dam analogs (BDAs) and post assisted log structures (PALS). one mile of new structures and two miles of adaptive structure repair and installation. We will also look for opportunities to direct fall and grip-hoist larger trees into the channel where available. The structures will start to restore natural processes and sediment sorting, overbank flow, floodplain access, and in-stream complexity, with approximately 25 pools created. The Nez Perce Tribe has requested SRSRB funds for a low-tech process based design and restoration project to improve in-stream habitat, floodplain connectivity and riparian function for approximately two miles. The project will be designed and built by Reid Camp and staff with Cramer Fish Sciences and is scheduled for 2024-2026 implementation. NPT project oversight and implementation will be conducted by project biologist Elizabeth Eastmen and project leader Kathryn Frenyea.
H		Tucannon River Project Area (PA) 5-15 Assessment and Design Study	5/1/2025	4/30/2026	Active	Katie Frenyea	2/12/2025 10:41:10 AM
		Description: The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), and its co-managers, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Nez Perce Tribe (NPT), are co-sponsoring the Tucannon River Project Area (PA) 5-15 Assessment and Design Study. Grant funds will be used to hire an engineering firm to assist the co-managers with quantifying the effects of floodplain infrastructure (i.e. roads, lakes, powerlines, campgrounds) on the Tucannon River, focusing on the reach below Camp Wooten (PA-5) downstream to Russell Springs (PA-15) on the W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area In Columbia County, in southeast Washington. The multi-use assessment will develop a list of alternatives for the various confining infrastructure and determine the degree of those effects on limiting factors including; channel complexity, floodplain connectivity, stream power, and pool development throughout this reach. Co-manager analysis of those multi-use alternatives will be used to develop conceptual designs that focus on providing a major uplift for declining Endangered Species Act-listed Snake River spring Chinook, summer steelhead and bull trout populations. Once complete the conceptual designs for the 14- mile reach of the Tucannon River will provide a future pathway to better multi-use management while reducing future maintenance and flood risk for the remaining floodplain infrastructure. An RFP was flown by the CTUIR in spring 2023, an engineering firm was selected to initiate the feasibility fall 2023 to be completed by 2025.
I		Obtain habitat enhancement project funding through GRMW at 80%	5/1/2025	4/30/2026	Active	Tracy Hauser	11/13/2024 1:23:56 PM
		Description: After final review and technical comment by the GRMW IT at the 80% design stage, projects will be submitted to the GRMW Board for approval. The funding request will be established by the 80% Engineer’s Opinion of Construction Cost (cost estimate). The Board’s funding decision will be conveyed back to the sponsor via a notification letter from GRMW staff. This funding award is a provisional contract amount that will be refined during the implementation and construction bidding process. Once an implementation contractor has been selected, the contractor’s bid and the final negotiated contract value to be awarded will be compared to the funding award, and any overage above the bid will be de obligated and applied to other priority work administered by the GRMW. This process will be coordinated between the sponsor (NPT), GRMW, and BPA. The GRMW will have a representative participating in the bid review process for all proposed work funded through the GRMW. The GRMW will provide concurrence on contractor selection.
J	DELIV	Develop or update (out-year) prioritized Habitat Project list: Upload to CBFish		4/30/2026	Active	Katie Frenyea	2/12/2025 10:43:49 AM
		Description: Priority projects are those evaluated and selected on the basis of criteria derived from a conceptual strategy, restoration framework or implementation work plan (Wallowa Atlas, Tucannon River assessments - 2021, 2025). Prioritized Project List for 2025 work likely to implement in the next 2-3 years: * Chesnimnus fourteen+ Mile Reach Initiation * Lower Lostine habitat and floodplain project * Lostine Town Planting * Cummings Creek PALS and BDA Project Phase II, III * Tucannon River Project Area (PA) 5-15 Assessment and Design Study * Big 4 lakes decommission and restoration NPT project oversight and implementation will be conducted by project biologist's Montana Pagano and Elizabeth Eastman and project leader Kathryn Frenyea.

Secondary Focal Species:

Coho (O. kisutch) - Unspecified Population; Lamprey, Pacific (Entosphenus tridentata)

Environmental Compliance

This work element does not require Environmental Compliance

RM&E Metadata

This work element does not require RM&E metadata

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Basics

Budget History

Milestones

Metrics

Location

Focal Species

Environmental Compliance

RM&E Metadata