52618

2000-001-00 EXP OMAK CREEK ANADROMOUS FISH HABITAT AND PASSAGE

4/1/2011

3/31/2012

114. Identify and Select Projects

Work Element Usage Report

C: 114 - Identify areas of poor land management practices and develop 2012 implementation strategy

Work has taken place in 2010 and in previous years, to identify and to replace undersized culverts prioritized by Colville Fish & Wildlife through consultation (including meetings with the Omak Creek Watershed TAG, with the goal of improving anadromous fish habitat and passage and addressing sediment issues in Omak Creek and its tributaries. A priority list was developed in 2008 for small culvert projects, and this list was used to conduct site visits, evaluate feasibility, and to select projects for implementation. These culvert replacements were cost-shared with CCT Fish & Wildlife, BPA, USFWS, and the NRCS.

Information from the Tribal Environmental Trust department documents the high road density in Omak Creek watershed. Road densities in Omak Creek range from 4.0 mi./sq. mi. to 6.4 mi./sq.mi., in exceedance of set standards in the Integrated Resource Management Plan, (IRMP) for the Colville Reservation.

The TAG continues to meet regularly with the goal of identifying specific resource problems which limit the production of salmonid habitat within the sub-watershed and develop strategies and priorities for rehabilitation. Many of the limiting factors addressed in the original Omak Creek Watershed Assessment are still a priority for Omak Creek, in particular, water temperature, water quality, water quantity, habitat and diversity. These TAG meetings are held approximately once every 2 months or more frequently, if needed.

A copy of the Okanogan Basin Management Plan and The Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Plan are attached to the project. The Okanogan Subbasin Plan identifies priorities to be addressed, such as: 1. Actions being implemented at the local level , 2. Remove barriers, 4. Reduce water temperatures using natural means, such as increasing canopy closure, reducing withdrawals, decreasing sediment and protecting seeps and springs, 6. Restore instream flow in tributaries, 7. Restore riparian and wetland areas, 8. Continue monitoring and evaluation (pages 7-8). These have all been considered by the TAG during the process of project selection.

Continued efforts and collaboration with occur with Fish & Wildlife, Environmental Trust, Omak-Nespelem Forestry, Range, BIA Roads, and the NRCS, as well as others, toward implementation of best practices and prioritization of projects with the greatest benefit toward reducing road related erosion and sediment issues in Omak Creek and its tributaries.

Identify areas of poor land management practices (i.e. grazing impacts, excessive sediment delivery via roads, passage barriers (i.e. culverts)). Target sediment issues and identify and select road decommission and undersized culvert replacement projects. Documentation and summary of completed road decommissions and culvert replacements within the watershed. Prioritized list of recommended road decommissions and/or culvert replacements. Develop an implementation strategy to address identified problem areas and recommendations for the 2012 field season. The rehabilitation actions identified will be evaluated and ranked for costs, funding availability, and ranked for priority for submission for design and/or specifications work and implementation. Results will be reported on in quarterly and annual reports.

$5,910

1.10%

04/01/2011

03/31/2012

Other

[Unassigned]

[Unassigned]

Finite