The project area streams provide habitat for a variety of anadromous and resident aquatic species.  The anadromous fish stocks include chinook salmon (Oncorhychus tshawytscha), steelhead trout (O. mykiss), lamprey (Lampetra spp.), and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentis) (WC-NPTSHRP, 1999). Currently, fall chinook, bull trout, and steelhead are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as threatened, while spring/summer chinook salmon are listed under the ESA as endangered (http://www.endangered.fws.gov).  The Columbia River population of bull trout has been listed as a threatened species since June 10, 1998 (63 FR 31647).  Spring/summer/fall chinook, steelhead and bull trout are now present in the project area.  Some of the resident fish currently in the analysis area include bull trout, rainbow trout (O. mykiss), Northern Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus oregonensis), three species of sucker (Catostomus spp.), sculpin (Cottus spp.), Redside shiner (Richardsonius balteatus), two species of dace (Rhinichtys spp.), and mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) (Lostine Watershed Assessment, 2004; WC-NPTSHRP  1999).  The status of lamprey is largely unknown at this time within most of its historic range; however, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has added lamprey species to the protected species list and considers it a species of concern (www.dfw.state.or.us, 12 July, 2002).  Historically, coho salmon (O. kisutch)  were also present, although few adults were counted in the watershed after 1969, and they were considered extinct by 1987 (Cramer, 1990).  Currently, coho salmon are proposed for ESA listing (http://endangered.fws.gov).  Furthermore, remnant runs of the fall chinook were also present within the project area in 1960 (Thompson & Haas, 1960).  Since that time, they have dissapeared in all areas except for very limited numbers in the lower Grande Ronde and Imnaha Rivers.  Sockeye salmon (O. nerka) were also historically present in Wallowa county, but since the construction of the Wallowa Lake Dam, sockeyes have become extinct.

This proposal will fund the field collection of culvert data.  Upon completion of this inventory, data will be entered into a county maintained database and used to assess and prioritize rehabilitation work.  At that point in time, fish passage and connectivity can be evaluated at the watershed scale.

Using a two-person crew, one culvert takes approximately two hours to complete.  Most culverts left for survey occur on private lands and will be completed upon landowner permission. Forest Service Region 6, culvert survey protocols will be used for this project. These protocols are tested and have proven to be an effective way of prioritizing culverts.  By using the same protocols all data is streamlined and comparable.   Once surveyed, culvert information will be entered into an Access database similar to the one established by the Forest Service and be placed in a GIS overlay.  Each culvert can then be evaluated and prioritized utilizing fish passage criteria modified from Forest Service protocols.

Administration of this project follows the rules and regulations set forth by the Nez Perce Tribe.  Protecting all rights set forth by the treaty of 1855 are the overlying goal and priority of this program and this project proposal.

The Nez Perce Tribe Department of Fisheries Resource Management (DFRM) Watershed Division sponsors the Wallowa County Culvert Inventory project.  The NPTFWP has the authority to allocate funds under the provisions set forth in their contract with BPA.