STATEMENT OF WORK
Little Canyon Creek Subwatershed-Steelhead Trout Habitat Improvement Project
Project #1999-014-00
Contract #________
Mountain Snake Province
Clearwater Subbasin

A.        Administrative Summaries

1.        Performance Period:  October 1, 2005 - September 30, 2006

2.       Grantee Information
Project Sponsor:
Eric Hasselstrom, District Chair
Lewis Soil Conservation District
521 Oak RM 8
Nezperce ID  83543
Phone:  (208) 937-2673 extension 3
Fax:  (208) 937-2234

Financial Contact:
Sharon Kinzer, Administrative Assistant
Lewis Soil Conservation District
521 Oak RM 8
Nezperce ID  83543
Phone:  (208) 937-2673 extension 3
Fax:  (208) 937-2234

Project Coordinator:
Shelly Gilmore
Resource Planning Unlimited, Inc.
1406 East F Street
Moscow ID  83843
Phone:  (208) 883-1806
Fax:  (208) 882-6738

Site Description And Background

Little Canyon Creek is the primary tributary to Big Canyon Creek, which is a tributary to the lower Clearwater River.  The upper reach of Little Canyon Creek is located in Lewis County, Idaho.  Approximately six stream miles near the mouth acts as the boundary between Lewis and Clearwater Counties, and the lower two miles of creek serves as the Clearwater and Nez Perce County border.  The entire Little Canyon Creek watershed is within the boundaries of the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.

Holes and Long Hollow Creeks form the headwaters at an elevation of 3,690 feet.  At the confluence of these two creeks, the canyon narrows and Little Canyon Creek flows in a northerly direction for approximately 14 miles to its confluence with Big Canyon Creek at an elevation of 1,140 feet.  With the exception of Nezperce, Idaho (population 471), the watershed is rural.  Agriculture is the major land use including nonirrigated cropland and forest/grazing lands.  A total of 60,200 acres are included in the entire Little Canyon Creek watershed, combining approximately 28,000 acres in the lower Little Canyon Creek subwatershed, 15,000 in the Holes Creek subwatershed, and 17,200 in the Long Hollow subwatershed.  Of those acres, nearly 68% is in nonirrigated cropland use.

Summary of the Problem

According to the Clearwater Subbasin Plan (2002), high stream temperatures, sedimentation, and low summer stream flows are fisheries habitat concerns that have been associated with nonpoint source pollution from agricultural land uses in the Little Canyon Creek watershed.  

Steelhead trout were federally listed as a threatened species in the Snake River Basin evolutionarily significant unit (EFU) on October 17, 1997, which includes the Clearwater River subbasin.  The Big Canyon Creek watershed has been identified as one of the top steelhead producing streams within the Nez Perce Reservation and in particular, the A-run steelhead trout.

Summary of the Grantee's Proposed Approach to Address Problems

The goal of this project is to improve steelhead trout spawning and rearing habitat in Little Canyon Creek through the implementation of agricultural Best Management Practices in the watershed uplands.

Implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the subwatershed can reduce nonpoint source contributions from agricultural land use activities.  BMPs that specifically address sediment delivery, retention of water in the upper subwatershed, and riparian function will be implemented under this contract to achieve the goal.  These include:

-    Direct Seeding Systems
-    Upland Erosion and Sediment Control Structures
-    Riparian Area Plantings
Steelhead trout habitat will be improved by encouraging upland farmers to use direct seeding systems, upland erosion and sediment control structures and enhanced riparian vegetation.  This modified land use will reduce erosion and sediment delivery that affects steelhead trout habitat in Little and Big Canyon Creeks and the Lower Clearwater River.
The Process

The project coordinator meets with individual land owners and operators within the watershed.  The agricultural lands are evaluated for erosion problems that have a potential to deliver sediment to Little Canyon Creek.  Once the erosion problems are identified, the coordinator offers the land owner/operator a set of solutions for erosion control.  The solution may be one practice or a set of practices that help control the problem.  Once the owner/operator selects the practice or set of practices, the coordinator brings the decisions to the Lewis Soil Conservation District Board (District) for their review and approval.  Finally, the coordinator designs the practice(s), coordinates construction activities, and finalizes the practice to ensure it meets standards and specifications.

Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)

This project implements RPA 152 from the 2000 Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion to mitigate effects to ESA listed steelhead from operations of the hydropower system.

Relationship to ESA and Federal or Other Recovery Plans

Steelhead trout were federally listed as a threatened species in the Snake River Basin evolutionarily significant unit (EFU) on October 17, 1997, which includes the Clearwater River subbasin.  The Big Canyon Creek watershed has been identified as one of the top steelhead producing streams within the Nez Perce Reservation and in particular, the A-run steelhead trout.  The project will indirectly benefit the listed steelhead trout through habitat improvements.

Relationship to NPPC Fish and Wildlife Program

Fiscal year 1999 was the first year for Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) funded projects on agricultural lands in the Clearwater River subbasin.  This proposal continues an existing project that has been ongoing since fiscal year 1999 (BPA Project No. 199901400).  Implementation activities scheduled through the Fiscal Year 2005 program, with intentions of practice installation in the fall of 2005 and spring 2006, will be designed and mapped as activities to proceed from September 1, 2005 through August 31, 2006.