Grande Ronde River Basin Watershed Engineer

Interagency Acquisition between Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region, and Bonneville Power Administration

1.   Background

The Grande Ronde River Basin has three federally listed Endangered Species Act (ESA) fish species.  The Snake River spring Chinook was listed in 1992.  Summer steelhead and bull trout were listed in 1998.  

In response to these listings watershed restoration activities in the Grande Ronde River Basin have increased significantly.  The Oregon Watershed Health Program directed substantial funding to the basin; Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has also been a major funding source.  Other participants that have continued to provide funding and technical assistance in a broader scope for restoration activities are the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB), Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), and the Union and Wallowa Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

In 1992 in response to the eminent listing of spring Chinook salmon, the Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program (GRMWP) was established by Union and Wallowa County Commissions.  The purpose of the GRMWP was to establish a grass-roots locally-based effort to coordinate state and Federal agencies, local organizations, and private entities in an effort to restore fish habitat in the Grande Ronde River Basin.  This GRMWP has been very effective. One of the key elements to making this program successful is having access to engineering technical assistance.  Reclamation has provided engineering technical support in the Grande Ronde River Basin many years.  This assistance has been an important element to successful habitat restoration projects in the basin.  

Beginning in Federal fiscal year 2000 Reclamation funding for ESA restoration projects was directed toward National Marine Fisheries Service subbasins assigned to Reclamation under the "Biological Opinion on the Operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System" issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service in December 2000.  The Grande Ronde River Basin was not assigned to Reclamation.  As a result Reclamations ability to proved engineering technical assistance in the Grand Ronde River Basin has diminished.    
At the request of the GRMWP and the Union and Wallowa SWCDs Reclamation has continued to provide technical engineering assistance through its Technical Assistance to States (TAS) program. Reclamation provided these technical engineering services through Cooperative Agreement between Reclamation and the Union Soil & Water Conservation District, Wallowa Soil & Water Conservation District and Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program.  This arrangement has been a very successful and cooperative undertaking.  

The TAS program has a 50 /50 cost share requirement. To meet this requirement The GRMWP has requested funding from BPA through the Pacific Northwest Power Planning Council to ensure it has continued access to field engineering technical assistance necessary for the success of the program.  The funds will be provided directly from BPA to Reclamation through this Interagency Agreement.

2.   Objective

The objective of the agreement is to ensure GRMWP has adequate access to field engineering technical services for the Grande Ronde River Basin ESA restoration program for Federal fiscal year 2006.  Those field engineering technical services will be provided by Reclamation.  

3.   Statement of Work

Field engineering technical services will be for habitat restoration projects.  The $60,000 will be directed toward engineering-related work for each project site and will provide engineering technical assistance to landowners, GRMWP staff, Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) staff, and other agencies.  The Field Engineer will participate on the GRMWP technical committee.  Field engineering technical assistance may include site surveys and data collection to develop preliminary project designs, project appraisals and preliminary engineering designs for development of project proposals and budgets.

BPA funds can be used for watershed improvement or fish and wildlife enhancement activities that meet the goals and objectives of the subbasin plan.  Determination of eligible projects will be made by the local Reclamation Field Engineer, GRMWP, and Union and Wallowa Soil and Water Conservation Districts.  The tracking of funds by Project will be accomplished by the Bureau of Reclamation.