PROJECT LOCATION:  
This projects is located in the Upper Grande Ronde River Subbasin, within the Ladd Creek Watershed (1706010419), and is specifically located in subwatershed 19E (Upper Ladd Creek).  The Smutz Draw project area is located in the NW ¼ of Sec 27, T. 4 S., R. 43 E.  The project is located along Forest Road 4300.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES and PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Introduction/Existing Conditions:

This project will replace an undersized culvert with a larger one.  The infill will be constructed to simulate the natural streambed.  This culvert will be sized to accommodate an 100 year event.  The current culvert, located near the mouth of Smutz Draw Creek, is a three foot in diameter, 30 foot long, round, corrugated metal pipe.  Bankfull width is approximately 7.5 feet.  The average slope of the culvert is approximately 4% to 5%.  The culvert appears to be bent with a higher gradient at the inlet (upstream end), and lower gradient towards the outlet.  About ¾ of the length of the culvert contains natural substrate, which can facilitate fish passage at some flows, but also reduces the capacity of the culvert to pass water.  The area at the inlet of the culvert is eroding indicating that water backs up during high flows resulting in erosive back eddies.

The existing culvert will be replaced by a larger culvert (probably a horizontal ellipse shape, 7' 3" rise, 10' 8" span) that can easily accommodate typical high flows, yet allow the placement of substrate on the bottom of the culvert to provide fish passage.  The material will be placed to a minimum depth of 2.5 feet with a cross section similar to the natural streambed.  Larger material will be placed near the edge of the culvert to be sure the shape is maintained.  Rock bands will be placed to mimic the riffles and steps in the natural channel.

Specific Actions and Objectives:

The proposed Smutz Draw Fish Passage Improvement Project is intended to provide optimum fish passage, and correct sedimentation issues related to undersized culverts.  The objectives of this project are:

• Provide fish passage for all life stages of resident redband trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss gibbsi)
• Reduce sediment delivery during high flow events
• Replace undersized culverts with structures designed to pass 100 year flows.

Species Occurrence:  Ladd Creek, upstream of Interstate 84, and Smutz Draw Creek is spawning and rearing habitat for redband trout.  A culvert underneath Interstate 84 currently blocks upstream migration of summer steelhead.  The culvert under the Interstate includes a 25-foot vertical drop.

Priority-From Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan Supplement

Problem 4:  Excessive amounts of fine sediment in various portions of the subbasin are negatively affecting incubation success, juvenile survival, invertebrate production, and habitat availability.
Objective 4A:  Facilitate monitoring and evaluation of sedimentation trends and provide information relative to its effect on salmonid production.
Objective 4B:  In known problem areas, reduce sedimentation impacts to aquatic focal species.

Problem 7:  Population connectivity is reduced as a result of structural barriers within specific watersheds.  This reduction has resulted in a loss of genetic interchange, population carrying capacity, and habitat availability.
Objective 7A:  Identify and prioritize for modification, structural barriers that limit connectivity.

Benefits: This project will decrease sediment delivery during high flows, and improve fish passage for all life stages of redband trout.  If or when passage for summer steelhead is reestablished past the interstate, this fish passage improvement project will provide juvenile and adult access to the upper reaches of Ladd and Smutz Draw Creek.  Replacement of the Smutz Draw Creek culvert will compliment work accomplished by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF).  The ODF project entailed obliterating a draw bottom road up Smutz Draw and pulling out culverts.  

Project Maintenance:  The project will fall under routine road and culvert maintenance conducted by the La Grande Ranger District.