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) (Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan  2005; Imnaha Subbasin Plan  2004; 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 collection of field data to determine fish passage on all streams within the project area.  The primary objective is to determine the extent of fish passage issues within Wallowa County.  The collection of this data will include a quantitative and qualitative assessment of passage.  Upon completion of this inventory, data will be entered into a 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.  The second objective is to use this information to prioritize the barrier structures for replacement consideration at the watershed scale, hence allowing resource managers to spend limited resources in the most efficient manner.  The criteria used to prioritize crossings is currently under development, but will include the life history stage impacted, number of miles of stream re-opened, and the position within the stream network.  Because the emphasis is placed on anadromous salmonids, the order in which the fish encounters the barrier when migrating up a particular stream is critical in the overall prioritization scheme.

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.  The accomplishments to date are as follows:

                NPT Overall Passage
Juvenile Adult
Barriers 150 138
Passible 22 31
Unknown Passage Status 5 5
Bridges, Fords, Other 300 303
Total 477 477

Additional Qualitative Barriers 25 5

During this contract period, the remaining structures will be surveyed using the aforementioned methodologies.  This involves all of the pre-season activities, such as contacting additional landowners to obtain permission, hiring field crew members, securing field supplies, and training field crews.  Currently, water levels are too high to survey any structures.