The Scotch Creek Wildlife Area is a complex of 5 separate management units located in Okanogan county in North Central Washington State.  The project is located within the Columbia Cascade Province (Okanogan sub-basin) and partially addresses adverse impacts caused by the construction of Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee hydroelectric dams.  The total size of the wildlife area is 16,560 acres.  The Scotch Creek Wildlife Area was approved as a wildlife mitigation project in 1996 and habitat enhancement efforts to meet mitigation objectives have been underway since the spring of 1997 on Scotch Creek.  Recent population estimates of Sharp-tailed grouse on the Scotch Creek unit show a halt to the decline observed since 1960, and have increased every year since 2000.  Habitat enhancements and genetic supplementation through augmentation appear to be having a positive effect.  

Maintenance of BPA funded enhancements are necessary to protect and enhance shrub-steppe and to recover and sustain populations of Sharp-tailed grouse and other obligate species.  This contract will maintain shrub and tree plantings to ensure continued growth and survival, and the benefit of winter STG habitat.  Construction of temporary deer fencing will also protect these plantings from continuous browsing.  We will restore natural stream function to Scotch Creek by re-constructing a meandering channel where previous flooding, due to Reed Canary grass invasion has killed riparian vegetation along a .5 mile stretch of the creek.  This is a critical habitat area for wintering Sharp-tailed grouse.  Future Riparian plantings along this channel will restore habitat units.  Boundary fence repair will be performed to prevent trespass livestock on all wildlife area units.  Weed control on all acres of the wildlife area will be performed to restore quality habitat as well as protection from new invaders and maintain existing HU's.  Maintenance of signs, physical improvements, roads and parking areas will protect habitat by directing and informing the public.  Funding of administrative duties will keep project staff informed of new procedures and developments, BPA and DFW personnel informed of on-going projects, keep planning and project reporting on track, and insure smooth operations between all interested parties.