Custer Soil and Water Conservation District
cswcd@custertel.net
Phone: 208-879-4428
Fax: 208-879-5903

The project scope is to implement high priority action items to maintain, enhance and restore fish habitat and fish passage in the priority stream segments of the Upper Salmon Basin area within the administrative boundaries of the Custer Soil and Water Conservation District.

Implementation of measures funded under this plan will achieve the objective of the Northwest Power Planning Council's Strategy for Salmon Recovery, the National Marine Fisheries Service Salmon Recovery Plan in terms of stabilizing and improving habitat for anadromous fish and the "Four Governors Salmon Recovery Recommendations for Salmon Recovery". Migratory and habitat connectivity across the watershed's valley bottom areas is of high importance to ecologically-based restoration efforts because the tributary sub-watersheds tend to be dominated by federal lands and often provide habitat strongholds for native species of fish and wildlife.

Key habitat limitations in the watershed's bottomland areas include migration problems/ blockages and streambed sedimentation. Addressing these limitations may offer an opportunity to enhance the watershed's anadromous salmonids and will clearly benefit other native species of salmonids, other fish, and wildlife.  The primary opportunity for addressing these problems in the Pahsimeroi, East Fork and Upper Salmon watersheds is through the CSWCD and their collaborative efforts on non-federal land.

Projects identified in this SOW will enhance projects installed over the past three to five years under BPA/CSWCD contracts. Fences being installed under this SOW in the Lower Pahsimeroi will complete 95% of the fencing on the Lower Pahsimeroi from the mouth of the Pahsimeroi to Hooper Lane (over 10 miles of continuous riparian protection). The Lower Pahsimeroi Fences includes four separate properties owned by four different landowners. The Stanley riparian fence will enhance approximately one mile of protection upstream of this fence installed in 2005/2006. In addition this project will further enhance the Salmon River below the S-40 diversion modification installed in 2006 and designed to eliminate a passage barrier. Over 200 redds have been found in the reach of the Salmon River above Stanley and included in this project. Riparian plantings in lower Stanley will further enhance approximately six miles of continues riparian fence in lower Stanley. Approximately 4.5 miles was installed under BPA contracts in 2005/2006. Riparian protection and enhancements being installed on Herd Creek will complement work completed on Herd Creek III by the Shoshone Bannock Tribes in 2006 and Herd Creek I and II installed under BPA/CSWCD contracts in 2004/2005. The area of enhancements also includes an easement that further protects Herd Creek. Increased Instream Complexity in Slate Creek was submitted by the Sawtooth National Recreation Area as on of their top five ranked projects within the SNRA. SNRA cost share for design and environmental consultation has been utilized for planning of this project. Project installation is dependent on cost share for construction via this SOW. The spring enhancement at the Doc Day Cabin will include off site stock-water to protect the spring and also provide proper livestock disbursement to prevent erosion of the stream and Stanley Creek. The system will be low profile and designed to meet the specifications for Scenic Values of the SNRA. Stanley Creek is a tributary to Valley Creek which is historically considered ideal habitat for salmonids and more productive per unit of river bottom than the Salmon River. This project would reduce sediment in both Stanley Creek and Valley Creek. Fencing was installed in Valley Creek in 2005 under a BPA contract via CSWCD.