Project Goals and Objectives:
The primary goal of the project is to restore riparian, floodplain, and wetland habitat, promote natural, stable stream channels and accompanying instream habitat diversity, and improve water quality for anadromous and resident salmonids.  The project includes protecting habitat through conservation easement under the Federal Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), restoration of channelized stream reaches, reconnecting floodplains, restoring wetlands and associated native plant communities.  Habitat parameters addressed include high summer water temperatures, low summer flows, unstable streambanks and erosion/sedimentation, poor riparian/wetland conditions, and poor instream habitat diversity.  

Project objectives include:
1. Increase suitable spawning and rearing habitat for anadromous and resident salmonids
2. Improve water quality (sediment, nutrient, water temperatures)
3. Improve wetland habitats for riparian/wetland dependent species
4. Increase groundwater recharge
5. Achieve private landowner land management and conservation objectives

Project Description
Phase 4 of the End Creek Restoration Project complex includes construction of stream channels and floodplain ponds, installation of rock and wood structures, planting and seeding, and reclamation of existing channelized stream segments (ditches).  Phase 4 project components will contribute towards stable stream channel and floodplain morphology and associated hydrophytic riparian and wetland vegetation.  

Existing condition
The Willow Creek system, including End Creek, South Fork Willow, and McDonald Creek, are known to provide habitat for Federally listed Snake River summer steelhead.  Willow Creek likely provides rearing habitat for Snake River Spring Chinook Salmon and may have historically provided spawning habitat.  The project area historically contained meandering stream channels, wetlands and numerous springs.  In an effort to enhance drainage for agricultural production, End Creek, South Fork Willow, McDonald Creek, and several spring fed tributaries were channelized, resulting in a series of linear ditches currently lacking riparian vegetation with eroding stream banks.  Approximately 650 acres within the project complex are annually tilled and planted to various crops.  Ditches and channelized stream segments provide poor habitat conditions for salmonids, contain excessively high water temperatures (data available in CTUIR and ODFW offices and reports), are actively eroding, and generally limit fish and wildlife production.  The project landowners propose to restore natural, stable stream channels, reconnect the floodplain, and restore habitat for fish and wildlife on their properties.

Project Benefits
Fish Habitat – Phase 4 of the project will contribute to an increase in the availability of complex habitat for anadromous and resident salmonids and palustrine emergent/shrub-scrub wetlands within the project complex.  Overall, the End Creek project complex will provide approximately 4.34 miles of meandering channel, 7.88 miles of spring fed tributaries, reactivation of an extensive floodplain network and restoration of approximately 400 acres of palustrine emergent/shrub-scrub wetland.  

Water Quality – Increased floodplain connectivity, hyporheic exchange, stable channel morphology, increased riparian/wetland plant communities, and decreased width:depth ratio will moderate diurnal water temperature fluctuations and increase availability of cold water refuge.  

Wetland Habitat – increased habitat suitability for wetland and riparian dependent wildlife, including habitat for yellow warbler and spotted frog.  Approximately 400 acres of wetland will be restored or enhanced.  

Project Maintenance/Enhancement
Fence maintenance, weed monitoring and control, and project effectiveness monitoring will be the cooperative responsibility of the landowner, NRCS (WRP), CTUIR, and ODFW.  These are cost-share activities and will not require additional funds.  Funds for extraordinary work such as structure repair or planting will be pursued at the time additional work is identified and a plan is developed.