Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Additions
Statement of Work and Budget FY2005

BPA Project Number:  2000-016-00
BPA Project Title: Protect and Enhance Tualatin River NWR Additions
Contract Number:  00004668
Contract Title: Tualatin River National Wildlife Additions
Performance/Budget Period: 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006

Peter Schmidt
Wildlife Biologist
Tualatin River NWR
16507 SW Roy Rogers Road
Sherwood OR 97140
Phone 503-590-5811  Fax 503-590-6702
peter_schmidt@fws.gov

Kathy Haluschak
Supervisory Contract Specialist
US Fish and Wildlife Service
911 NE 11th Avenue
Portland OR 97232-4181
Phone 503-231-6117
kathy_haluschak@fws.gov

Kathleen Angelista
Administrative Officer
Tualatin River NWR
16507 SW Roy Rogers Road
Sherwood OR 97140
Phone 503-590-5811  Fax 503-590-6702
kathleen_angelista@fws.gov

Long-term goals of Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Additions Project (Project) consist of acquiring, restoring, and managing lands within an established refuge boundary for the protection, mitigation, and enhancement of habitats that were affected by development of the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS).  Project actions are intended to benefit wildlife, aquatic species, including resident and anadromous fish, and threatened and endangered species within the Tualatin River basin
Established as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1992, proposed and existing tracts of land within the approved boundary of the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) consist of historical and extant seasonal emergent and forested wetlands, Oregon ash-dominated riparian forest, mixed coniferous/deciduous forest, and Garry oak (Oregon white oak) dominated savanna communities.  Remnant plant community types found within the Refuge are classified as imperiled habitats in the Willamette Valley and provide habitat diversity that supports continental wintering populations of high priority waterfowl species, breeding neotropical migratory birds, resident and anadromous fish, as well as resident mammals, amphibians, and reptiles associated with FCRPS habitat losses.

As willing sellers within the approved acquisition boundary of the Refuge come forward, the opportunity exists to credit Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) for construction and inundation losses incurred through development of FCRPS and to expedite protection of lands that are threatened with development.  When acquisitions are complete (funding sources include other than BPA), the Refuge will total over 3,000 acres of biologically diverse habitats that will be managed in perpetuity for fish, wildlife, and habitat values, and further improve the flood storage capacity and water quality of the Tualatin River basin.  The completed acquisitions of Oleson tracts 1 & 2 (Additions 1 & 2) provide a unique opportunity to restore and enhance 230 acres of seasonal, scrub-shrub, and forested wetland, riparian forest, ash woodland, and oak savanna uplands.  

While many preliminary activities such as site clean-up, planning, topographic survey, design, and engineering, have been completed; on the ground restoration activities began in ernest in 2004.  Herbicide treatment of 115 acres for oak savanna restoration was initiated during fall 2004.  Restoration of this site will continue during 2005.  Enhancement and construction of emergent wetlands is scheduled to begin on this project during FY 05.  Construction activities include building a fish passable water control structure, installing a low level berm, constructing low-flow and drainage swales, and decommissioning tile drain lines and an irrigation pond.