This project was initiated on July 1, 1984 under the BPA contract and allows for initial landowner contacts, agreement development, project design, budgeting, and implementation for anadromous fish habitat improvement on privately owned lands within the John Day Basin.  

The purpose of the John Day Fish Habitat Enhancement Program is to enhance production of indigenous wild stocks of spring chinook and summer steelhead within the sub basin through habitat protection, enhancement and fish passage improvements.

In work period 3-1-2010 thru 2-29-2011 the fish habitat program will construct approximately 38.15 miles of riparian protection fence, 729 acres and 21.00 miles of creeks protected, coordination with 8 landowners (Matt Smith, Herinckx, Lloyd Bansen,  Johnson, BLM, Collins, Hoover, Gillespie and Pedracini).  The actual number of stream miles protected is probably higher, do to sinuosity and ground truthing this summer will correct any missed judgments.   Construction will entail of approximately 20.00 miles of riparian fence on Cherry Creek/ Matt Smith property tributary to the Lower John Day River, 4.00 miles riparian fence on Hay Creek/BLM and tribal property tributary to the Lower John Day River, 1.30 miles of riparian fence on Bansen property on Cottonwood Creek and the North fork John Day River, 0.60 miles riparian fence on Lovlett Creek/Herinckx property tributary of the North Fork John Day River, and 7.0 miles on Squaw Creek/ DR Johnson property tributary of the North fork John Day River, 0.65 miles of stream on Mountain Creek/Collins property, 2.0 miles of stream on Butte/straw fork Creeks Hoover property, 0.60 miles of stream on South Fork John Day River/Gillespie property, and a bank stabilization project on 1000 feet of eroding bank on Granite Creek/ Pedracini property.  One gravity spring development will be installed on Cougar Creek/Johnson property.   There will be approximately 75 gates and 25 watergaps constructed on the nine project sites.