Project Location:  

The Battle Creek Large Wood and Floodplain Restoration Project is located in Battle (5 miles) and Campbell Creeks (2 miles) and an unnamed tributary (.75 mile), primarily, within the Starkey Experimental Forest of the LaGrande Ranger District, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. The project is located within the Meadow Creek Watershed (1706010402); Middle Meadow Creek Subwatershed (170601040202); Union County: T 4S, R 34 & 35E, S 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 22, 23, 7,& 18.  

Project Objectives:  

The objective is to improve summer steelhead habitat and downstream chinook habitat, specifically through improving or increasing the following habitat elements.

•   Improve floodplain connectivity and function
•   Improve water capture, storage and safe release within the floodplain
•   Increase quantity and quality of pools, fish cover, and habitat complexity within Battle Creek
•   Improve riparian habitats
•   Decrease erosion caused by livestock use

Introduction

Within the project area, there are 2.5 miles of Snake River Basin summer steelhead and redband trout spawning and rearing habitat on Battle Creek.  The remainder of the streams within the project area (5.25 miles) contain sections of perennial and intermittent stream flow.  The project is located approximately .5 miles upstream of rearing spring/summer chinook habitat within Meadow Creek. Summer steelhead and spring/summer chinook are federally listed under ESA as threatened species.

Existing condition

The project area is primarily located within the Starkey Experimental Forest (85%).  The remaining 15% is located on other USFS managed lands.  Research and monitoring of livestock, deer and elk grazing occurs intensively within the Experimental Forest.  Approximately 4 of the stream miles within the project area have little or no deer or elk grazing.  Approximately 1.25 miles of streams do not have livestock grazing at this time.  Half of these stream miles will have livestock grazing by 2012.  There are two livestock allotments that currently operate on 6.5 miles of stream within the project area that alternate seasons of livestock use, yearly.

Brad Lovatt (USFS fish biologist) and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife surveyed for steelhead redds in Battle Creek (within the project area) and found no redds in 2005 and 2009, respectively.  Joe Platz (USFS biological technician) surveyed the stream in September of 2010 and found stealhead/redband trout juveniles  occupying all wetted stream habitat downstream of the Starkey Experimental Forest fence (refer to the attached map).  No fish were seen within the wetted stream upstream of the Starkey Experimental Forest fence.  Fish habitat on Battle Creek has been degraded by historic and present management practices within the Starkey Experimental Forest.  

The Battle and Campbell Creeks have had a persistent occurrence of overgrazing which has limited riparian growth and vigor. Stream channel function has been altered and instream sediment from bank instability/trampling has consistently occurred.  Railroad logging has limited floodplain development on Battle and Campbell Creek stream systems.  Instream woody debris has been altered by past timber harvest.    

Specific Actions

The Battle Creek Restoration Project will add large wood by machine to 5.52 miles of streams.  An old railroad grade will be removed from 1.75 miles of Battle Creek.  Exclosure fence will be constructed on 1.25 miles of stream (2.5 miles of fence).  Five culverts will be removed on Battle and Campbell Creeks.  Five old in channel pond dikes on Battle and Campbell Creeks will be removed.  Electric fencing will be added to an existing exclosure on .61 mile of Campbell Creek (1.25 mile of fence).  Three miles of Battle and Campbell Creeks will be planted with deciduous vegetation.  Wood will be hand placed into .5 mile of Battle Creek.  Three new ponds and 1 existing pond will be (re)constructed.  Two solar pump developments will be constructed.  One spring development will be constructed.