Introduction:  The proposed project is focused on improving overwinter rearing habitat for juvenile spring Chinook salmon and juvenile steelhead. A section of the existing dike will moved back from Catherine Creek and a new side channel surrounded by newly created wetlands will be constructed. The new side channel will meander through the project area and return to Catherine Creek at the North end of the project. The project is located near the mouth of Little creek, which the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Early Life History Project has identified as being a heavily used reach by overwintering juvenile spring Chinook salmon (see figure 2). Our goal is to create some high quality habitat for these over wintering juvenile fish.

Existing Condition:   The dominant land use in the vicinity of the project is agriculture. The east side of the stream is farmed and grazed up to the creek, whereas the west side has a thin buffer between the agricultural field and the stream that is currently protected under a conservation easement. The landowner on the east side is currently not interested in restoration work, so all work for this project will be done on the west side of the stream which will require us to withdraw some land from the conservation easement and then put it back into an easement post construction.

According to ODFW’s 1991 habitat survey of Catherine Creek, the project area is located in reach 12 - Upper Davis Dam to the city of Union. This reach is a transition zone where substrate changes from gravels to fines and organics as the slope of the river decreases entering the Grande Ronde Valley. This reach is also where the number of habitat units per 100 meters decreases from 3.2 to 1.9, pointing to the diminishing habitat complexity in this reach. Historically this reach would have been just upstream of Tule Lake, and no doubt would have contained vast wetlands with healthy riparian habitat and plenty of cover for juvenile fish.

Today, the project site lacks floodplain connectivity due to levees built adjacent to the stream over 50 years ago. According to historical aerial photos and meander scars it is evident portions of this reach were straightened. The current habitat is void of any large wood and lacks cover for rearing juveniles. There are a few large willows and some newly planted ponderosa pine, but the riparian zone is dominated by reed canary grass. Although this reach historically may have never been a riffle-pool habitat type reach, it had a healthy riparian zone which provided shade, wood recruitment, and over hanging cover. Log jams would have created deep holes with slow moving water and good cover. This is the very habitat that is severely lacking through this reach now.

Project Objectives:

• Enhance floodplain connectivity:  By moving the dike away from the stream and lowering the elevation of the land between the new dike and stream, new wetlands will be created. The wetland will be approximately 3.5 acres and will be designed to flood annually and partially flood when water is checked up at the upper Davis Dam. The water stored within the newly created wetlands will serve to enhance flow later in the season. Although the effect will be too small to measure, increasing floodplain connectivity will help to address flow and temperature through hyporheic exchange.

• Enhance habitat quantity and complexity:  The Grande Ronde Subbasin plan identifies instream habitat loss as limiting salmonid production in Catherine Creek. By creating additional rearing habitat for juvenile spring Chinook salmon and juvenile steelhead we will be addressing habitat diversity and quantity, two key limiting factors for Catherine Creek. The new rearing habitat will be in the form of a side channel with large woody debris. Off channel habitat of this nature that has good cover and slow velocity is preferred overwintering habitat for juvenile spring Chinook salmon.

• Enhance riparian condition:  The project area is approximately four acres and all disturbed areas will be seeded and planted post construction. Willow stakes will be planted around all the large wood placements.  Brush species will be planted at 50 foot intervals along the toe of the dike.  The project area will be fenced and protected under a conservation easement.

Benefits:  The main objective and benefit of this project will be to create additional juvenile spring Chinook salmon winter rearing habitat. Through adding off channel habitat and large woody debris juvenile fish will have access to an additional 1300 linear feet of improved rearing habitat. The low velocity side channel with good cover will provide ideal habitat for overwintering juvenile spring Chinook salmon. The addition of log jams and root wads will provide additional hiding areas.  Another benefit will be improved wetland and floodplain function. By excavating and lowering the land between the new dike and Catherine Creek we will create new wetlands that will flood annually. These new wetlands will increase the storage and recharge ability of these four acres. The newly created wetlands will be planted to benefit fish and wildlife species.  Additionally we will improve the riparian habitat on these four acres. Through the planting of native brush and tree species we will improve shade, cover, and future wood recruitment in Catherine Creek.

Project Maintenance – GRMW in cooperation with the landowner will address any maintenance issues that do arise. The landowner will enter into a maintenance agreement.