Contract history:

The Clearwater Focus project began in 1997 under the Early Action Watershed Projects with the objective of completing watershed restoration projects, including fencing and road decommissioning, on the Nez Perce and Clearwater National Forests.  Since that time, this project has planned, coordinated, and supervised watershed restoration actions within the entire Nez Perce Tribe Treaty Territory, while expanding these efforts to include replacement of fish passage barrier culverts and bridges, riparian revegetation, and stream channel restoration.  The project focuses on private, state, and federal lands, and has accomplished several watershed assessments and Subbasin Plans.  In addition, Master Participating Agreements have been signed between the Nez Perce Tribe and six USFS National Forests.  

The overall goal of the Clearwater Focus Watershed Restoration Program is to protect, restore, and enhance a connected network of functioning habitat types capable of supporting all life stages of fish and wildlife, and to re-establish normal patterns of production, abundance, dispersal, and exchange of genetic information within the Nez Perce Tribe's Treaty Territory.

FY 2013  Contract summary:

The coordinator in this position will set the direction for implementation and oversight, as well as the completion of the various Subbasin Management Plans throughout the Nez Perce Tribe's Treaty Territory. The coordinator:

• Coordinates protection and restoration actions within the Nez Perce treaty territory
• Aids in the policy decisions of the Nez Perce Tribe regarding watershed restoration management of their treaty territory
• Facilitates cooperative actions with federal, state, local, and private organizations
• Supervises watershed personnel and project leaders from the Nez Perce Tribe
• Provides leadership in watershed actions for the Nez Perce Tribe

On-going projects within the Nez Perce Tribe's Treaty Territory will continue restoring habitat through a variety of processes.  These watershed restoration actions will include road decommissioning and improvement, culvert and bridge replacement for fish passage, exclusion of cattle from sensitive riparian areas, riparian re-vegetation, stream channel and floodplain reconstruction, assessment and restoration of critical stream reaches, surveying, education and outreach, and monitoring and evaluation.