Introduction

Chicken Creek is spawning and rearing habitat for Snake River Basin summer steelhead, Snake River Basin spring chinook salmon, bull trout and redband trout. The summer steelhead, spring/summer chinook and bull trout are federally listed under ESA as threatened species. Redband trout are on the Regional Forester's Sensitive Species List.  Historic timber harvest, mountain pine beetle mortality and associated roading removed larger conifers from the valley bottom, reducing the future recruitment of large wood to the stream. Historic grazing has caused impacts to the riparian area. This project will improve the riparian area and wood in the stream through planting and large wood additions.

Project Location:  The Chicken Creek Large Woody Debris and Planting Project is located on Chicken and West Fork Chicken Creeks, tributaries to Sheep Creek. The project is located on 2 miles of Chicken and West Fork Chicken Creeks (starting at approximate RM 3) (T 6S, R 35.5E, S 3, 10, 11, 14, 15). The project is located within Upper Grande Ronde River (1706010401); Chicken Creek (170601040104); Reach 1; Union County.  

Specific Actions:  The Chicken Creek Large Woody Debris and Planting Project would place wood within 1.0 mile of Chicken Creek for a total of 13 structure sites. Approximately, 4000 deciduous seedlings, 500 conifer seedlings and 3000 deciduous cuttings will be planted within 2.0 miles of Chicken and West Chicken Creeks.  Existing shrubs with heavy browse would be fenced to protect the shrubs from wild ungulates.  

Project Objectives:  Improve spring/summer chinook habitat, summer steelhead habitat and migratory habitat for bull trout, specifically through improving or increasing the following habitat elements.

•   Improve riparian & wetland diversity, vigor and function
•   Improve floodplain function
•   Improve water capture, storage and safe release within the floodplain.
•   Increase quantity and quality of pools within Sheep Creek
•   Increase fish cover
•   Increase habitat complexity
•   Increase forage availability
•   Increase residual pool depth
•   Increase number of large and medium pieces of large woody debris in the stream
•   Increase spawning gravel recruitment

Benefits:  Improved riparian & wetland diversity, vigor and function; improved floodplain function; improved water capture, storage and safe release within the floodplain; increased quantity and quality of pools; increased fish cover; increased habitat complexity; increased forage availability; increased number of large and medium pieces of large woody debris in the stream; and increased spawning gravel recruitment.