Project Title:  Fifteenmile Creek Habitat Restoration and Monitoring Project
Statement of Work and Budget FY2012, October 1, 2011 -September 30, 2012

Fifteenmile Creek supports the eastern-most stock of wild winter steelhead in the Columbia River Basin.  High quality spawning and rearing habitat in the subbasin is limited, and the winter steelhead population is believed to be below historic levels.  Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife has classified this steelhead population as a species of concern for management purposes.  The National Marine Fisheries Service included the steelhead inhabiting Fifteenmile Creek in the Middle Columbia ESU group and listed them as a threatened species.  Smolt trapping operations have also identified the possibility of a self sustaining population of spring Chinook and anadromous cutthroat trout.  Additional data will be gathered on these species during this contract.

The Fifteenmile Basin Fish Habitat Improvement Implementation Plan was developed cooperatively by Bonneville Power Administration, ODFW, Mt. Hood National Forest, and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs.  The purpose of the plan is to guide habitat rehabilitation efforts in the subbasin, and to be consistent with Program Measure 703 (c)(1) - Action Item 4.2 of the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program.  The goal of the implementation plan is to restore historic escapement levels of wild winter steelhead in the Fifteenmile Subbasin to mitigate for losses of fish production caused by the Federal Columbia River Power System.  

This statement of work addresses the ongoing operation, maintenance, monitoring and evaluation of the Fifteenmile Creek winter steelhead habitat rehabilitation project. This corresponds to Phase IV, the operation and maintenance phase of the implementation plan.  This statement of work covers the period from October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011.  ODFW is working additional habitat restoration projects in the basin in area with willing private landowners.  These projects are looking to increase instream habitat complexity and continue the positive vegetative recovery that past project work has accomplished.  This habitat work could include channel re-meandering and berm removal work, to increase floodplain connectivity.  ODFW will also work to leverage current BPA funds with other funding sources to assist in the completion of this habitat restoration work.  ODFW will continue with the operation and maintenance of completed riparian habitat treatment measures on Fifteenmile Subbasin. The ODFW will also continue with physical habitat monitoring throughout the subbasin.

General Description of Project Area
The Fifteenmile Creek subbasin drains 373 square miles of Wasco and Hood River counties. Originating on the east slope of Lookout Mountain about nine miles east of Mt. Hood, Fifteenmile Creek flows northeast out of the timbered higher elevations, swings north through the dry land wheat country, then west to empty into the Columbia River just below the The Dalles dam.  The mainstem of Fifteenmile Creek drops approximately 6,405 feet in 54.5 miles from the headwaters on Lookout Mountain to the confluence with the Columbia River.  The upper stream reaches are moderate to steep in gradient, while the lower 43.6 miles are relatively low with an average gradient of 0.6 %.  Principle tributaries to Fifteenmile Creek include Ramsey, Pine, Dry, Fivemile and Eightmile creeks.

The flora of the Fifteenmile Creek subbasin ranges from fir and pine coniferous forests in the headwaters to grasses, perennial forbs, oak and widely scattered pine woodlands bordering the agricultural lands at the middle elevations.  The lower half of the basin is predominantly open range and dry land agricultural land.  The geology of the area consists of numerous outpourings of Columbia River basalt. Basalt basal flows create an impermeable layer underlying the area. The area is characterized by a high spring runoff from winter snowmelt combined with spring rains, followed by low summer flows that are heavily influenced by agriculture irrigation withdrawals

Goals, Objectives and Tasks
The ODFW project activities include the operation and maintenance of completed habitat treatment measures, installation of off channel water developments, and approximately one mile of new riparian protection fence.  In addition, some objectives and tasks will collect information and monitor and evaluate results of past restoration efforts as well as fish population trends.