Introduction

Five Points Creek is spawning and rearing habitat for Snake River Basin summer steelhead and redband trout. Five Points Creek is also designated critical habitat for bull trout. There is potential for spring/summer chinook rearing habitat in Five Points Creek, once the barrier is removed.  The spring/summer chinook, summer steelhead 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, rail road grade and 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.

The project  is located on Five Points Creek, a tributary to the Grande Ronde River. The project is located on approximately 7 miles of Five Points Creek and tributaries (starting at approximate RM 1.0 – 8.5) (T 2S, R 36E, S 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 18, 19, & 30). The project is located within the Grande Ronde River – Five Points Creek (1706010404); Lower Five Points Creek (170601040403); Reaches 1-3; Union County.  

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

• Improved fish passage
• 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
• Increase fish cover
• Increase habitat complexity
• Increase forage availability for fish
• Increase residual pool depth
• Increase number of large and medium pieces of large woody debris in the stream
• Increase spawning gravel recruitment

Specific Actions

The Five Points Creek Large Woody Debris and Planting Project would place wood within 6 miles of Five Points Creek for a total of 65 structure sites. Diversion removal would occur to improve fish passage on approximately 22 miles of stream.  An additional .72 mile of wood placement would occur on a tributary to Five Points Creek.  An exclosure fence would be constructed around Camp One (.7 miles) and approximately .25 mile of user created ATV trails would be obliterated. In addition, 2 miles of user created ATV trail would be closed.  Approximately, 1500 deciduous seedlings, 6000 conifer seedlings and 55,000 deciduous cuttings will be planted within the project area. All disturbed areas will be seeded after project completion.

Fiscal Year 2015:  The following project activities would occur:  (1) Tree/boulder/brush haul to lower Five Points Creek (June – August, 2015). (2) Tree haul to two helicopter staging sites (June – September, 2015). (3)  Diversion removal (September of 2015). (4)  Structure construction on lower Five Points Creek (7 structure sites on approximately .5 mile of stream) (September of 2015).  

Fiscal Year 2016:  Project activities include:  (1) Approximately, 611 pieces of large wood flown in by helicopter (October – November of 2015). (2) Planting of 5000 cuttings by machine (October – November, 2015).  (3)  Seeding and mulching (October - November, 2015).  (4)  Structure construction at 58 sites and .72 mile on a tributary stream (July – September, 2016).  (5)  ATV road obliteration on .25 miles (July – September, 2016).  (6)  Block ATV access just downstream of Camp One with boulder and wood placement (July – September).

Benefits:  Improved fish passage, 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; decreased erosion of fine sediment, and increased spawning gravel recruitment.