The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Grande Ronde Subbasin Restoration Project (199608300) was initiated in 1996 to develop and implement a fish habitat program that contributes to the mitigation of Snake River Basin salmon and steelhead losses associated with the Federal Columbia River Hydropower System (FCRPS) and recovery of ESA anadromous fish.  The project works collaboratively with multiple agencies, organizations, and private landowners to identify, prioritize, plan, design, implement, maintain, and monitor tributary fish habitat restoration and enhancement projects.  The Project  embraces the goals of the CTUIR established in its’ Columbia Basin Salmon Policy (CTUIR, 1995) River Vision (Jones, et. al., 2008), Wykan-Ush-Me Wa Kush, Spirit of the Salmon (CRITFC, 1995), and is tiered to the Northwest Power Planning Council Fish and Wildlife Program as amended(NPPC, 2009), Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan (NPPC, 2004), Draft Recovery Plan For Oregon Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon And Steelhead Populations In The Snake River Chinook Salmon Evolutionary Significant Unit And Snake River Steelhead Distinct Population Segment (NMFS, 2010), and the Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion (FCRPS BiOP), (NMFS, 2008).  The CTUIR propose ongoing fish habitat protection, enhancement, maintenance, and monitoring under the Project to achieve the primary goal of protecting habitat and restoring/enhancing degraded habitats to support the recovery of focal species. Project staff participates in BiOp remand efforts in the Basin, including the BiOp expert panel, recovery planning, and technical review and planning team.  Work under the project is directly linked to the CTUIR-BPA Accord.

In FY 2015 the project will be focused on planning, design, and implementation of fish habitat enhancement projects along Catherine Creek and Upper Grande Ronde and tributaries.  Project implementation for summer and fall/winter 2015 include: 1) Catherine Creek, CC44 Phase 3 project implementation; and 2) Rock Creek phase 3 implementation.  Fish passage project planning and design includes multiple individual projects, several of which will be designed and implemented in partnership with USFS and BOR including CC44 culvert, Graves Creek culvert replacement, USFS Wallowa-Whitman culvert projects along Limber Jim Creek (2), Sheep Creek, and Muir Creek, and USFS Umatilla NF culvert removal and road decommissioning on Phillips Creek.

Project planning and design includes: 1) Catherine Creek CC42; 2) Birdtrack Springs, Grande Ronde River, and 3) Starkey Meadows, Grande Ronde River.

Project staff will continue to work on developing new project opportunities in Catherine Creek, Grande Ronde River, and tributaries.

Land acquisition planning will continue during FY2015 with the expectation that the CTUIR and BPA will complete fee title acquisition on a Catherine Creek property, Lookingglass, and a  permanent easement on Dark Canyon and Meadow creeks.  Additional acquisition opportunities will continue under development.

Project staff will continue to coordinate with project partners in the development and prioritization of BiOp and Accord fish habitat projects and develop future project opportunities.  

A base budget of $1,608,828 is planned to perform watershed restoration-related tasks associated with several project areas. An additional $xxxx of Accord passage funding has been added to the base budget for planned fish passage projects.