This contract provides resources in support of the Upper Salmon Basin Watershed Program (USBWP), which is administered by the Office of Species Conservation (OSC).  The USBWP will continue to identify, select, and develop projects for implementation under other BPA projects, such as 2007-399-00 or 2010-072-00. Projects are developed to address identified limiting factors for anadromous fish, which improves habitat conditions, resulting in increased survival rates. The USBWP facilitates collaboration and coordination of basin-wide restoration efforts among local entities and private landowners to implement these projects.

The "Model Watershed" originated from the Northwest Power Planning Council's (NPCC) strategy for Salmon recovery and was initiated in 1992 when former Governor of Idaho, Cecil D. Andrus, selected the Idaho Soil Conservation Commission (ISCC) as lead agency.  The ISCC designated the Lemhi River, Pahsimeroi River and East Fork Salmon River as the Model Watershed for Idaho.  In 2000, this area was expanded to include the entire Upper Salmon River Basin and the name was changed to the Upper Salmon Basin Watershed Project and later, the Upper Salmon Basin Watershed Program (USBWP).  In 2010, OSC fully assumed administrative responsibilities for the USBWP.  

The State of Idaho and the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding on July 6, 2007 to demonstrate a commitment to set a new course for the USBWP.  BPA has funded the USBWP since 1992.  This partnership has resulted in the successful implementation of numerous habitat improvement projects.  It is the goal of the State of Idaho and BPA to build upon these past efforts and to work in cooperation to ensure successful outcomes in the future.

The primary goal of this contract is to develop projects that protect, enhance and restore anadromous and resident fish habitat and achieve a balance between resource protection and use in the Upper Salmon River Basin. A locally staffed office develops projects focused on addressing factors limiting the productivity of ESA-listed Pacific salmonids presented in the Salmon Subbasin Management Plan (2004) and the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion, and provides collaboration and coordination on basin wide restoration efforts among local entities. This contract provides staff and operational support in order to accelerate the pace of project development of high priority, on-the-ground fish habitat improvement projects that will be implemented under Idaho Fish Accord and Capital BPA projects, including 2007-072-00 and 2007-399-00.

Current and past land uses in the Upper Salmon Basin are typical of the rural west and include industrial timber practices, agriculture and grazing, mining, and related road construction and use. The resultant effects from these land uses and out-of-subbasin effects from the construction and operation of the FCRPS have contributed to the loss of historic capacity for salmonid spawning and rearing in Idaho streams. In the Upper Salmon Basin this translates to reduced quality and quantity of anadromous fish habitat.

With the loss of anadromous fish runs in the Snake River system, habitat and migration problems have been closely scrutinized. Agricultural development in the Upper Salmon Basin requires diversion of surface water for crop production. Irrigation withdrawals from tributaries can exceed summer stream flows and result in dewatering of lower reaches and loss of connectivity between tributary and mainstem habitats, effectively blocking migration of adult and juvenile salmonids. In the Lemhi and Pahsimeroi subbasins dewatering occurs in the lower reaches of most tributaries, and dewatering of the lower river reaches can occur during low water years, impeding fish migration between these subbasin watersheds and the Salmon River. In addition to reduced flows, irrigation structures often block fish passage and result in fish entrainment, and livestock degrade unfenced riparian habitat. These all ultimately negatively affect anadromous fish production, growth, and survival. Projects developed by the USBWP are focused on mitigating effects of these land uses to increase fry to smolt survival of salmonids through habitat restoration and enhancement in the Upper Salmon Basin.

The USBWP office opened in 1993 and is currently staffed with a project manager (coordinator) and 2.5 project planners. The project manager coordinates project development by facilitating, mediating, and negotiating with private landowners, state and federal agencies and interest groups to implement projects on-the-ground. The coordinator is imperative to facilitating the participation of local landowners and the many agencies involved in natural resource issues. USBWP project planners develop recovery actions for implementation, including obtaining environmental compliance, permitting, engineering plans, contractors, and writing reports. The USBWP office not only provides a stable base of operations and expertise in basin wide programs, but also facilitates exploring further options in conservation including easements, water transactions, hydrologic studies, habitat inventories, and interagency agreements.

The USBWP is the coordinating entity for on-the-ground anadromous fish habitat actions in the Upper Salmon Basin through its Advisory Committee and Technical Team (Tech Team). Meetings with these two groups are focused on identifying opportunities to enhance anadromous fish habitat, coordinating efforts to prevent duplication, and facilitating communication and cooperation in order to integrate and consolidate anadromous fish recovery efforts. This coordination is provided solely through the USBWP and is not available elsewhere.

The USBWP is guided by an Advisory Committee comprised of local landowners, state and federal agencies, special interest groups, conservation districts, and county boards of commissioners to provide public input and oversight and ensure that the habitat actions undertaken by the USBWP are consistent with its mission statement. The mission of the USBWP Advisory Committee is to provide a basis for coordination and cooperation in the management of biological, social, and economic resources in protecting, enhancing, and restoring anadromous and resident fish habitat and wildlife. See the current membership list and Advisory Committee charter at http://modelwatershed.org/the-program/advisory-committee/.

The USBWP Tech Team is a multi-agency voluntary body comprised of USBWP staff and federal, state, regional, tribal and local resource professionals, formed for the purpose of providing technical, science-based evaluations of potential habitat restoration projects (see key personnel for a list of current members). Monthly Tech Team meetings serve to vet new project ideas and coordinate with others who have habitat or fisheries data on the particular stream. The USBWP Tech Team evaluates individual project proposals relative to the ecological principles they incorporate, technical merit and community values. These reviews result in projects that are scientifically based and are acceptable to the community. All projects that may affect ESA-listed aquatic species are encouraged to coordinate through the USBWP.

Since the inception of the USBWP, private landowners and water users in the Upper Salmon Basin have demonstrated an interest in ensuring their land and water management actions continue in a manner that is consistent with protection and recovery of ESA listed fish species. Landowner participation is vital as approximately 90% of the currently occupied spawning habitat for anadromous fish occurs on private land in the Upper Salmon Basin. Since inception, numerous on-the-ground improvements to irrigation diversions and riparian habitat have been achieved through the voluntary actions of landowners and water users with the USBWP.

Project development is accomplished through a number of avenues, including one on one contact with local landowners seeking assistance and meetings with the Technical Team. Working with private landowners and irrigators on “fish” projects requires local support, trust and involvement from all parties. The USBWP has established these relationships over its 20 year history, and develops projects as outlined in the Model Watershed Plan (SCC 1995) and the Salmon Subbasin Plan (2004). Project development with willing landowners and water users occurs on a continual basis as projects are identified. The continuation of the USBWP is fundamental to the success of anadromous fish habitat recovery in the Upper Salmon Basin. Much of the success of the USBWP has been a result of credibility and trust developed through prior planning efforts that initiated dialogue for purposes of increasing fish returns to the Upper Salmon Basin.

The effectiveness of projects developed under 2007-394-00 will be demonstrated by the reduction in limiting factors set forth by the FCRPS Expert Panel. Effectiveness can be measured through each year’s project benefits. Project development and implementation requires willing landowner participation and consequently, is opportunistic. Quantified habitat improvements for developed projects are reported in the Accord or Capital proposal under which an individual project was implemented.

In addition, IDWR will assist in monitoring water outcomes from developed projects, IDFG will complete compliance and effectiveness monitoring activities under the draft Lemhi Conservation Plan, and BPA Project 2003-317-00 will provide effectiveness monitoring using Integrated Status and Effectiveness Monitoring (ISEMP).