PROJECT/CONTRACT HISTORY:

Our mission is to work proactively within the region’s diverse landscapes to restore and protect the ecological processes of the Lapwai Creek watershed to the greatest extent possible.  We will work to rehabilitate habitat that will support healthy, self-sustaining fish populations and provide clean water for the benefit of all.  We will work within present challenges and opportunities toward achieving a balance whereby all communities can thrive for generations to come.

Hé-yey, Nez Perce for steelhead or rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), are a culturally and ecologically significant resource of the Lapwai Creek watershed and compose a portion of the federally listed Snake River Basin Steelhead distinct population segment (DPS).  The majority of the Lapwai Creek drainage is federally identified as critical habitat for this DPS while also providing habitat for the federally listed Snake River Nacó’x, or fall Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), evolutionarily significant unit (ESU).  The Nez Perce Soil and Water Conservation District (District) and the Nez Perce Tribe Department of Fisheries Resources Management- Watershed (Tribe), in an effort to support the continued existence of these and other aquatic species, have developed the "Strategy for the Ecological Restoration of Lapwai Creek Watershed" document (2009) to direct efforts and resources toward the highest priority restoration projects and areas of the Lapwai Creek watershed. This restoration strategy is attached to this project in CBFish under contract 46784.

The prioritization framework considered four aspects to determine the relative importance of performing restoration in a certain area: density of critical fish species, physical condition of the habitat, water quantity, and water quality.  It was established, through vigorous data analysis within these four areas, that the top three areas to pursue restoration within the Lapwai Creek watershed are Lapwai Creek from stream km 17-34, Sweetwater Creek from the mouth to km 13, and from the mouth of Lapwai Creek to km 17.

Presence of steelhead within the Lapwai Creek watershed has been documented through the following work that has been conducted to various degrees since 2003: 1) the 2003-2006 BPA funded project to collect juvenile steelhead fish distribution and abundance data (this data set was the basis of the watershed restoration plan), 2) juvenile steelhead density monitoring conducted in 2010-2019 by University of Idaho, and 3) an adult PIT tag study conducted by the Nez Perce Tribe from 2010-2019. Based upon the adult data indicating that Mission Creek and Sweetwater Creek have similar numbers of adult fish, these tributaries will continue to be a priority for restoration.  

SUMMARY OF FY21 CONTRACT:

The "Strategy for the Ecological Restoration of Lapwai Creek Watershed" was the main reference for prioritizing implementation and developing the FY21 SOW.  Within this document the two highest priority reaches within the Lapwai Creek drainage were Upper Lapwai Creek and Lower Sweetwater Creek.  

Implementation projects planned for the 2021 SOW include the following:

A total of 7 sites, treating 23.85 acres.

o  Tribal Trust Unit 3123 Spring Creek Raceway- implementation of noxious weed control and maintenance of riparian planting on 1.0 acre.
o  Tribal Trust Unit 3123 Spring Creek Wetlands- implementation of noxious weed control on 1.0 acre.
o  Tribal Trust Unit 3125 Fisheries Building -  implementation of noxious weed control and maintenance of riparian planting on 0.4 acre.
o  Tribal Allotment 365 - implementation of noxious weed control and maintenance of riparian plantings on 5.45 acres.
o  Tribal Allotment 419A - implementation of noxious weed control on 9.0 acres.
o  Lutes Wetland adjacent to Tribal Allotment 350 - implementation of noxious weed control and maintenance of plantings on 0.5 acre.
    
Instream Complexity - Implement Post Assisted Log Structure (PALS) project on Lapwai Creek - Tribal Allotment 3125.  This project falls within the Lower Lapwai Creek reach identified in the Strategy for Ecological Restoration of Lapwai Creek Watershed document.  This area ranked third in priority. The PALS project is intended to improve instream habitat complexity and will provide additional benefits in a portion of Lapwai Creek that has experienced an increase in base water flows (an additional 4.5 cfs at 50 degrees) due to the 2017 Lewiston Orchards Water and Land Title Exchange Project.

Floodplain Restoration - Sweetwater Creek Reach 3 - riparian planting and additional large wood placement in Lower Sweetwater Creek on 6.2 acres. Implementation of this instream habitat complexity improvement project was completed in previous contracts. The majority of the floodplain improvements and instream large wood additions in Reach 3 were completed in the fall 2019 construction season. Additional large wood pieces will be added to the floodplain in summer-fall of 2021.  In fall 2021, NPT will contract out revegetation of the site, planting approximately 5,450 riparian plants in the project area.  This project falls in the Lower Sweetwater reach that was identified as being the second highest priority area to focus restoration efforts in the Lapwai Creek drainage.

Outreach and Education-- Education and outreach will continue to the general public, fellow professionals, high school and college students, and especially elementary school students, e.g. the  "Steelhead in the Classroom" program for 6th graders. Partners include the Lapwai School District, Lewiston School District, and Idaho Department of Fish and Game.