The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Trout Creek habitat restoration project is an ongoing habitat restoration project.  The biological goal of the project to increase the out-migrant population to an average of 100,000 smolts of Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed Distinct Population Segment (DPS) Mid-Columbia River Summer Steelhead per year as estimated at the ODFW operated and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) funded out-migrant trap located on Trout Creek at river mile 3.2.  To accomplish this goal this project has undertaken several ambitious projects and is continuing to develop additional restoration projects within the Trout Creek Watershed.  Projects have been, and continue to be, accomplished by forging partnerships with other agencies and working with willing private and public landowners to develop habitat restoration plans that will result in the long term enhancement of the watershed.  The tasks below give an idea of the issues addressed in and indicate the scope of the project actions undertaken to reach the projects ambitious goal.  

1) Enhance Riparian Habitat -

Results to date: The Trout Creek Restoration project has 54 stream miles protected from livestock grazing and 4554 acres of riparian exclosure that are maintained by ODFW.  Additionally the working partnership with Jefferson County Soil and Water District (JCSWCD) and Natural Resource Conservation District (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA)  has resulted in an additional 14 stream miles protected from livestock grazing and an additional 438+ acres of riparian grazing exclosures.  Restoration projects to date have planted over 85,000 trees and shrubs. Recently 1.2 miles of a total channel relocation and floodplain restoration project was constructed with funds from outside sources.  

Summary:  In the 700 square mile Trout Creek watershed there are approximately 120 miles of fish bearing streams.  Of these fish bearing streams 52% are within riparian exclosures and 11% are within inaccessible canyons.  

Work to complete: Continue to maintain, monitor, and document habitat changes within existing ODFW exclosures and within channel realignment projects.  Continue work with private landowners to develop projects that will enhance riparian habitat.  Continue to develop partnerships with other agencies to facilitate funding sources and programs that will result in improved riparian habitat.  Utilize monitoring and evaluation results to refine projects and to provide information on fishery response to actions.  Additionally use monitoring and evaluation data to assist in the negotiation for additional restoration projects with private landowners.

2) Enhance Instream and Floodplain Habitat -  

Results to date:  Planned, acquired funding, designed, and constructed instream and riparian habitat restoration projects on 12.5 stream miles.  Along the 12.5 miles of restoration there has been over one mile of stream length added, an average flood prone width increase of over 175%, over 4,900 pounds of native grass and forb seed and over 85,000 trees and shrubs planted, 9.5 surface acres of wetland created, and over 270 acres enrolled into the CREP program.  This projects' monitoring and evaluation program and the resulting data stream has served to initiate a two mile stream restoration project on the Mainstem of Trout Creek in an area where poor habitat conditions limited the success of steelhead spawning and rearing.  Within the forested areas of the basin several hundred habitat boulders and LWD pieces have been placed instream.  

Summary:  In the Trout Creek Watershed there are approximately 120 miles of fish bearing streams.  Of these fish bearing streams approximately 29 miles of stream were altered by channel straightening.  To date 44% of altered streams have been restored.  

Work to complete:  Continue to work with private landowners to develop restoration plans that will enhance instream and floodplain habitat on the remaining 17 miles of altered habitat.  Continue monitoring and evaluation of physical habitat and biological components to assess success of project work and document physical and biological response to actions.  Utilize monitoring and evaluation results to refine projects and to provide information on fishery response to actions.  Continue to gather and use biological and physical habitat data to assist in shaping future restoration projects.  

3) Enhance Irrigation Efficiency to Promote Additional Stream Flow -  

Results to date:  This project has replaced three gravel push up dams with removable stop log structures complete with fish passage devices.  Additionally, this project has assisted the JCSWCD to implement several water efficiency projects.  These projects have removed eight gravel push up dams and replaced 1.81 miles of open ditch with pipe and a conversion of flood irrigation to sprinklers.  In addition all points of diversion in the basin have fish screening devices.

Summary:  With the effort from several agencies all points of water diversion have been screened. Through the multiple agency efforts a total of 16 gravel push up dams have been eliminated and 7.83 miles of open ditch have been eliminated and/or placed in pipe.  

Work to complete:  Continue work with private landowners to remove the last two gravel push up dams.  Continue to develop partnerships with other agencies to facilitate funding sources and programs that will result in improved irrigation efficiencies.  

The work proposed in this Scope of Work is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Trout Creek Watershed Assessment of 2003, the draft for the south-east sub-unit of the Deschutes Subbasin Plan (DSP) of 2004 the objectives of RPA's 150 and 153 of the 2000 FCRPS Biological Opinion, the Trout Creek mitigation recommendations of the FERC Relicening Agreement for the Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric Project, and the habitat improvement agreements established between ODFW, JCSWCD and individual landowners in Trout Creek.  In addition, these actions are in compliance with the requirements established by the ISRP in their comments in the 2001 Provincial Review (i.e. justify additional work via the watershed assessment and subbasin plans).

Due to limited funding and increases in the ODFW indirect rate budget cuts have been made to supplies and services, staff time, clerical positions, and project scope. These cuts have resulted in a delaying the start of smolt trapping and redd surveys by one month and elimination of the offsite water source development work. Additional funding options have been, and continue to be, explored.  However, given current funding levels there will be limitations in the performance of Work Elements and attainment of milestones, and these performance limitations may become severe if high water events or equipment failures occur.