The goal of this project is to address limiting factors by implementing restoration actions that protect and restore passage, flow, and habitat for anadromous fish and listed species in the John Day River Basin. This includes use of the John Day Basin Watershed Restoration Strategy to assist the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs (CTWS), John Day Watershed Restoration Program with the ability to focus on implementing suites of restoration actions that will more effectively address priority-limiting factors.

The John Day River basin is within the CTWS ceded lands and supporting restoration efforts such as this project is an important part of maintaining cultural foods and fish populations. The mission of the CTWS Branch of Natural Resources Fisheries Department is to provide fisheries populations at harvestable levels for tribal members using information gained from research, management, production, and habitat programs while exercising co-management authority across ceded lands and usual and accustomed stations. In 1997, the Tribes established an office in the basin to coordinate restoration projects, monitoring, planning and other watershed activities on private and public lands. Once established, the John Day Basin Office formed partnerships with local agencies and stakeholders to implement restoration actions.

The John Day is the nation’s second longest free-flowing river in the contiguous United States and the longest containing entirely un-supplemented runs of anadromous fish. Located in eastern Oregon, the basin drains over 8,000 square miles, Oregon's fourth largest drainage basin, and incorporates portions of eleven counties. Originating in the Strawberry Mountains near Prairie City, the John Day River flows 284 miles in a northwesterly direction, entering the Columbia River approximately four miles upstream of the John Day dam. With wild runs of spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead, westslope cutthroat, and redband and bull trout, the John Day system is truly a basin with national significance.

Work implemented under this contract will cover restoration and conservation efforts in:

1. The Fox Creek watershed - work in this watershed was prioritized to improve juvenile steelhead rearing habitat several years ago. A geomorphic and habitat conditions assessment was completed in 2010.  Work will continue in this area for several years.
2. Structured Implementation and Monitoring (SIM) Framework - this is a joint effort between CTWS and ODFW to focus restoration and monitoring efforts that can guide our restoration efforts in the future. 2019 - 2021 will cover priortized implementation in the Middle Fork Subbasin.
3. The Resource Conservation and Partnership Project (RCPP) - CTWS was awarded an RCPP project for irrigation efficiency and easement work in the upper John Day and upper Middle Fork sub basins.  This award spans 2018-2022 and will cover irrigation efficiency projects matched with BPA funding for irrigation diversion improvements and instream habitat projects.
4. The John Day Basin Partnership -  working through prioritization efforts for the entire basin through the Atlas framework.  Prioritization is expected to be complete by July 2019.