Project/Contract History:

This project is an ongoing part of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests-Nez Perce Tribe, and BPA Watershed Restoration Partnership. This project is a combination of two continuing BPA and NPT restoration projects; Project 1996-077-03, Project 2002-074-00, and an extension of the project area to include the entire Lochsa Watershed rather than just the upper subwatersheds. This project unification has significantly increased administrative and financial efficiency in order to maximize the direct benefit to fish and wildlife.

The Nez Perce Tribe's Watershed Division views restoration from a ridge top to ridge top approach, with implementation focused on decreasing sediment inputs into area streams, increasing aquatic habitat connectivity, decreasing resource impacts from roads, and eradicating exotic, invasive plants. The cost share for this project has been contributed by the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests which provides an approximate 24% match including cash and in-kind contributions. Project planning and implementation responsibilities are also shared with the Forest, as they have been for twenty years.

To date, the partnership has re-opened access to nearly 100 miles of habitat, removed approximately 565 miles of roads through decommissioning or abandonment, improved 36.4 miles of roads, planted 830 acres of trees and native plants, and treated over 4,700 acres of invasive, non-native plants. Major actions proposed for the 2014-18 funding cycle include over 18 miles of habitat re-opened through barrier removal/replacement, 55 miles of road decommissioning, 35 miles of road improvement or relocation, 250 acres of planting, 3,000 acres of weed treatment, approximately 1,500 feet of channel reconstruction, and addition of large woody material to approximately 0.5 miles of stream.

In 2016, the Nez Perce Tribe, BPA, Forest Service, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and several other partners utilized the most current fish and physical habitat data to collaboratively prioritize watershed areas and restoration actions.  The Lochsa Atlas includes an evidence based prioritization framework and a 20 year strategic action plan to maximize biological benefit and the return on investment.  As the Lochsa Atlas is implemented and adaptively managed, projects are selected from the action plan each year for execution.

FY 2019 Contract Implementation:

FY 19 implementation includes road decommissioning (to reduce sediment inputs to streams), weed treatment, riparian planting, culvert replacement designs, road decommissioning designs, floodplain reconnection designs, and continued prioritization and planning for future habitat improvement projects as identified in the 2016 ATLAS strategic prioritization framework.

NPT Watershed personnel will also conduct continued invasive plant inventories, and continue an inventory of roads and culverts throughout the Lochsa watershed in order to identify fish passage barriers and road associated risks to aquatic species.

Matching Costs Summary 2019: In 2019 the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests will provide approximately 24% of project costs for road decommissioning/improvement and culvert replacement, which includes project planning, contract administration, and implementation as described in the existing MOU with BPA.

The Lochsa project continues to work with an environmental non-profit organization to pursue the purchase of, and return to federal ownership of, nearly 40,000 acres of privately held timberlands in the upper Lochsa. This land acquisition was identified as the highest priority protection action within the three highest priority Subwatersheds during the development of the BPA facilitated Lochsa ATLAS strategic restoration prioritization framework.

All restoration actions within the Lochsa Watershed are designed with the recognition of the complex interplay of current and future climate change. In particular, project revegetation efforts are directed toward restoring robust and resilient native plant communities better able to withstand increasing 'pressure' from non-native infestation. Additionally, instream habitat projects are designed to provide more complex habitat, within which cover and its attendant temperature effects are an integral component. The Nez Perce Tribe Watershed Division considers climate change in all of its restoration actions, and is particularly sensitive to the importance of the upper Lochsa as a likely area of 'refugia' given the higher elevation and headwaters nature of the watershed.