The project improves survival of native fish species through the implementation of fish screen, passage, and habitat projects (irrigation diversions, dams, culverts, habitat structures, etc.) on both public and private land. Thousands of water diversions exist in the Columbia Basin in waters home to anadromous fish, including many listed on the Endangered Species Act.  ODFW works with water users to install fish screens to prevent fish injury and mortality associated with the diversion of water.  Fish screens operate in challenging environments that include extreme cold temperatures to extreme heat.  Fish screens are also exposed to floating debris ranging from sediment to large trees that damage screens resulting in fish loss.  Proper fish screen installation is required for fish screens to prevent fish injury and mortality associated with water diversions. Along with funds from BPA, the program uses cost share from PCSRF, OWEB, Oregon General Fund, and ODFW Surcharge funds for implementation.  The project also partners with local and regional cooperators (USFS, SWCD's, etc.) and may receive some funding from those partnerships to implement mutual, high priority projects.  


The project is housed at the John Day Screen Shop in John Day, Oregon, but supports projects in most of Eastern Oregon.  Prioritization of projects is primarily focused by the Mid-Columbia Steelhead Plan, but Oregon Sub-basin plans and other regional plans help determine best use of money on the ground, while maximizing partnership projects throughout the entire area.    

The prioritization of projects (screening, habitat, and passage) is tracked on a spreadsheet that we place all potential projects on once the location is determined to be a priority in the Conservation and Recovery Plan for Oregon Steelhead Populations in the Middle Columbia River Steelhead Distinct Population Segment (MCR, February 2010). We meet with our district fish biologists to ensure that anadromous species are present, were there historically, or are found by the district biologists through a presence survey. The district fish biologist also determines if high quality habitat is contained at these locations to determine if the project is a high priority for implementation.

Once the project priority is established by the district fish biologist, the project location is entered into the Fish Screening and Passage database for approval to complete engineering and design by the statewide screening or passage coordinators in Salem. The statewide screening or passage coordinator will contact the district fish biologist to ensure that the fish screening or passage projects entered into the database are high priority for funding. We foresee that this current process will be transitioning to ATLAS in the John Day Basin for future prioritization.

Other conservation and recovery plans are utilized in addition to the MCR, February 2010 steelhead plan such as the bull trout plan for project prioritization depending on geographic location.
  
The project will solicit a subcontractor to complete cultural resource surveys on ground disturbance projects (through the supplemental Cultural Expense Contract) if BPA cultural staff are not available to do the work.  Once the subcontractor has completed all surveys for the contract year, the report will be reviewed by ODFW and then submitted to BPA for final compliance review and approval.  Work on ground disturbance projects will not begin until BPA has provided approval.  

Several fish habitat improvement projects will be implemented during this contract period, that are carryover from 2022.  These are:

1.  Thirtymile Creek.  This project is located in an Atlas Tier 1 sub-watershed (Butte/Thirtymile Creek).  It includes replacing a culvert that is a barrier to upstream migrating salmonids at all flows with an arch culvert that will provide upstream and downstream passage for all organisms.  It will allow ESA listed steelhead and redband trout access to an additional 2.0 miles of spawning and rearing habitat.  This is a priority due to restoration work upstream and downstream of the culvert conducted by Gilliam and Wheeler SWCD's using OWEB FIP funding.  It is an OWEB Focus Watershed and also on ODFW's state-wide Fish Passage Priority list.

2. Murderers Creek.  This project is located in an Atlas Tier 2 sub-watershed (South Fork John Day River).  It entails the harvesting of ~500 juniper trees and possibly hauling them to Murderers Creek.  The wood will be installed through the John Day Habitat Project (BPA project 1984-021-00) as part of a large fish habitat restoration project.  Our project may in fact complete the installation of the project if we have the time (ODFW contracting is making it very difficult to find a contractor).