Background:  The Tucannon River basin is located in Southeast Washington State in Columbia and Garfield counties. The system-wide restoration objective for the Tucannon River is to improve habitat conditions for Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed species (Snake River Spring Chinook and Steelhead) for all life-history stages. It is expected that improved habitat conditions will lead to an increase in the abundance of listed species returning to the river.  Increased abundance will lead to delisting of the species, which is the overall recovery goal for the system. Previous efforts (CCD 2004; SRSRB 2006) have identified the habitat-limiting factors associated with the decline of ESA-listed populations.  

The Tucannon River Geomorphic Assessment & Habitat Restoration Study (Anchor QEA, 2011, updated 2021) identified and prioritized stream reaches and restoration actions which would best improve habitat for salmonids.  Focusing on the high priority areas for Tucannon spring Chinook, the Columbia Conservation District (CCD) coordinated the development of a habitat restoration plan for the Tucannon River from RM-20 upstream to RM-50; the district continued to work with the Snake River Salmon Recovery Board (SRSRB), through the Tucannon River Programmatic Habitat project, and extended the restoration plan from RM-20 downstream to the confluence of the Snake River.  The Conceptual Restoration Plan (Anchor QEA, 2011, updated 2021) has prioritized projects into three Tiers (1-3) based on the projected effects of implementation as a benefit to Snake River Spring Chinook, cost-efficiency relative to those benefits, and the feasibility of construction.

Overview:  The Snake River Salmon Recovery Board (SRSRB) manages the Tucannon River Programmatic Habitat Project (2010-077-00) through a parent contract for the operations support, management organization, implementation assistance, and reporting described in this summary.  The goal of the Tucannon River programmatic is to restore habitat function and channel processes in the spring Chinook priority restoration reaches of the Tucannon River, leading to improved population productivity and abundance.  

Project Description: This BPA support contract will facilitate the development of project design (60-80%), a basis of design report, and permitting for Project Area (PA)1.1. WDFW will partner with SRSRB to plan for implementation in 2026-27. The objective is to grade and fill river and floodplain areas to restore floodplain connectivity and increase the amount of surface water habitat in the project reach, increase slow water habitat area, and restore stream channel complexity that expands ecological function in this 0.5-mile reach.

This reach is priority habitat for Spring Chinook spawning and rearing. Increased floodplain connectivity will result in improved lateral stream migration and stream length, increased wetland area, reduced stream power, and increased gravel recruitment for spawning. Additional benefits include increased channel complexity supported by reduced channel confinement and incision, increased pools and wood, and increased refuge areas for juveniles and returning adults. Specific life stage restoration goals for spring Chinook and steelhead (egg-fry & fry-smolt) include increased complexity at low-winter flows and during spring/winter peaks, reconnection of abandoned floodplains at both low and high flows, improved retention and storage of bed load gravels, and development of slow water habitats. Slow water habitats improve ecological conditions that support food resources, increase prey variability, and reduce energy costs for foraging juvenile salmonids.  

Additionally, a channel spanning log weir installed by the USFS in the 1990’s is failing at approximately RM 49. The jump is approximately 1.5 - 2 feet high, but because of the confined nature of the channel in this area, failure at this site would have negative impacts on habitat development upstream from the site. The project would be designed to re-establish floodplain connection in this reach.

•    Reconnect 10 acres of disconnected floodplain.
•    Improve (reduce) stream power conditions throughout the project reach.
•    Increase off-channel habitat and perennial side channels.
•    Restore large wood and improve habitat complexity.