The Crooked and American River watersheds are located in north central Idaho in the South Fork Clearwater River subbasin and are within the Nez Perce Tribe Usual and Accustom area.  Cumulatively, the watersheds compose about 115,000 acres.  These watersheds are designated critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act and are major spawning areas for the upper South Fork Clearwater River populations (NMFS 2019). Fish species of interest include spring/summer Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), ESA-listed steelhead (O. mykiss), ESA- listed bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) and westslope cutthroat (O. clarki lewisi).

The Nez Perce Tribe (Tribe) has been working under contract with the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) using a ridge-top to ridge-top approach to improve aquatic and terrestrial habitat conditions limiting the recovery of salmonids in the American and Crooked River watersheds since 2011 (2010-086-00).  Historic activities in these watersheds, such as dredge and hydraulic mining, road crossings, grazing and haying, have severely degraded instream and floodplain functions.  Land development in the American River watershed around the Elk City township is further reducing habitat quality and functions.  Past projects implemented to address limiting factors include replacing fish passage barriers at road crossings, planting native vegetation in the Elk Creek meadow and Crooked River, and restoring the hydrologic and hydraulic functions in the lower Crooked River watershed through floodplain connections and river reconstruction.  

The proposed objectives and activities for the Crooked and American River watershed were developed based on localized monitoring data, where available and project types prioritized in regional documents (NPCC 2005, USDA 1998). Activities were selected based on: (1) project location, i.e. how much of the watershed is impacted by the activity, (2) potential rehabilitation actions, focal fish species and their life stage effected, (3) existing condition metrics, and (4) limiting factors addressed.  The Tribe will continue to work collaboratively within the Nez Perce Clearwater National Forest and Bureau of Land Management partnerships to develop, implement, monitor, and inform the adaptive management process.  A new partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service is being developed, as well and relationships with private land owners.  

Work under this contract will address limiting factors in Elk Creek, within the American River watershed.  Projects include beaver dam analogs, which will increase instream habitat complexity, removal of barriers, wetland improvements, and plantings to reduce stream temperatures.