CCR-44615 - The purpose of this contract change request is to cancel work and deobligate funds for work that has been delayed due to limited operations associated with Covid-19 (WE H, I, J, AO, & AP), project design delays (WE L, M, N, O, P, AD, & AI), or canceled entirely due to lack of landowner agreement (WE R, S, & T).

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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 the 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.    Structured Implementation and Monitoring (SIM) Framework - this is a joint effort between CTWS and ODFW to focus restoration and monitoring that will guide our efforts in the future. 2019 - 2021 will cover prioritized implementation in the Middle Fork Subbasin.
2.    The John Day Basin Partnership – CTWS is one of 28 organizations signed onto a Memorandum of Understanding. The Partnership was awarded funding through OWEB’s Focused Investment Partnership (FIP) program in 2019 for 6 years of funding focused on native fish habitat.  The Partnership uses the Atlas framework for prioritization of both native fish habitat and uplands restoration.   CTWS works with the Partnership on projects covered under the FIP and located in priorities identified by the CTWS Watershed Restoration Strategy. The Atlas prioritization adds another level of focus and prioritization to the CTWS John Day River Watershed Restoration Strategy.
3.    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.
4.    The Resource Conservation and Partnership Project (RCPP) - CTWS was awarded an RCPP project for irrigation efficiency practices and conservation easements 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.

Specific projects covered in this contract include:
1.    Fox Creek Reach 18 – Irrigation Project. Replace 3 unscreened diversions with 1 pump station and pivot. Related instream/riparian project completed in 2019.
2.    Fox Creek Upper Reach 10 – Diversion replacement and habitat enhancement. Replace fish passage barrier diversion, install BDAs and large wood structures.
3.    Upper John Day Habitat – Phase 2. Produce design.
4.    Upper John Day Habitat – Diversion 11. Replace fish passage barrier diversion.
5.    Upper John Day Habitat - Diversion 15. Produce design.
6.    Reynolds Creek – Irrigation Project. Replace fish passage barrier diversion and as part of the NRCS RCPP install irrigation pipeline and infrastructure.
7.    USFS Camp Creek Project. Project located on the Malheur National Forest, expands on a 2019 instream restoration project, 2020 will include the removal of the railroad grade and reconnection of the floodplain.
8.    Dunstan Preserve Floodplain Enhancement. Includes the breech of the railroad grade in several locations to improve floodplain connection.
9.    Middle Fork Planting and Fencing. Work covers the collection of seed, propagation, and planting of native riparian plants, as well as protection from browse.
10.  Davis Creek Habitat - Produce design,
11.  Dead Cow Habitat - Habitat enhancement.
12.  Thirtymile Habitat - Produce BDA Design
13.  Bear Creek Juniper Removal (continued from last contract)
14.  Rock Creek Diversion - Produce Design
15.  Effectiveness Monitoring covers large scale projects implemented through the CTWS Program, such as Fox Creek and the Upper John Day Habitat. The purpose is to monitor the overall effectiveness of achieving project objectives, and relate those objectives back to the overarching goal of benefitting listed Pacific salmonid species. Changes from the last contract include the decrease in overall temperature monitoring efforts across the Basin, CTWS will focus on project locations specifically.