Indian Creek starts in the Wallowa Mountains and flows into the Grande Ronde River near Elgin, Oregon. The creek's headwaters originate on National Forest land. Downstream of the forest boundary there is a mix of commercial and private timber lands, and an agricultural valley before the creek reaches its confluence with the Grande Ronde.

The Indian Creek watershed is home to ESA-listed Snake River Chinook Salmon, Snake River Steelhead, Bull trout, State-Sensitive Redband trout and Pacific Lamprey, as well as a suite of other aquatic and terrestrial species. If awarded, this request will support technical assistance steps necessary for the removal of three in-stream aquatic passage barriers and their associated infrastructure. The effort would reconnect over 10 miles of habitat for juvenile salmon, steel head, bull trout and other fishes.

The project is a collaborative partnership between Hancock Forest Management, Trout Unlimited, Grande Ronde Model Watershed, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla and our funding partners.

Project Activities:

1.   Conduct channel and floodplain topography survey around each barrier necessary for barrier removal, improved floodplain process, and permitting processes.
2.   Create wood typicals (adapted from previous typicals) for LWD structures around each passage barrier designed for grade control, sediment capture, floodplain reconnection, and fish habitat.
3.   Develop cost estimate for the removal and disposal of each barrier and associated infrastructure.
4.   Fund the cultural resource survey for the effort.

The project goal is to return geophysical form and function to Indian Creek and thereby improve habitat connectivity and diversity for ESA-listed Steelhead, Chinook Salmon, and Bull trout.