East Fork Grande Ronde River and Upper Fly Creek Small Streams Project involves 1.5 miles of the East Fork Grande Ronde River, 3 miles of Little Fly Creek, and 3 miles of Squaw Creek (7.5 miles total). The project is located within the Upper Grande Ronde River Watershed (1706010401). These streams are all primarily steelhead and redband trout streams. However, the East Fork Grande Ronde River contains rearing habitat for spring/summer chinook salmon. Historic beaver trapping, timber harvest, grazing, mining and roading have created a laterally confined channel, with limited floodplain interaction and diminished vegetation. The project would prioritize LWD placement (channel spanning jams, whole trees, and small wood material) to add roughness, increase floodplain interaction, and habitat complexity, and promote out of channel flooding. It is expected that the project will promote longer periods of hydrologic production, decreased stream temperatures and increased riparian deciduous vegetation. Partners include Grande Ronde Model Watershed, Bonneville Power Administration and the US Forest Service.

Overall Goal: To achieve proper ecological form and function of the small streams and its meadows, and thereby restore habitat for the imperiled Snake River Basin Spring/Summer Chinook and Snake River Basin Steelhead.

Subgoal 1: Physical - Restore Hydrologic Function
Increase hydration of laterally confined channels to improve groundwater retention. Use Large Woody Debris (LWD) to restore stream grade, reduce hydraulic efficiencies, and increase floodplain meadow inundation time.  LWD structures will be placed in locations to increase roughness and back up water.

Subgoal 2: Biological - Improve Fish Habitat
Restore channel habitat complexity. Structures will enhance pools, cover and floodplain connection. The structures will increase hydraulic complexity and zero velocity refugia on active channel margins. LWD structure types designed to meet fish habitat goals include: channel spanning structures to back water into pool habitat and small wood and whole tree placements.