CREST proposes to continue to implement estuary habitat restoration projects during this contract period. Projects developed, designed, and permitted during previous contract periods will move to construction. CREST will continue to develop and design new restoration projects working with landowners, stakeholders, and subcontracted design and engineering consultants. CREST will also continue to invest staff time in community outreach and project development including participating in regional meetings with BPA, the Corps, as well as partner coordination forums such as the Estuary Partnership's Science Work Group (SWG). CREST biologists will conduct Level 3 pre and post project evaluation (Action Effectiveness Monitoring; AEMR) at our restoration sites in coordination with partners and the Columbia Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program (CEERP).  

Restoration of estuary habitat focuses on habitat opportunity, capacity, and realized function critical to the recovery of Threatened/Endangered salmon utilizing the Columbia River Estuary. CREST Habitat Restoration Program Deliverables include:
    1) Identification, prioritization, and development of potential estuary habitat restoration projects.
    2) Presenting and prioritizing restoration projects based on guidance from the Expert Regional Technical Group (ERTG)
    3) Incorporating design feedback from the Project Review Committee (PRC) and partners.
    4) Design, permit, and implementation of 2-5 estuarine restoration projects each year.
    5) Conduct Action Effectiveness Monitoring and Research of restoration projects in coordination with regional partners.

The following projects are currently in full design, engineering, and permitting and will move to construction in 2021 and 2022:

• Palensky: Continuation of the projects completed in 2017 and 2019 at adjacent McCarthy Creek. The Palensky restoration project will remove 3 additional barriers, create thousands of feet of new channel and swale connections, control invasive plants and open up 207 additional acres of floodplain habitat along the Multnomah Channel of the Columbia River.
• Woodland Island: Partnership with the US Army Corps of Engineers. The restoration site is the first to create shallow water habitat from dredge material sands. CREST will complete the replanting at the newly constructed site, installing thousands of emergent, riparian, and upland native plant species.
• Wolf Bay: This project will create two new openings through a large railroad berm, opening up 44 acres of floodplain habitat in Reach B of the lower Columbia River. New channel openings, riparian plantings, and other habitat improvements are planned for the site
• Aldrich Point: Project will create a new opening to 24 acres of floodplain habitat through large railroad berm through the installation of two, side-by-side 10-foot diameter culverts. New channel openings and riparian plantings will enhance wetland conditions throughout the site.
• Dalton Lake: Removal of a fish passage barrier and installation of channel-spanning bridge to reconnect 34 acres of floodplain habitat directly to the Columbia River in Reach F. Emergent and riparian plantings throughout project site as part of wetland enhancements.
• Palensky Wildlife Corridor: Part of the larger Palensky restoration project this wildlife corridor will focus on creating a safe migratory route underneath Hwy 30 for amphibians to transit between the uplands of Forest Park and the floodplain wetlands of the Palensky Wildlife Area. Planned to be a 36" diameter culvert with native substrate, light shafts, and directional fencing to encourage the migratory movement of target wildlife species.


The following projects are currently in feasibility and will begin design, engineering, and permitting phases and will move to construction in 2023 and 2024:
• Agency Creek: Designs for the Agency Creek project will occur in 2021 and 2022. Restoration actions include installing a new opening with a bridge, channel excavation and wetland plantings. The project will open 22 acres of floodplain habitat in Reach B.
• Warren Slough: Designs for the Warren Slough project will occur in 2021 and 2022. Restoration actions installing a new opening with a bridge, channel excavation, and wetland plantings. The project will open up 22 acres of floodplain habitat.
• Carr Slough: Designs for the Carr Slough project will occur in 2021 and 2022. This project will entail breaching the existing railroad berm to create full fish access and hydrologic connectivity to approximately 140 acres of floodplain wetland habitat directly off of the mainstem Columbia River. Other project actions include creation of additional tidal channels, increased channel sinousity, marshplain lowering, and riparian and emergent plantings.
• South Tongue Point: Designs for the South Tongue Point project will occur in 2021 and 2022. The project will involve restoring approximately 22.5 acres of tidal wetlands by improving and expanding hydrologic connections to interior portions of the project site, therefore providing additional opportunity for fish and wildlife to access restored historic habitats. Excavation of new tidal channel, marshplain lowering, and other wetland enhancements throughout the site.
• Netul Landing: Designs for the Netul Landing project will occur in 2021 and 2022. The project involves breaching an existing levee, creation of new tidal channel, new culverts, and construction of a setback levee. The project will open up full fish access to 24 acres of floodplain habitat along the Lewis and Clark River.
• Toaheedliini: Designs for the Toaheedliini project will be completed during 2022 and 2023. Restoration actions for this project will include removing sections of the deauthorized levee along the Walluski River in multiple locations to an elevation that matches the interior marshplain elevation. Additional excavation will also occur in the interior of the wetland to enhance the wetland channel network to further improve tidal connectivity and fish access. The site will be revegetated with native plants following construction.

Each of the projects described above provides immediate access to estuarine habitats for juvenile salmonids. CREST will also invest project manager staff time working with specific landowners, project partners, and in data gathering and investigations at other sites including the Youngs Bay Watershed, John Day River, Gnat Creek, Wahkiakum County, Columbia and Multnomah Counties, and other potential restoration sites for construction in 2023 and beyond.  

CREST will pursue cost share for project engineering and construction during this contract period from the National Park Service, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, Salmon Recovery Funding Board, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership, and other funding sources.  

Within this contract, major work elements are directly related to implementation of previously designed projects and on engineering and permitting for outyear projects. Additional actions focus on action effectiveness monitoring, community outreach and project development.  

Projects in development will be subject to review by the Estuary Partnership's Project Review Committee (PRC) at 30% design and review and assignment of survival benefits by the Expert Regional Technical Group (ERTG) at 60% design.  All projects in the estuary are also subject to cost benefit analysis and approval by BPA.  Each of the projects CREST is proposing during this contract undergoes a cost/PBU preliminary review and final scoring by ERTG.  If at any time during the scientific review and ERTG process it is determined that proposed restoration projects do not meet BPA criteria, CREST will work with BPA to address these issues.

Post project evaluation (Level 3 AEMR) will be conducted by CREST biologists at West Sand Island, John Day, Woodland Islands, McCarthy, Westport, Crane/Domeyer, Willow Bar, and Megler Creek.

Both pre and post project monitoring will be conducted at the Palensky, Wolf, Aldrich, and Dalton sites.  Pre project monitoring at other project sites such as the Agency, Warren, South Tongue Point, Carr, Netul, and Toaheedliini will also occur during this contract period.  Project monitoring is used at restoration sites to better quantify use and habitat lift for individual restoration sites and to inform benefits of restoration actions at projects in development.