Through this Lower Methow Design contract, MSRF and BPA will expand upon past work efforts to refine conceptual ideas (developed under prior contracts) to permit ready status.  MSRF has selected a primary project area based on landowner willingness and habitat uplift potential from the prioritized list in the LMRA. The project area, Miller Hole, includes two adjacent action areas where MSRF has engaged landowners to allow access for evaluation and development of a single restoration action designed to restore natural processes interrupted by past levee placement and historic development. The objective of this contract is to develop a preliminary (permit-ready) design for the preferred action alternative for the Miller Hole project area that would be advanced to construction on a follow-on contract. Under this Contract, MSRF will also continue to pursue outreach efforts to expand landowner support/willingness to develop conceptual actions on other sites previously prioritized in the LMRA.

This project is a timely next step to build on the early implementation outreach completed during the previous contract (85728) and will lead directly to development of preliminary designs by a licensed professional engineer for implementation of identified restoration actions through a collaborative design process with specialized BPA staff to effectively prioritize actions determined to be feasible and beneficial.

Through this collaborative project, MSRF proposes to expand upon past efforts where MSRF and BPA have identified and advanced biologically meaningful and feasible project actions in areas where MSRF has secured landowner interest in developing restoration actions. Actions pursued in the primary work area (Miller Hole) will need to demonstrate that they have a high potential to improve conditions that are identified as limiting factors, including floodplain condition, instream habitat complexity, and riparian condition to improve the growth and survival of ESA listed fish species.

The primary project (Miller Hole) is located in the lowest segment of the Methow evaluated in the LMRA between RM 1.4 and 2.5.  This area provides steelhead spawning habitat and is the migratory corridor for every adult spring Chinook and steelhead returning to the sub-basin. The Lower Methow is also the last area in the Methow used by rearing Chinook and steelhead juveniles prior to out-migration into the Columbia River.

Secondary project identification will focus on the remaining high priority projects identified in the LMRA, which are dispersed between RM 2.5 and RM 28.  Work efforts on secondary sites will be limited to development of conceptual ideas and securing landowner willingness.  MSRF will vet conceptual project areas with BPA staff to ensure consensus on biological uplift achievable at these areas.

MSRF staff will coordinate, collaborate, and maintain effective communication with BPA PM/COR, EC Lead, HIP Review Lead, and Hydraulic Engineer during the entire length of this contract with regards to advancement of the project design. MSRF will advertise for and select a qualified professional engineering consultant to lead development of the preferred alternative through the BPA HIP process reviews. MSRF and its subcontractors will address BPA comments and concerns, and the two entities will arrive at a mutual beneficial consensus to ensure that actions developed will meet BPA needs for recovery credit.