The Bear Creek Restoration Project is a stand alone opportunity that could branch into more work on Bear Creek in Wallowa County, OR. This contract is to hire a design engineering firm to complete designs and all necessary documents/reviews to implement a fully comprehensive floodplain restoration project to address all limiting factors in this reach for all life stages of ESA listed salmonids. This will occur from RM 3.1 and 5.6 of Bear Creek, as well as 2 miles upstream from the confluence of Bear Creek with Little Bear Creek. Bear Creek is a tributary of the Wallowa River identified as WLL2 in the Wallowa Atlas Prioritization Document. This opportunity has been ranked as a Tier 1 or one of the highest priority subwatersheds to restore in the basin.

This reach of Bear Creek is a dynamic system experiencing a large floodpulse each year of water and sediment. Due to anthropogenic effects such as building the road, constructing two bridges, and infrastructure bank protection, Bear Creek is currently at bedrock in several places, straightened and confined thus producing a shotgun of water and sediment. The project reach lacks pools and large wood capable of slowing down the water and trapping sediment suitable for spawning. Wood additions would also increase fish habitat for juvenile rearing, and adult holding. There are many opportunities for floodplain reactivation, which would especially benefit juvenile growth and survival. Downstream from this reach, several irrigation withdrawals tend to produce incredibly low flows in Bear Creek during the summer months, so by reactivating the floodplain and restoring and protecting springs on this property, it is possible to see a significant increase in flow especially during base flow conditions. Riparian vegetation has been suppressed by overgrazing but will most likely thrive once protected.

Besides ODFW, the GRMW, landowners/managers, and the Atlas Implementation Team partners will help guide the design of this project to be successful in restoring process and function to Bear Creek.

Objectives in regard to the restoration actions will be developed and defined through the design process, reviewed and refined at each milestone.  The final objectives will be decided when seeking implementation funding.  Using the known limiting factors on this reach, objectives will continue to be developed to benefit all life stages of ESA listed species and other sensitive species within the project by 2026.

1) Increase floodplain connectivity, duration of inundation, and total wetted area.
2) Improve sediment retention and sorting to increase favorable spawning areas.
3) Increase off-channel habitat.
4) Increase instream complexity.
5) Improve riparian condition and species richness.
6) Improve springs and increase flow into the mainstem of Bear Creek.