The CTUIR Walla Walla River Basin Fish Habitat Enhancement Project, initiated in 1996, is an ongoing effort to monitor, protect, enhance, and restore the natural form and function of rivers, floodplains, and native fish habitat. Restoration project location and selection criteria is derived from various managerial guidance documents and based upon identification and addressing factors limiting salmonid production including the Middle Columbia River Steelhead Recovery Plan (NMFS 2009), Bull Trout Recovery Plan (USFWS 2015), Walla Walla Subbasin Plan (NPCC 2004), Umatilla River Vision (Jones et al. 2008), Lower Walla Walla River Geomorphic Assessment and Action Plan (CTUIR 2014), Lower Mill Creek Final Habitat and Passage Assessment and Strategic Action Plan (CTUIR 2017), Upper Touchet River Geomorphic Assessment and Restoration Prioritization (CCCD 2020), and Upper Walla Walla River Assessment and Action Plan (CTUIR 2024). The Project is responsible for improving physical habitat conditions for ESA-Listed salmonid species.  

Major tasks to be completed by the project in this funding cycle include:    

1) Walúula Floodplain Restoration Design: Continue cross-agency cooperation and advance restoration designs (from 30-60%) for floodplain connectivity, in-stream and off-channel habitat restoration for fish and wildlife species at the confluence of the Walla Walla and Columbia Rivers. Conceptual design (15%) was completed under the previous contract, 73982 Rel 218.

2) Walla Walla RM 32.5: Complete restoration designs (60% to final) for floodplain connection and in-stream habitat enhancement for approximately 0.6 miles of the Walla Walla River near RM 32.5. 30% design was completed under the previous contract, 73982 Rel 218.

3) Túuši Wána Floodplain Restoration Design: Complete restoration designs for floodplain connection and in-stream habitat enhancement for approximately 3 miles of the Touchet River between river miles 14-17.

4) Nursery Bridge Phase II Fish Passage and Irrigation Consolidation Designs: Complete fish passage designs for the Nursery Bridge Phase II project area including both the grade control structure and Eastside irrigation point of diversion.

5) South Touchet River Large Wood Enhancement Design: Complete restoration designs for a large wood enhancement and floodplain restoration project on approximately 6.6 miles of the South Touchet River and tributaries within the Tátwin Wildlife Area.

6) Upper Mill Creek Assessment and Strategic Action Plan: Collaborate with WDFW and comanagers to complete inventory and assessment for the Upper Mill Creek basin and associated tributaries to identify and prioritize future projects.

7) Túuši Wána Floodplain Restoration Phase I: Construct floodplain enhancement at the first phase of the Tuusi Wana Floodplain Restoration project, consisting of the upstream-most 0.7 miles of the project area.

8) Enhance riparian vegetative components at restoration project sites: Plant new vegetation and maintain previously planted areas.