The Grande Ronde and Umatilla Fish Habitat Improvement Program supports the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's (ODFW) efforts to restore riparian and instream habitats in the Grande Ronde and Umatilla basins as mitigation for fisheries losses resulting from development of the federal Columbia River Power System. The Program's focus is on the protection, enhancement, and restoration of habitats utilized by Federal Endangered Species Act listed Umatilla River summer steelhead, Snake River spring/summer Chinook salmon and Snake River summer steelhead, while benefiting many other species of fish and wildlife. These activities are guided, in part, by Recovery Plans, Subbasin Plans, Oregon plans and policies, and current research. Restoration activities are implemented under both short and long-term cooperative agreements with landowners. Past work includes: construction and maintenance of grazing control fences and off-channel livestock watering facilities; construction of side channels, alcoves, and large wood structures to increase habitat diversity; installing native plants to restore riparian ecosystems; management of noxious weeds; restoring fish passage; and improving stream and floodplain connectivity.

On July 1, 1984 the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) entered into an intergovernmental contract to initiate fish habitat enhancement work in the Joseph Creek subbasin of the Grande Ronde River Basin in northeast Oregon. Habitat enhancement work has expanded to include the Upper and Middle Grande Ronde rivers, Catherine Creek, and the Wallowa River subbasin. The primary goal of "The Grande Ronde Basin Fish Habitat Enhancement Project” is to create, protect, and restore riparian and instream habitat for anadromous salmonids, thereby maximizing opportunities for natural fish production within the basin. This project was originally implemented to support the Northwest Power Planning Council's (Council) Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program’s Measure 703 (C)(1), Action Item 4.2, and continues to be implemented per revisions of the Fish and Wildlife Program as offsite mitigation for mainstem fishery losses caused by the Columbia River hydroelectric system. Since initiation of the Grande Ronde Fish Habitat Improvement Project in 1984, more than 75 projects have been completed on over 100 miles of streams restoring 3,800 acres of riparian and instream habitat.

A comprehensive effort to restore anadromous fish populations in the Umatilla Basin has been underway since the mid-1980’s. Actions taken to restore salmon and steelhead populations in the Umatilla Basin include flow restoration, passage improvement, habitat restoration, and hatchery operations. The Umatilla Anadromous Fish Habitat Program (UAFHP) was initiated in 1987 following a directive by the Council, which called for the rehabilitation of salmon and steelhead populations in the Umatilla River. The goal of this program is to restore riparian and stream ecosystems on private lands within the Umatilla Basin to ensure the continued persistence and conservation of native fish and wildlife species. The UAFHP has focused on the Birch Creek watershed and upper Meacham Creek watersheds.

Based, in part, on BPA funding decisions, the GRFH and UAFHP programs were combined in April 2018. The Grande Ronde and Umatilla Fish Habitat Program (GRUFH) is comprised of four full time employees. Habitat work will be focused in the the Upper Grande River and tributaries, primarily Catherine Creek. Additional work will occur in the Wallowa and Umatilla basins.

The GRUFH will continue to partner with other local, state, federal, and tribal agencies and pursue project funding from BPA, OWEB, and other available sources. We will continue to partner with the Umatilla Basin Watershed Council, the Umatilla County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), and other ODFW programs to secure funding to implement habitat and passage projects in the Umatilla Basin. These other partners have the ability to secure grant funds which ODFW does not qualify for or have budgets which allow for direct project implementation.

Project activities planned for this contract period include coordination with Grande Ronde and Umatilla basin partners, project planning, design review, permitting and construction, and inspection and maintenance of projects with current ODFW agreements. Continued coordination with landowners, and pursuit of additional projects, project design, and project implementation funding will also occur.

The Crow Creek-Krebs project will be completed in 2019, with completion of riparian planting. Project fencing on Crow and West Fork Pine creeks was completed in 2017. We constructed one off-site gravity fed watering system, oversaw construction of two solar watering systems, re-contoured 1,560' of streambanks, and began riparian planting in 2018. A 15-year conservation easement has been signed protecting 40 acres.

Dillon Dam was removed from the Umatilla River in the summer of 2017. Three large wood structures were installed along the severely eroded bank upstream of the historic dam site in 2018. Seeding of the project area also occurred in 2018. Approximately 50 riparian trees and bushes will be planted on the eroded bank in 2019.

Highway 203 Relocation and habitat restoration design funding was received from BPA, ODOT, and OWEB for a fish habitat restoration project on the Hall Ranch, located on Catherine Creek. Highway relocation surveys and design began in October 2018. Habitat designs are currently at 30%. Habitat and Highway 203 relocation designs will be completed with available funding in spring of 2019. Funding for monitoring surface and ground water in the project reach was secured in November. Hobos and piezometers will be installed in spring 2019. Funding will be pursued for project implementation beginning in 2019. Multiple grant applications will be written and submitted. Partial project implementation funding has been secured from OWEB as part of the Upper Grande Ronde Focused Investment Partnership Initiative. Because of the anticipated high construction cost, a diversity of funding opportunities will be investigated and pursued. Program staff will also work on project permitting. NEPA coverage will require an Environmental Assessment for Highway 203 Relocation. Program staff will work with ODOT and BPA to prepare the EA. Program staff will continue working with OSU to develop a grazing management plan for the project area, and to identify local wood sources for habitat restoration implementation.

Project design will continue for the Upper Grande Ronde-Bowman Project, the Catherine Creek State Park Project, and the Wallowa-McDaniel Project. Program staff are the lead on project design for all three projects. Program staff will continue to oversee project design, surveys, data collection, and permitting for each of these projects.

Funding was secured in November 2018 to implement the Catherine Creek State Park Fish Habitat Project. Implementation is planned for summer 2019. However, BPA does not anticipate being able to conduct cultural resource surveys until spring 2019, which could delay project construction until 2020. We are exploring opportunities to conduct cultural resource surveys sooner using a subcontractor. If cultural resource surveys can be completed this fall or winter, project implementation will occur in the summer of 2019.

Program staff will pursue restoration funding for Wallowa-McDaniel and Upper Grande Ronde-Bowman in February-March 2019. Regional Conservation Partners Program funding has been secured from NRCS to construct an off-site watering system for the Bowman Project. Funding applications will be submitted to OWEB and GRMW/BPA for the remainder of UGR-Bowman project implementation funding. The project is currently scheduled for 2020 construction.

Wallowa-McDaniel implementation funding applications will be submitted in spring 2019. A 15-year easement for the Wallowa-McDaniel project area was signed in 2018. Program staff are working with Doug McDaniel on a grazing management plan. The project is currently scheduled for construction in 2020. If a wetland delineation is not needed to permit the project, staff will pursue opportunities to construct the Wallowa-McDaniel project in 2019.  

Immediately upstream of the Wallowa-Baker project is the Wallowa-Baremore project. Program staff will work on securing an easement with the landowner. If we are successful negotiating and easement and project with the landowner, design funding will be sought in September-October 2019.

Due diligence monitoring will continue for our Ladd Creek Channel Reconstruction and Wetland Restoration Project. Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) required compensatory mitigation of 35 acres of enhancement to PEM C wetland habitat and 8 acres of creation of palustrine open water/riverine/impounding wetland habitat for the Ladd Creek Project. DSL also required 10 years of monitoring the project. GRFH began pre-implementation monitoring for the Ladd Creek project in 2007. Post-project implementation monitoring was begun and 2010. With the completion of project construction in the fall of 2014, monitoring was expanded in 2015. Monitoring in 2019 shall include water temperature at two locations; willow, trench willow, sedge plugs, and potted plant survival estimates; photo points; and measuring water levels and inundation of wetland ponds. Program staff will collect, enter, and analyze data and complete an annual monitoring report for DSL.

Inspection and maintenance of projects with easements will be on-going, including maintaining project vegetation; weed control and removal; monitoring for and removing trespassing livestock; maintaining and repairing/reconstructing fence lines and off-site water systems; and maintaining reconstructed stream channel and instream structures. Maintenance will be conducted on 30 miles of fence, 12 off-channel watering structures, and 1,900 acres of riparian and stream habitat within the Grande Ronde Basin. Maintenance will be conducted on the 267.7 acres of riparian and stream habitat within the Umatilla River Subbasin, including: 19.28 miles of fence, 12 off-channel watering facilities, and 130 acres of native vegetation. These activities will be conducted throughout the year to comply with ODFW agreements and easements and to ensure projects are meeting objectives. Staff will investigate for trespass cattle on all riparian fencing projects.

Riparian planting, watering and regular maintenance will occur at multiple project sites. Trees planted in 2016 at the Low and Hamby sites along Birch Creek and at the Wallowa-Baker project will be monitored for growth and survival. A new planting technique called deep planting, as well as a new irrigation technique called deep pipe irrigation, will be used at Birch Creek to increase survival and planting success. These two techniques have been used with great success in very arid climates to promote plant growth in areas where water is limited.

Weed spraying will be conducted by staff on 12 projects in the Umatilla Basin. Weed spraying, if necessary, will be contracted out for projects in the Grande Ronde Basin, including the Wallowa-Baker and North Fork Cabin Creek Projects.

Two temperature probes will be operated and maintained to monitor status and trends of water temperature in the headwaters of Meacham Creek. Two temperature probes will also be operated and maintained in Ladd Creek to meet DSL monitoring requirements.

Photographs will be taken at approximately 176 photo point locations. Photo points will be established at new projects if necessary.

Staff will continue to work with landowners on future projects and renewing cooperative agreements. Easements and new projects on the Upper Grande Ronde, Catherine Creek, Wallowa River, Lostine River, Umatilla River, Birch Creek, and Meacham Creek will be pursued. Program staff are currently pursuing the Wallowa-Baremore, Catherine Creek-LDS, Catherine Creek-Tule Lakes, Beaver Creek-Merlo, and Upper Wallowa-Fish Passage projects. Staff will work with Conrad Wyss on a potential dam removal and habitat restoration project and with the City of Pendleton on removal of several unused pipelines which cross the Umatilla River and are fish passage obstructions.

Staff will participate on the BPA Catherine Creek and Upper Grande Ronde Atlas Science Technical Advisory Committee and Implementation Team. Staff will assist with identifying high priority project opportunities, selection of opportunity leads, and opportunity development. Staff will review Wallowa and Imnaha funding proposals.

Staff will participate in monthly Union County Coordination and Focused Investment Partnership meetings coordinated by the GRMW.

Staff will participate in Umatilla Basin habitat restoration associated meetings and maintain coordination with Umatilla Basin partners. Staff will attend Umatilla Basin Water Restoration Team meetings.

Staff will continue to coordinate and provide technical assistance to other agencies throughout the Grande Ronde and Umatilla basins to complete fish habitat restoration projects. Coordination with basin partners will remain a priority.

Staff will oversee project construction on Catherine Creek State Park and possibly the Wallowa-McDaniel Project. This will include developing RFPs; contracting; working with landowners, engineers, and construction contractors; leading fish salvage operations; and overseeing project construction to ensure project elements meet design specifications.

Education and outreach activities will occur as time allows. Anticipated activities include participation in academic programs, career days, and Watershed Field days.

GRFH staff will maintain equipment used by the Program for implementing this SOW. Program supplies and materials such as fences are aging, with incidental increases in maintenance costs.