Lower Lawyer Creek Stream Restoration Project proposal 200718100

FY07-09 proposal 200718100

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal title	Lower Lawyer Creek Stream Restoration Project
Proposal ID	200718100
Organization	Flying B Ranch
Short description	The projects primary focus is to enhance anadromous species habitat. Secondary but important benefits are to enhance wetlands, provide flood control and enhance habitat for both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife.
Information transfer	Electronic
Proposal contact person or principal investigator

Contacts

Contact	Organization	Email
Form submitter
Joseph Peterson	Flying B Ranch	josephp@flyingbranch.com
All assigned contacts

Section 2. Locations

Province / subbasin: Mountain Snake / Clearwater

Latitude	Longitude	Waterbody	Description
46.2127	-116.1219	Lawyer Cr	The project would be along three and a half miles of Lawyer Cr in Idaho and Lewis counties centered roughly at the end of Lawyer Cr road.

Section 3. Focal species

primary: Steelhead Snake River ESU
secondary: All Anadromous Fish

Section 4. Past accomplishments

Year	Accomplishments

Section 5. Relationships to other projects

Funding source	Related ID	Related title	Relationship
BPA	[no entry]	Lawyer CR ID A-Run Steelhead Spawning & Enhancement	Project #200706700 is starting to address the problems of upland soil stabilization and decreasing the serverity of run quick run off events. By restoring aquatic habitat and moderating detrimental terrestrial influences, a healthier Lawyer Cr drainage as a whole will result.

Section 6. Biological objectives

Biological objectives	Full description	Associated subbasin plan	Strategy
B-General	Lawyers Creek is the main waterway on the ranch; in the 1950s, Lawyers Creek was moved to the edge of its floodplain and channelized in order to create a larger area of cropland. Additionally, during the 1996-97 flooding, Lawyers Creek was overloaded with sediment from the eroding banks upstream. Due to the disturbance caused by the previous landowner and the subsequent flooding and erosion, the stream has not been able to maintain the historic population of steelhead and the fisheries and wildlife habitat has continued to decline. Because of the nature and degree of the disturbance, passive restoration will not produce the desired results. Our proposal includes an active approach to restoration that includes returning Lawyers Creek to its approximate original location in the floodplain, restoring steelhead habitat, and creating riparian systems.	Clearwater	• Obtain historic fisheries and stream data, and aerial photos (pre-1950s). • Complete an inventory of current conditions, including fisheries use, year-round flow data, reference reach data, material source and disposal site locations, and aerial photos
Flood Control	Reduce high water velocities and subsequent erosion and bedload movement into reaches downstream.	Clearwater	Includes creating a meander pattern, restoring connectivity with the floodplain, grading and vegetating the banks, and placing instream structures - eliminate the channelization.
Q-Improvement of water quality	By vegetating the stream banks, creating meanders, and incorporating instream habitat structures throughout the stream channel, suspended sediment will be decreased, water will be shaded and cooled, and the water table will be rejuvenated.	Clearwater	Includes grading (reduced slopes) and vegetating (intertwining roots) the stream banks, creating meanders in the stream channel for reduced velocity and suspended sediment loads, and incorporating instream habitat structures. Reduced erosion and bedload.
U-Fish and Wildlife Habitat Promotion Expansion	Complex instream habitat structures for fish will be integrated into the stream including large woody debris, undercut banks, boulders, riffle and pool sequences, etc., which will provide spawning, rearing, and overwintering habtiat. Riparian plantings will provide shade, cover and food for fish as well as cover and food for bird species.	Clearwater	See despcription to left.
Z&BB Riparian Enhancement	Past manipulation of Lawyers Creek including relocation and channelization, construction of a dike that restricted access of the creek to its floodplain, and the removal of large woody debris has severely degraded the riparian system.	Clearwater	Includes vegetating the stream banks with native species to stabilize the banks, create fish and wildlife habitat, create shady areas to cool water temperatures, and reduce invasive species by optimizing native species coverage.

Section 7. Work elements (coming back to this)

Work element name	Work element title	Description	Start date	End date	Est budget
Produce Design and/or Specifications	Research,Plan, Coordinate, Impliment and Moniter Project	This portion includes planning the project, monitering the existing conditions, overseeing construction and planting. This will also include all monitering of effectiveness of constructon and sharing of information.	1/1/2007	12/31/2009	$232,793
Biological objectives B-General			Metrics
Realign, Connect, and/or Create Channel	Move stream channel out of the current altered course back to the flood plain	• Design the new channel meander pattern and location using information from historic data, current up- and downstream data, and Rosgen methodologies. • Employ a land surveyor to stake out the new channel location on-site. • The work period is limited to the months of July and August due to fish windows (i.e., spawning) and the ranch season (September 1). • Create the new channel. Water will still flow through the existing channel during construction activities; we recommend the existing channel be maintained as a high water channel for up to five years following project completion (if not longer). • Dig the new channel using excavators and dump-trucks; dredged material will be stored at the ranch (specific site to be determined at a later date) for use in improving the existing channel as a high water channel. Build the stream banks at a 3:1 slope. • Re-direct Lawyer Creek into the new channel and monitor; make necessary adjustments. • Monitor the new system.	7/1/2007	8/31/2007	$458,000
Biological objectives Flood Control Q-Improvement of water quality U-Fish and Wildlife Habitat Promotion Expansion Z&BB Riparian Enhancement			Metrics * # of stream miles treated, including off-channels, after realignment: 1.75 miles
Increase Instream Habitat Complexity	Create and/or place instream habitat structures	Complex instream habitat structures for fish will be integrated into the stream including large woody debris, undercut banks, boulders, riffles and pools, etc., which will provide spawning, rearing, and overwintering habitat. Riparian plantings will provide shade and cover for fish, as well as food and cover for bird species.	7/1/2007	8/31/2007	$109,500
Biological objectives Flood Control Q-Improvement of water quality U-Fish and Wildlife Habitat Promotion Expansion Z&BB Riparian Enhancement			Metrics * # of stream miles treated: 3.50 miles
Plant Vegetation	Vegetate new stream course with native stabilizing, shade providing plants.	Vegetate the new channel stream banks using native riparian species after water is successfully flowing in the new system. This may require temporary irrigation (using the existing system). Include erosion-control fabric below the ordinary high water mark.	7/1/2007	9/30/2007	$105,000
Biological objectives Flood Control Q-Improvement of water quality U-Fish and Wildlife Habitat Promotion Expansion Z&BB Riparian Enhancement			Metrics * # of riparian miles treated: 3.50 miles
Realign, Connect, and/or Create Channel	Move stream channel out of the current altered course back to the flood plain	[Work Element Description Not Entered]	7/1/2008	8/31/2008	$458,000
Biological objectives Q-Improvement of water quality			Metrics * # of stream miles treated, including off-channels, after realignment: 1.75 miles
Increase Instream Habitat Complexity	Create and/or place instream habitat structures	[Work Element Description Not Entered]	7/1/2008	8/31/2008	$109,500
Biological objectives Flood Control Q-Improvement of water quality U-Fish and Wildlife Habitat Promotion Expansion Z&BB Riparian Enhancement			Metrics * # of stream miles treated: 1.75
Plant Vegetation	Vegetate new stream course with native stabilizing, shade providing plants.	[Work Element Description Not Entered]	7/1/2008	9/30/2008	$105,000
Biological objectives B-General Flood Control Q-Improvement of water quality U-Fish and Wildlife Habitat Promotion Expansion Z&BB Riparian Enhancement			Metrics * # of riparian miles treated: 1.75 miles
Plant Vegetation	Plant and irrigate if needed larger shade producing trees.	Vegetating the stream banks with both large and small woody plants will help to cool the creek and provide additional habitat for terrestrial species.	2/1/2008	11/30/2009	$10,000
Biological objectives Flood Control Q-Improvement of water quality U-Fish and Wildlife Habitat Promotion Expansion Z&BB Riparian Enhancement			Metrics * # of riparian miles treated: 3.50 miles * # of riparian miles treated: 3.50 miles

Section 8. Budgets

Itemized estimated budget

Item	Note	FY07	FY08	FY09
Other	Implementation	$672,500	$672,500	$10,000
Personnel	Supervisors and consultants	$110,000	$110,000	$12,793
Totals		$782,500	$782,500	$22,793

Total estimated FY 2007-2009 budgets

Total itemized budget:	$1,587,793
Total work element budget:	$1,587,793

Cost sharing

Funding source/org	Item or service provided	FY 07 est value ($)	FY 08 est value ($)	FY 09 est value ($)	Cash or in-kind?	Status
Flying B Ranch	Labor & Equipment	$75,000	$75,000	$20,000	In-Kind	Confirmed
Totals		$75,000	$75,000	$20,000

Section 9. Project future

FY 2010 estimated budget: $10,000
FY 2011 estimated budget: $10,000

Comments: Cooperative monitering with Flying B Ranch and the Nez Perce Tribe

Future O&M costs:

Termination date:
Comments:

Final deliverables:

Section 10. Narrative and other documents

Reviews and recommendations

FY07 budget	FY08 budget	FY09 budget	Total budget	Type	Category	Recommendation
NPCC FINAL FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Oct 23, 2006) [full Council recs]
$0	$0	$0	$0	Expense	ProvinceExpense	Do Not Fund
NPCC DRAFT FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Sep 15, 2006) [full Council recs]
$0	$0	$0	$0		ProvinceExpense

ISRP PRELIMINARY REVIEW (Jun 2, 2006)

Recommendation: Not fundable

NPCC comments: The proposal is appreciated for the effort in addressing habitat issues for fish in the basin. However, the proposal is not developed enough to justify a review and response. The proposal does not follow the guide or format, nor indicate a connection to the subbasin plan and its priority within it. Even setting aside concerns with not following the format, the proposal is just too preliminary for a scientific recommendation. Standardized procedures are recommended. The first step would be to initiate an adequately detailed watershed/fisheries assessment to decide whether restoration in this watershed is appropriate. In general, the watershed and fish assessments are not sufficiently described and summarized to make a reasonable judgment on whether Lawyers Creek is a candidate for restoration, and if it were restored, if it would make a meaningful contribution to the subbasin goals for steelhead production. Proponents are encouraged to partner with subbasin planners and further develop their proposal, and continue their interest in steelhead and fish habitat.

ISRP FINAL REVIEW (Aug 31, 2006)

Recommendation: Not fundable