Inventory and Assess Fish Passage and Screening Needs in the Willow Creek Watershed proposal 200732000

FY07-09 proposal 200732000

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal title	Inventory and Assess Fish Passage and Screening Needs in the Willow Creek Watershed
Proposal ID	200732000
Organization	Morrow County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD)
Short description	This project proposes to conduct an inventory and assessment of fish passage and screening needs in the Willow Creek watershed necessary to restore summer steelhead (extinct) access to historic spawning and rearing habitat and improve access and movement
Information transfer	A plan for addressing planning and screening needs will be written and provided to BPA for posting on their website.
Proposal contact person or principal investigator

Contacts

Contact	Organization	Email
Form submitter
Timothy Bailey	Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife	Timothy.D.Bailey@state.or.us
All assigned contacts
Timothy Bailey	Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife	Timothy.D.Bailey@state.or.us
Janet Greenup	Morrow County SWCD	Janet.Greenup1@or.nacdnet.net

Section 2. Locations

Province / subbasin: Columbia Plateau / Umatilla

Latitude	Longitude	Waterbody	Description
		Willow Creek

Section 3. Focal species

primary: Steelhead Middle Columbia River ESU
secondary: Interior Redband Trout

Section 4. Past accomplishments

Year	Accomplishments

Section 5. Relationships to other projects

Funding source	Related ID	Related title	Relationship
BPA	200202600	Morrow County Riparian Buffers	The project both address fish recovery issues in the Willow Creek watershed.

Section 6. Biological objectives

Biological objectives	Full description	Associated subbasin plan	Strategy
Inventory and Assess upstream fish passage	Complete inventory, assessment and action plan to address upstream passage in the Willow Creek watershed to restore summer steelhead	Umatilla	13. Increase passage efficiency of in-stream obstructions including culverts, bridges, diversion structures and unscreened diversions
Inventory and Assess water diversion screening	Inventory, assess and develope action plan to address unscreened diversions in the Willow Creek watershed to restore summer steelhead.	Umatilla	13. Increase passage efficiency of in-stream obsructions including culverts, bridges, diverson structures and unscreened diversions.

Section 7. Work elements (coming back to this)

Work element name	Work element title	Description	Start date	End date	Est budget
Coordination	A3.1: Coordinate with private landowners to conduct inventory/assessment of fish passage barriers.	Contact private landowners to gain access to conduct on-the-ground surveys of streams to inventory passage barriers.	4/15/2007	7/31/2009	$4,625
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess upstream fish passage			Metrics
Coordination	A3.2: Coordinate with local agencies to conduct inventory/assessment of fish passage barriers.	Closely coordinate with OWRD, ODF, USFS, ODOT, Morrow County Public Works Department and municipalities to collect all existing information and knowledge regarding known fish passage barriers.	1/1/2007	12/30/2007	$2,775
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess upstream fish passage			Metrics
Coordination	B3.1: Coordinate with private landowners to conduct inventory of unscreened or inadequate (not meeting criteria) water diversions.	Contact private landowners to gain access to conduct on-the-ground surveys of streams to inventory/assess unscreened or inadequately screened diversions.	4/15/2007	7/31/2009	$4,625
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess water diversion screening			Metrics
Coordination	B3.2: Coordinate with ODFW and OWRD	Closely coordinate with ODFW and OWRD to insure that methods are appropriate and that all local knowledge is used in the identification of unscreened diversions.	1/1/2007	9/30/2009	$925
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess water diversion screening			Metrics
Manage and Administer Projects	.1: The Morrow SWCD to manage and administer project.	The Morrow County SWCD will be the sole contractor and will be responsible for all administrative actions/requirements associated with the project.	1/1/2007	9/30/2009	$10,645
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess upstream fish passage			Metrics
Manage and Administer Projects	B6.1: The Morrow SWCD to manage and administer project.	The Morrow County SWCD will be the sole contractor and will be responsible for all administrative actions/requirements associated with the project.	1/1/2007	9/30/2009	$10,645
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess water diversion screening			Metrics
Outreach and Education	A1.1: Educate the public regarding regional fish recovery efforts and how these relate to the Willow Creek watershed and the need for fish passage assessment.	Description: Anadromous fishery restoration is a new topic specific to residents of the Willow Creek watershed. Because anadromous salmonid fish have been extinct in Willow Creek for many decades, residents are very sensitive to the issue of restoring an ESA listed fish to the watershed, bringing with it increased environmental regulation. Access to privately owned lands and free exchange of information with private landowners regarding water diversions and fish passage barriers is key to the success of the proposed project. To facilitate good cooperation with landowners, it was first determined that the Morrow County SWCD was the most appropriate entity to implement the proposed project as this entity is made up of landowners and has good working relationships with landowners throughout the watershed. Secondly, it will be important to educate landowners regarding fish recovery efforts and how these relate to Willow Creek. And finally, landowners will be educated on the intent and scope of the proposed project and how it will be carried out. This education will be carried out through two specific actions: 1) 2-3 public information meetings will be held and 2) Presentations regarding fish recovery and the proposed project will be made at regular meetings of landowner-based Organizations including the Oregon Wheat Growers League, Oregon Cattleman’s Association, Senate Bill 1010 Action Committee, Grange and other pertinent groups. Outreach and education efforts will be the projects primary focus in the first year of the project.	1/1/2007	12/30/2007	$3,900
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess upstream fish passage			Metrics
Outreach and Education	B1.1: Educate the public regarding regional fish recovery efforts and how these relate to the Willow Creek watershed and the need for fish passage assessment.	Anadromous fishery restoration is a new topic specific to residents of the Willow Creek watershed. Because anadromous salmonid fish have been extinct in Willow Creek for many decades, residents are very sensitive to the issue of restoring an ESA listed fish to the watershed, bringing with it increased environmental regulation.	1/1/2007	12/30/2007	$3,900
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess water diversion screening			Metrics
Produce Inventory or Assessment	A2.1: Inventory barriers/impediments to upstream fish passage within the described target area.	Description: Use various methods including foot surveys, aerial videography, review of pertinent public records (such as water rights) and interviews of key individuals to identify the location of all man-caused barriers to upstream fish migration in the target area. Initial efforts will be focused on gathering information regarding the location of fish passage barriers from entities including Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD), Oregon Department of Forestry ODF, United States Forest Service (USFS), Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), Morrow County Public Works Department and municipalities. The location of the sites identified from data provided by the above will be verified during site visits to conduct the assessment described below. Once all known data sources are compiled pertinent to identifying locations of passage barriers, gaps in the coverage of the information will be determined. Locations of barriers in the “gap” area will be determined by interviews with landowners and other key individuals, by field surveys, and as a last resort aerial videography. In order to accomplish both the inventory and assessment every effort will be made to do a foot survey of all streams within the target area. It is anticipated that even in areas where there is good information coverage regarding barriers, that complete knowledge of all barriers does not currently exist. Finally, after education and outreach and landowner coordination it may be necessary to survey some area using aircraft. In this case, fixed wing aircraft will fly the target stream segments in early spring when leaves on vegetation is minimal and photographs are or video will be taken to at least identify sites where instream structures exist that may be barriers and/or impediments to upstream fish passage. The location of each barrier will be identified on a map of the Willow Creek watershed.	1/1/2007	7/31/2009	$9,151
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess upstream fish passage			Metrics
Produce Inventory or Assessment	A2.2: Assess inventoried barriers/impediments to upstream fish passage within the described target area.	Description: Visit each identified barrier, and develop a physical description of the structure, including photographs, in order to characterize the current passability of the structure by anadromous and resident fish and potential approaches for remediation. As discussed above, an attempt will be made to foot survey all streams within the target area and/or we will attempt to gain access to all known passage barriers so that information regarding the barrier can be collected. The following information would be collected for each barrier: GPS location, digital photograph, landowner, description of the structure (diversion dam, bridge, culvert, etc.) access/directions to the site, general physical description of surroundings, drop height over the structure, depth of pool below structure, channel width, channel slope above and below, channel substrate above and below, diameter (culverts), length (culverts), slope (culverts). Each site will be given a specific identification number. Data collected will be entered into a computer database so that is easily accessible.	6/15/2007	7/31/2009	$9,150
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess upstream fish passage			Metrics
Produce Inventory or Assessment	A2.3: Develop conceptual alternatives and rate costs.	Description: For each individual barrier, describe in broad categories (roughened channel, Standard fishway, replace culvert, modify culvert etc.) the alternatives to improve passage meeting ODFW and NOAA Fisheries passage criteria. Develop a generalized cost rating scale and rate the expected cost to remediate passage. At the time that the site is surveyed, the surveyor will prescribe a general treatment type to remedy the barrier (structure removal, roughened channel, boulder weirs, channel spanning fishway, standard fishway, culvert replacement, culvert modification. A costing scale will be developed based on the type of proposed action, drop height and stream size so that a rough cost can be determined. This information will be included in the assessment database.	6/15/2007	7/31/2009	$1,850
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess upstream fish passage			Metrics
Produce Inventory or Assessment	B2.1: Inventory unscreened water diversions within the target area.	Review pertinent public records (water rights) and interviews of key individuals to identify the location of all surface water diversions in the target area. In areas where water rights information is unclear, coordinate with private landowners and gain access to conduct foot surveys. A map of the Willow Creek watershed will be created showing the location of each surface water diversion.	1/1/2007	7/31/2009	$9,150
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess water diversion screening			Metrics
Produce Inventory or Assessment	B2.2: Assess unscreened water diversions in the target area.	Visit each identified water diversion, and determine whether it is unscreened, screened but not meeting criteria or appropriately screened. An attempt will be made to visit all known surface water points of diversion where fish are known to be present within the target area. For those diversions that are unscreened or inadequately screened, develop a physical description of the diversion including GPS location, type of structure (gravity flow or pump), diversion rate, ditch dimensions and general narrative description of the site, including digital photographs, in order to characterize the current structure and potential approaches for remediation. Each site will be given a specific identification number. Data collected will be entered into a computer database so that is easily accessible.	6/15/2007	7/31/2009	$9,150
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess water diversion screening			Metrics
Produce Inventory or Assessment	B2.3: Develop conceptual alternatives and rate costs.	For each individual diversion that is unscreened or inadequately screened, generally describe the alternatives to provide/improve screening to meet ODFW and NOAA Fisheries passage criteria. Develop a generalized cost rating scale based on type of diversion and rate of diversion and rate the expected cost to remediate the problem. Develop an estimate of cost to address screening at each unscreened/inadequately screened diversion. This information will be included in the database.	6/15/2007	7/31/2009	$1,850
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess water diversion screening			Metrics
Produce Plan	A4.1: Prioritize sites for upstream passage remediation actions	Rate each site in terms of priority for remediation in respect to position in the watershed, the quality of habitat to be accessed, logistical constraints, landowner cooperation and cost. Include this rating in the assessment database.	1/1/2009	9/30/2009	$925
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess upstream fish passage			Metrics
Produce Plan	A4.2: Develop an Action Plan for addressing passage barriers in the target area.	: Based on the ratings accomplished under WE A3.1, develop a plan of action that describes a prioritized, chronological approach to addressing passage barriers to fish, accomplishing the highest priority needs first. The plan should take into account anticipated landowner cooperation, construction cost and logistics. Develop a time table for carrying out remediation actions including development of landowner agreements, acquisition of funding, project designs, environmental clearances, contracting implementation and monitoring.	1/1/2009	9/30/2009	$3,700
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess upstream fish passage			Metrics
Produce Plan	B4.1: Prioritize sites for unscreened diversion remediation actions	Rate each site in terms of priority for remediation in respect to position in the watershed, the quality of habitat to be accessed, logistical constraints, landowner cooperation and cost. This information is to be included in the aforementioned database.	1/1/2009	9/30/2009	$925
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess water diversion screening			Metrics
Produce Plan	B4.2: Develop an Action Plan for addressing screening needs in the target area.	Based on the ratings accomplished under WE A4.1, develop a plan of action that describes a prioritized, chronological approach to addressing diversion screening needs, accomplishing the highest priority needs first. The plan should take into account anticipated landowner cooperation, construction cost and logistics. Develop a time table for carrying out remediation actions including development of landowner agreements, acquisition of funding, project designs, environmental clearances, contracting, implementation and monitoring.	1/1/2009	9/30/2009	$3,700
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess water diversion screening			Metrics
Provide Technical Review	A5.1: ODFW provide technical review	ODFW will provide technical review of both the inventory, assessment and action plan to insure that information is accurate and complete.	1/1/2007	9/30/2009	$0
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess upstream fish passage			Metrics
Provide Technical Review	B5.1: ODFW provide technical review	ODFW will provide technical review of both the inventory, assessment and action plan.	1/1/2007	9/30/2009	$0
Biological objectives Inventory and Assess water diversion screening			Metrics

Section 8. Budgets

Itemized estimated budget

Item	Note	FY07	FY08	FY09
Personnel	.33 FTE NRS, .083 FTE Manager, .167 FTE Seasonal	$17,872	$18,307	$18,753
Fringe Benefits	27%	$4,825	$4,943	$5,063
Supplies	[blank]	$1,450	$400	$400
Travel	Vehicle & Mileage	$2,084	$2,084	$2,084
Overhead	10%	$2,623	$2,573	$3,130
Other	Sucontracts	$0	$0	$5,000
Totals		$28,854	$28,307	$34,430

Total estimated FY 2007-2009 budgets

Total itemized budget:	$91,591
Total work element budget:	$91,591

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
Totals		$0	$0	$0

Section 9. Project future

FY 2010 estimated budget: $0
FY 2011 estimated budget: $0

Comments: [Outyear comment field left blank]

Future O&M costs:

Termination date: 9/30/09
Comments: The project is planned to be completed at the end of FY 2009.

Final deliverables: 1. Inventory of passage and screening needs 2. Assessment of passage and screening needs 3. Action plan for addressing passage and screening needs

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: Fundable (Qualified)

NPCC comments: The project proposal identifies an information need in the Willow Creek watershed -- fish screen needs/opportunities and passage opportunities for recovering steelhead and extant redband trout. This project would provide a finer scale assessment than accomplished in the subbasin plan. There are a number of primary relationships of this proposal with other work including the Morrow and Umatilla County riparian buffer projects. Future phases of this program (i.e., implementation) should complement those landowner habitat improvements very well for redband trout and perhaps, future recovery or reintroduction of summer steelhead into the watershed. At present little interest exists within the watershed for recovering or restoring extinct steelhead. All of the land cover in the watershed is in private ownership (except for a small percentage under USDA Forest Service management). Therefore, a thorough assessment of the screening and passage opportunities is important. The objectives are straightforward and focus on two primary elements. The first is outreach to watershed owners and stakeholder regarding the issues, merits, and difficulties with steelhead recovery (and related aquatic issues). Second is the amassing of information regarding extent and locations of passage impediments and screening opportunities. Implementation is projected during the next funding cycle. This modest and inexpensive program (in collaboration with ODFW) is the first phase (assessment and inventory) for future habitat improvement. A possible next phase (implementation) will depend on outcome (full identification of passage and screening opportunities). The work elements are appropriate for the staff effort and funding level. Some expansion on future work elements (beyond FY2009) would be appropriate as a first cut scoping exercise beyond this information gathering phase. The ISRP recommends that the sponsors address the following concerns to strengthen the proposal: 1) Project personnel need to provide evidence that experienced assistance will be available to them and provide evidence that the potential for introduction of exotics is not significant. 2) The proposal would benefit by including whatever data (and summary) regarding past steelhead and red-band or other species existed in the basin as well as whatever data regarding blocked passage in the basin. 3) A clearer connection of Willow Creek issues within a Subbasin Plan. 4) The project will necessitate input by biologists familiar with what does and what doesn't form a block to passage to migrating fish. Coordination between county and (and perhaps training by) ODFW is critical. 5) The proposal is not clear about the location where data will be stored. Production of maps and the inventory, if printed and made widely available, should suffice. 6) Potential exists to open a migration path to undesirable exotics. The proposal should address that potential.

ISRP FINAL REVIEW (Aug 31, 2006)

Recommendation: Fundable (Qualified)