FY 2001 Action Plan proposal 23084

Section 1. Administrative

Project location

Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)

Section 2. Past accomplishments

Section 3. Relationships to other projects

Section 4. Budget for Planning and Design phase

Task-based budget

Outyear objectives-based budget

Outyear budgets for Planning and Design phase

Section 5. Budget for Construction and Implementation phase

Task-based budget

Outyear objectives-based budget

Outyear budgets for Construction and Implementation phase

Section 6. Budget for Operations and Maintenance phase

Task-based budget

Outyear objectives-based budget

Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase

Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Task-based budget

Outyear objectives-based budget

Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget

Total estimated budget

Cost sharing

Reviews and recommendations

This information was not provided on the original proposals, but was generated during the review process.

Comment:

This proposal is for acquisition of Lower Desolation Creek, John Day Basin to protect anadromous streams and upland habitat. This is a very good project in that acquisition would protect the majority of the associated watershed. This acquisition would protect 17 miles of anadromous streams within the Desolation Creek watershed.

The sponsor's response in the High Priority review addresses the ISRP's concerns regarding O&M and M&E by describing a long-term O&M plan will be developed that will include extensive restoration efforts and ongoing costs funded in part by the US Forest Service. In addition, a comprehensive M&E plan would be developed. This project should have been submitted for the Columbia Plateau Province review.

Comment:

The Columbia Plateau Province review is well underway and this proposal was not submitted as part of that process. However, in the context of the proposals reviewed in the Columbia Plateau, it is fundable. The response is convincing that purchase of the land will provide long-term benefits to threatened wild spring chinook and summer steelhead. Water temperatures are expected to decrease with improved riparian conditions and volume of water may also increase. There are no diversions on the property. The only request not addressed by the proponent was the need to describe a monitoring and evaluation program. If funded, the Council should require a detailed monitoring and evaluation program that uses a consistent, but finer scale sampling plan than the John Day monitoring projects (water quality, habitat, and fish) proposed, and found fundable, in the Columbia Plateau Province.

Comment:

This proposal was submitted originally in the High Priority solicitation and was recommended by the Council in the final Action Plan recommendations for implementation in 2001. It was not submitted into the Columbia Plateau process although, in its final Action Plan review, the ISRP (ISRP 2001-1) found the project to be fundable in the Columbia Plateau, though expressed concerns regarding the lack of development of the O&M and M&E components. In addition the long-term costs were a concern and the ISRP recommended that the proposal be for acquisition and that the other components be reviewed in the upcoming provincial review. Bonneville earlier informed the Council that it would not fund land acquisition projects in the Action Plan process, recommending that they be deferred to the appropriate provincial review. The question for the Council is whether the proposal should be included in the Plateau base list even though it was proposed outside of the provincial review process.

Comments from the NWPPC Action Plan Decision Document:

This project proposed to acquire and restore the lower 11 miles of Desolation Creek and its tributaries. This would restore at least 11 miles of anadromous streams. Staff recommendation: Oregon proposes a habitat acquisition placeholder to fund one or more habitat acquisition projects from a prioritized list. Desolation Creek would rank second in priority on that list. Staff believes the Desolation Creek project represents high-quality existing habitat that demonstrates the need for funding and could present a lost opportunity if delayed until the next funding cycle. The Council must recognize the uncertainty regarding the wildlife-crediting situation. In addition, a favorable recommendation needs to address the issues raised by the ISRP (ISRP 2001-1).

Budget effect on base program: See comments on proposals 200002300 and 200020116.