FY 2002 Columbia Plateau proposal 199206200

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal titleYakama Nation - Riparian/Wetlands Restoration
Proposal ID199206200
OrganizationYakama Nation (YN)
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
NameTracy Hames
Mailing addressP. O. Box 151 Toppenish, WA 98948
Phone / email5098656262 / tracyhames@yakama.com
Manager authorizing this projectHarry Smiskin
Review cycleColumbia Plateau
Province / SubbasinColumbia Plateau / Yakima
Short descriptionContinue implementation of YN Wetlands/Riparian Restoration Project by protecting and restoring native floodplain habitats along anadromous fish-bearing waterways in the agricultural area of the Yakama Reservation (~2,500 acres/year).
Target speciesAll wetland and riparian-dependent wildlife and fish species in the lower Yakima Subbasin. These include waterfowl, colonial wading birds, neotropical migrant songbirds, furbearers, herpetiles, steelhead, coho and chinook salmon.
Project location
LatitudeLongitudeDescription
46.5 -120.5 The floodplain areas of the anadromous fish-bearing rivers and streams in the agricultural portion of the Yakama Reservation.
Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)

Sponsor-reported:

RPA

Relevant RPAs based on NMFS/BPA review:

Reviewing agencyAction #BiOp AgencyDescription
NMFS Action 153 NMFS BPA shall, working with agricultural incentive programs such as the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, negotiate and fund long-term protection for 100 miles of riparian buffers per year in accordance with criteria BPA and NMFS will develop by June 1, 2001.

Section 2. Past accomplishments

YearAccomplishment
1991 Completed initial project plan including Habitat Evaluations Procedures (HEP) estimates for the project area.
1992 Obtained predesign funding for implementation plan.
1993 Developed implementation plan and identified 15 priority areas for inclusion into the project (total 27,000 acres).
1993 Project programmatic NEPA work completed, FONSI signed.
1994 Acquired Priority Area Number 1 (430 acres).
1995 Acquired Priority Area Number 2 (3,800 acres).
1995 Restored wetlands on Priority Area 1 (200 acres).
1996 Acquired Priority Area 3 (660 acres).
1996 Began restoration activities on Areas 2 and 3, began native grass restoration on Area 1.
1997 Began land securing process for all or portions of Priority Areas 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, and 15.
1997 Finished native habitat restoration of Areas 1 and 3, continued restoration of Area 2.
1998 Acquired portions of Areas 5, 10, 11, 12, and 15 (total 3,415 acres).
1998 Completed wetlands restoration on Area 2 (2,000 acres).
1999 Acquired Area 4 (2,500 acres).
1999 Restored Areas 5, 10, 11, 12, and 15.
2000 Acquired portions of Area 6 and other properties (3,200 acres).
2001 Completed acquisition of Priority Area 6 and other properties (3,000 acres)
2001 Completed wetland restoration on Areas 2, 10, and 11 (1,200 acres).

Section 3. Relationships to other projects

Project IDTitleDescription
9603501 Satus Watershed Restoration Directly compliments this project by protecting and restoring Satus Creek habitats in the lower portion of the watershed.
9803300 Restore Upper Toppenish Creek Watershed Directly compliments this project by protecting and restoring Toppenish Creek habitats in the lower portion of the watershed.
9705300 Toppenish-Simcoe Instream Flow Restoration and Assessment Directly compliments this project by protecting and restoring habitats in the lower portion of this project's area.
9901300 Ahtanum Creek Watershed Assessment Directly compliments this project by protecting and restoring habitats adjacent to this project's area.

Section 4. Budget for Planning and Design phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
1. Acquire Priority Area properties for restoration and long-term management (2,000-3,000 acres per year). a. Plan annual activities to determine the properties selected for acquisition. 30 $15,690
b. Conduct pre-acquisition activities (ownership research, appraisals, etc.). 30 $31,380
2. Protect, restore and/or enhance secured lands to realize an increase in wildlife habitat values. a. Develop site-specific restoration plans for secured properties according to procedures outlined in project implementation plan. 40 $15,690
b. Adjust restoration plans according to results achieved in monitoring activities. 40 $5,230
3. Adaptively manage properties to ensure permanent wildlife habitat value. a. Develop site-specific operations and management plans. 60 $15,690
b. Adjust site-specific management plans according to results achieved in monitoring activities. 60 $5,230
4. Monitor wildlife habitat conditions to ensure the desired mitigation level is reached and maintained. a. Develop monitoring and evaluation plans; both site-specific and at landscape scale. 60 $10,460
b. Adjust monitoring plans according to information gathered each year. 60 $5,230
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
1. Acquire Priority Area properties for restoration and long-term management (2,000-3,000 acres per year). 2003 2006 $220,500
2. Protect, restore and/or enhance secured lands to realize an increase in wildlife habitat values. 2003 2006 $98,000
3. Adaptively manage properties to ensure permanent wildlife habitat value. 2003 2006 $98,000
4. Monitor wildlife habitat conditions to ensure the desired mitigation level is reached and maintained. 2003 2006 $73,500
Outyear budgets for Planning and Design phase
FY 2003FY 2004FY 2005FY 2006
$115,000$120,000$125,000$130,000

Section 5. Budget for Construction and Implementation phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
1. Acquire Priority Area properties for restoration and long-term management (2,000-3,000 acres per year). a. Secure land in perpetuity with appropriate procedure outlined in project implementation plan (purchase, easement or lease). 30 $1,009,427
2. Protect, restore and/or enhance secured lands to realize an increase in wildlife habitat values. a. Implement restoration activities identified in site-specific restoration plan. 40 $341,425
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
1. Acquire Priority Area properties for restoration and long-term management (2,000-3,000 acres per year). 2003 2006 $3,570,000
2. Protect, restore and/or enhance secured lands to realize an increase in wildlife habitat values. 2003 2006 $1,190,000
Outyear budgets for Construction and Implementation phase
FY 2003FY 2004FY 2005FY 2006
$1,250,000$1,210,000$1,170,000$1,130,000

Section 6. Budget for Operations and Maintenance phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
1. Adaptively manage properties to ensure permanent wildlife habitat value. a. Manage habitats according to site-specific plans. 60 $190,684
b. Adjust management activities according to results achieved in monitoring activities. 60 $47,671
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
1. Adaptively manage properties to ensure permanent wildlife habitat value. 2003 2006 $1,460,000
Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase
FY 2003FY 2004FY 2005FY 2006
$320,000$350,000$380,000$410,000

Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
1. Monitor wildlife habitat conditions to ensure the desired mitigation level is reached and maintained. a. Perform baseline and periodic HEP analysis to measure habitat responses to management activities and to monitor mitigation levels achieved. 60 $5,619
b. Develop and perform habitat response monitoring according to restoration goals set out in the site-specific management plans. 60 $16,858
c. Perform wildlife surveys on selected populations to ensure that habitat responses are resulting in wildlife responses. 60 $16,858
d. Perform landscape-scale habitat and population surveys according to plans developed. 60 $16,858
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
1. Monitor wildlife habitat conditions to ensure the desired mitigation level is reached and maintained. 2003 2006 $290,000
Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase
FY 2003FY 2004FY 2005FY 2006
$65,000$70,000$75,000$80,000

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget
ItemNoteFY 2002 cost
Personnel FTE: 10.1 $311,000
Fringe @ .25 of Personnel $77,750
Supplies $118,450
Travel $6,000
Indirect @ .235 of all previous lines $120,600
Capital Nearly all is spent on land acquisition, with some minor amounts spent on farm equipment $1,016,200
NEPA NEPA work completed $0
PIT tags $0
Subcontractor For large restoration projects, usually used as cost-share for grants from other sources $100,000
Other $0
$1,750,000
Total estimated budget
Total FY 2002 cost$1,750,000
Amount anticipated from previously committed BPA funds$0
Total FY 2002 budget request$1,750,000
FY 2002 forecast from 2001$1,750,000
% change from forecast0.0%
Cost sharing
OrganizationItem or service providedAmountCash or in-kind
Salmon Corps Personnel for restoration activities. $200,000 in-kind
Pheasants Forever Native grass seed. $30,000 cash
Bureau of Indian Affairs Planning assistance, heavy equipment use. $20,000 in-kind
Bureau of Reclamation Funds for wetland restoration. $35,000 cash
Natural Resources Conservation Service Funds for wetland and riparian restoration. $50,000 cash
Yakama Nation Funds for O&M. $80,000 cash
U. S. Army Barbed wire. $10,000 in-kind

Reviews and recommendations

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

Recommendation:
Fundable - no response required
Date:
Jun 15, 2001

Comment:

Fundable. Most of this ($1.25 mil) is to acquire land at ca. 2-3,000 acres annually, with a goal of 27,000 acres. O & M and M & E are included, and the project offers good cost share from a variety of sources.

From the tour, the review panel was impressed with the results. Excellent success with reestablishing bluebunch wheat grass in what seems to be an innovative, highly effective and popular program. The tour made it clear why it is important to have the ability to manage large tracts of land because that enables effective water management (floodwater delivery). This looks like a strong program.


Recommendation:
High Priority
Date:
Aug 3, 2001

Comment:

* Identified by the CBFWA as a proposal that could potentially be implemented as High Priority projects pending crediting resolution with BPA and NWPPC. The CBFWA will formally request a policy level meeting to resolve this issue.
Recommendation:
Defer
Date:
Aug 3, 2001

Comment:

* Identified by the CBFWA as a proposal that could potentially be implemented as High Priority projects pending crediting resolution with BPA and NWPPC. The CBFWA will formally request a policy level meeting to resolve this issue.
Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Aug 10, 2001

Comment:

Fundable. Most of this ($1.25 mil) is to acquire land at ca. 2-3,000 acres annually, with a goal of 27,000 acres. O & M and M & E are included, and the project offers good cost share from a variety of sources.

From the tour, the review panel was impressed with the results. Excellent success with reestablishing bluebunch wheat grass in what seems to be an innovative, highly effective and popular program. The tour made it clear why it is important to have the ability to manage large tracts of land because that enables effective water management (floodwater delivery). This looks like a strong program.


Recommendation:
Date:
Oct 1, 2001

Comment:

Statement of Potential Biological Benefit to ESU
Project goal is to protect, restore, and manage 27,000 acres of floodplain along anadromous fish bearing streams in the agricultural portion of the Yakama Nation Reservation (Yakima River, Satus and Toppenish Creeks).

Comments
Project is to acquire land @ 2-3,000 acres annually with a goal of 27,000 acres. O&M and M&E are included, & the project offers good cost share from a variety of sources. Strong program -- ability to manage large tracts of land enables effective water management (floodwater delivery).

Already ESA Req? no

Biop? yes


Recommendation:
Rank A
Date:
Oct 16, 2001

Comment:

Perhaps 10 FTE are excessive and more of the funds could go into on-the-ground work. Good leveraging. BPA is working with the Yakama Nation to re-organize the implementation of this wildlife/habitat project that seeks to protect high value habitat located on the Yakama Reservation. This project features land maintenance activities and cultural/archaeological resource documentation once lands are secured.
Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Jan 3, 2002

Comment:

Habitat acquisition proposals.

There are many proposals (both new and ongoing) that focus on habitat acquisition in the Yakima subbasin (25002, 25020, 25024, 25025, 25032, 25078, 199206200, 199603501, and 199705100). Some of these proposals focus on acquisitions of habitat primarily as a strategy to benefit listed anadromous fish, others appear to focus on habitat for wildlife, and others appear to address both. Given the limits available under the target budget for Fiscal Year 2002, each of these projects cannot be fully funded. In order to prioritize among these proposals, the Council may wish to consider the following. First, as stated throughout this memorandum, those proposals that received consensus support by local resource managers that are consistent with the BiOp or are consistent with its off-site mitigation strategy are favored. This would prioritize those acquisition proposals that are exclusively or primarily designed to benefit anadromous fish. Further, the Council should consider its program language that puts a priority on mitigating for wildlife habitat losses in areas of the basin where mitigation efforts have lagged. This program principle was one of the driving considerations for the Council's support for extensive habitat acquisition funding in the Mountain Columbia and Inter-Mountain provinces completed earlier. The Yakima subbasin has received substantial mitigation funding for construction/inundation losses to wildlife habitat in the past, and is not, relatively speaking, an area where wildlife mitigation efforts are lagging behind.

Projects 25024, 25025, 25078, 199603501, 199206200 and 199705100 all have a substantial focus on protecting habitat for listed anadromous fish in the Yakima subbasin. In addition, the first five of those projects were identified in the local collaborative process as priority projects. (See Yakima Issues 1 and 2 above). On the other hand, project 25020, 25002, and 25032, while apparently meritorious projects based on the ISRP and CBFWA reviews, have a substantial wildlife habitat component.

Staff recommendation: In light of the above considerations -- emphasis on anadromous fish, local priorities, the Yakima subbasins relatively advanced level of wildlife mitigation for construction losses -- the staff recommendation is to support funding for the proposals that focus on anadromous fish benefits -- 25002, 25024, 25025, 25078, 199603501, and 199705100. The amounts of funding for each of those proposals have been discussed identified in the issues discussed previously.

Budget effect on base program (Projects 25002, 25020, 25024, 25025, 25032, 25078, 199206200, 199603501, and 199705100):

ProjectNo FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004
25078 Increase of $875,000 Increase of $875,000 0

Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Mar 6, 2002

Comment:

McNary Dam has been significantly mitigated for wildlife; however, this project also has anadromous fish benefits. BPA intends to fund ongoing O&M and M&E but recommends deferring additional land acquisition until development of a Yakima Subbasin Plan.
Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Sep 20, 2003

Comment:

Easement project, now proceeding. Delayed implementation.
Recommendation:
Date:
Sep 20, 2003

Comment:

No comment submitted.
REVIEW:
NW Power and Conservation Council's FY 2006 Project Funding Review
Funding category:
expense
Date:
May 2005
FY05 NPCC start of year:FY06 NPCC staff preliminary:FY06 NPCC July draft start of year:
$1,514,545 $1,514,545 $1,514,545

Sponsor comments: See comment at Council's website