| Proposal title | Salmon River Anadromous Fish Passage Enhancement |
| Proposal ID | 199306200 |
| Organization | Lemhi and Custer Soil and Water Conservation Districts (Lemhi SWCD/Custer SWCD) |
| Proposal contact person or principal investigator |
| Name | Glenn Seaberg, Project Coordinator |
| Mailing address | 206 Van Dreff Ste A Salmon, ID 83467 |
| Phone / email | 2087566322 / mws@dmi.net |
| Manager authorizing this project | |
| Review cycle | FY 2000 |
| Province / Subbasin | Mountain Snake / Salmon |
| Short description | To protect, enhance and restore anadromous and resident fish habitat and achieve and maintain a balance between resource protection and resource use on a holistic watershed management basis. |
| Target species | Snake River Spring Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Snake River Summer Steelhead trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss
Salmon River Basin Bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus
Salmon River Basin Cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus lewisi |
| Year | Accomplishment |
|---|
| 1993 |
Stabilized 200 yards of streambank on East Fork of the Salmon River. |
| 1993 |
Improved 29 irrigation diversion structures on the Lemhi River. |
| 1994 |
experimental “fish flush” conducted by irrigators to allow chinook adults passage to spawning areas on Lemhi River. |
| 1994 |
Big Flat Ditch siphon completed to reconnect Carmen Creek to the mainstem Salmon River. |
| 1995 |
Riparian enhancement fence completed on 4.5 miles of streambank on two ranches in the Pahsimeroi and three ranches on the Lemhi River. |
| 1995 |
Point of diversion transferred from the Pahsimeroi River to the Salmon River. |
| 1995 |
Two diversions eliminated on Lemhi River with a combined net savings of 1,600 acre feet of water. |
| 1995 |
Seven irrigation diversions consolidated into three irrigation diversions on Lemhi River. |
| 1996 |
Three ranches near Leadore construct fencing and implement grazing/pasture management systems along 5.75 miles of critical stream habitat along Lemhi River. |
| 1996 |
Two canals eliminated from the Salmon River through consolidation into Challis Irrigation Canal. |
| 1996 |
Constructed riparian enhancement fences on two ranches in East Fork along 1.75 miles of river. |
| 1996 |
Diversions EF-7 and EF-8 consolidated on East Fork. |
| 1997 |
Completed L-3A diversion structure and bypass system on Lemhi River. |
| 1997 |
Reset pipe on old L-5 diversion to provide off-channel rearing habitat on Lemhi River. |
| 1997 |
Constructed 0.75 miles of fence and developed a grazing system for a ranch along the Lemhi River. |
| 1997 |
Constructed 15 miles of fence on 8.5 miles of the upper Lemhi River along critical chinook spawning and rearing habitat. |
| 1997 |
Streambank stabilization and off-channel rearing site along lower Lemhi River. |
| 1997 |
Construction of 0.85 miles of fence on the lower Lemhi stream reach. |
| 1997 |
Construction of 0.75 miles of fence along Pattee Creek, tributary to Lemhi River. |
| 1997 |
Riparian pasture management fencing was constructed on three ranches along 3 miles of the Pahsimeroi River. |
| 1997 |
Phase I of a riparian management project on the East Fork installed a series of instream bank stabilization structures. |
| 1998 |
At L-8a diversion, a headgate, wasteway, and vortex weir were installed to facilitate fish passage and eliminate gravel push up dams on Lemhi River. |
| 1998 |
Riparian fence along 0.90 miles of the upper Lemhi River and Texas Creek, tributary to the Lemhi. |
| 1998 |
Riparian fence along 1.2 miles of Hayden Creek, tributary to the Lemhi River. |
| 1998 |
Riparian fence along 1.0 mile of Eighteenmile Creek a headwater tributary of the Lemhi River. |
| 1998 |
Riparian fence and grazing management system along 1.0 mile of Pahsimeroi River/Patterson Creek. |
| 1998 |
Riparian fence have been started with 3 landowners along 2.8 miles of the East Fork. |
| Project ID | Title | Description |
|---|
| 9202603 |
Model Watershed Coordination and Administration/Implementation Support |
Directly supports the Model Watershed project coordinator, office coordinator, office space, and equipment. |
| 9401700 |
Idaho Model Watershed Habitat Projects |
A co-project for the Model Watershed project area which specifically addresses anadromous fish habitat. |
| 9401500 |
Idaho Fish Screening Improvement-O&M |
A related project to reduce fish mortality in irrigation diversions. |
| 8909800 |
Idaho Supplementation Studies Information Collection |
This project is part of ISS research which is used for monitoring and evaluating anadromous and resident stocks within the Model Watershed project area. |
| 9009 |
Restore the Salmon River, in Challis, Idaho |
This projects area is outside the current MWP area, however it compliments the current habitat and passage projects in the upper Salmon River basin. |
Schedule Constraints: The current perception of the local Soil and Water Conservation Districts is that if it can be designed to have benefits for the landowner as well as the fish habitat, the landowner will participate. Due to the cooperative nature of the Model Watershed Project, project evaluation can be a complicated and lengthy process. Project scope often changes with the development of consensus, perception of needs, and state and federal permit requirements. Unavailability of technical support can slow down planning needs such as biological assessments and cultural resource clearances. This evolving process makes annual budgeting a difficult task as planners and cooperators become aware of project needs. Also, with annual variation in chinook spawn timing and fish distribution, streamside projects may need to be delayed or expedited accordingly to minimize possible negative impacts to listed species. Further delays may occur to accommodate the management needs of the landowner (i.e. irrigation diversion can’t be shut down during critical irrigation periods). Other limiting factors including weather, flooding, and availability of materials can constrain the implementation of projects.
This information was not provided on the original proposals, but was generated during the review process.
Comments:
The short description of this project is identical to that of 9401700. This proposal states what the problem is that is being dealt with but falls short on most details. Objectives and methods are mixed together, and the methods listed are described so generally that they can't be evaluated. Little biological monitoring is identified, and the methods for it are inadequately described. Alternative approaches are not described. Unwanted side effects are not discussed. The proposed budget covers materials purchase only. Personnel are not described well. Otherwise the proposal is clearly written and articulates the rationale, past history, and accomplishments, as well as describing general future activities in the 2000-2005 time frame. Past work under the project has resulted in biological benefits which, although very tersely presented, document improved summer flows (dewatering common for 1-6 weeks annually before this project), a doubling of spawning counts of resident rainbow trout in the target monitoring sections, and elimination of many migration barriers often through consolidation. While the results were very general in nature (and reviewers wished for more quantification), the presentation of results and progress toward an identified goal was noteworthy. While the model watershed program is doing important work that is gaining momentum in the community, a performance audit might result in some tightening of the program and its budget. For example, one individual (Glen Seaborg) is shown as "full time" on this project and on project 9401700 and on project 9306200.