Umatilla River Basin Anadromous Fish Habitat Enhancement Project : 1995 Annual Report.

Abstract

During the 1995-96 project period, four new habitat enhancement projects were implemented under the Umatilla River Basin Anadromous Fish Habitat Enhancement Project by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CIUIR) in the upper Umatilla River Basin. A total of 38,644 feet of high tensile smooth wire fencing was constructed along 3.6 miles of riparian corridor in the Meacham Creek Wildhorse Creek, Greasewood Creek, West Fork of Greasewood Creek and Mission Creek watersheds. Additional enhancements on Wildhorse Creek and the lower Greasewood Creek System included: 1) installation of 0.43 miles of smooth wire between river mile (RM) 10.25 and RM 10.5 Wildhorse Creek (fence posts and structures had been previously placed on this property during the 1994-95 project period), 2) construction of 46 sediment retention structures in stream channels and maintenance to 18 existing sediment retention structures between RM 9.5 and RM 10.25 Wildhorse Creek, and 3) revegetation of stream corridor areas and adjacent terraces with 500 pounds of native grass seed or close species equivalents and 5.000 native riparian shrub/tree species to assist in floodplain recovery, stream channel stability and filtering of sediments during high flow periods. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funds were cost shared with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) funds, provided under this project, to accomplish habitat enhancements. Water quality monitoring continued and was expanded for temperature and turbidity throughout the upper Umatilla River Watershed. Survey of stream channel cross sections and photo documentation of riparian recovery within the project areas provided additional baseline data. Physical habitat surveys were conducted on the lower 13 river miles of Wildhorse Creek and within the Greasewood Creek Project Area to characterize habitat quality and to quantify various habitat types by area. Survey efforts were coordinated with the CTUIR Umatilla Basin Natural Production Monitoring and Evaluation (UBNPME) Project. Poor land use practices which have altered natural floodplain dynamics and significantly reduced or eliminated fisheries habitat, continued to be identified in the Mission Creek Subbasin. Compiled data is currently being incorporated into a data layer for a Geographic Information System (GIS) data base. This effort is being coordinated with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Community outreach efforts and public education opportunities continued during the reporting period.