| Grande Ronde |
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| Wallowa County |
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Rock Creek Sediment Reduction and Road Rehabilitation
Sediment Reduction Project (2000)
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Salmon License Plate Funds $7,565
Total Project Cost $11,950
Rock Creek, a seasonal tributary of the Wallowa River, contains important spawning and rearing habitat for ESA-listed spring chinook and steelhead populations. For years, this habitat was threatened by road-related impacts, including fish passage barriers and high sedimentation. With the help of salmon license plate funds from OWEB, the Wallowa Soil and Water Conservation District was able to restore the habitat by removing two undersized culverts, eliminating a mile of draw bottom road, and providing proper drainage for over two miles of roadway. Today the chinook and steelhead of the Wallowa River watershed enjoy improved water quality and greater access to spawning and rearing habitat, thanks to salmon license plate funds.
For more information contact Cynthia Warnock, Wallowa Soil and Water Conservation District (541.426.4588)
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Road rocked and shaped to decrease run-off
Fish-friendly culvert installed on rocked road
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Joseph Creek Steelhead Restoration
Watershed Restoration Project (2005)
Salmon License Plate Funds $42,450
Total Project Cost $225,000
During an extensive assessment of the Upper Joseph Creek watershed, several road crossings were identified as fish passage barriers. Using salmon license plate funds from OWEB, Wallowa Resources partnered with several private entities and government agencies to complete three high priority culvert removals, replacing the culverts with open bottom structures to allow year round access to quality habitat for juvenile steelhead. As the first on-the-ground restoration work generated by the assessment, the replacements, when complete, will provide access to over 11 miles of previously blocked habitat for steelhead and mark the beginning of seven to ten years of collaborative restoration work planned for the Upper Joseph Creek watershed.
For more information contact Erin Melville, Wallowa Resources (541.426.8053) |
Undersized culvert with outlet drop and step pools
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| Union County |
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Upper Ladd Creek Fish Passage Restoration
Watershed Restoration Project (2005)
Salmon License Plate Funds $9,302
Total Project Cost $18,500
The Oregon Department of Forestry restored over two miles of Smutz Draw, a major tributary of Upper Ladd Creek, eliminating the road along the draw bottom, removing culverts, and placing in-stream logs. To complement this effort, the Union Soil and Water Conservation District partnered with the USDA Forest Service to replace one of the remaining fish passage barriers and replant native riparian vegetation to reduce erosion. Through the help of salmon license plate funds from OWEB, the replacement, when completed, will have removed a significant sediment source and opened over one mile of quality habitat for juvenile steelhead and resident redband trout.
For more information contact Paul Boehne, USDA Forest Service (541.962.8521) |
Fish passage barrier during winter flow
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Bear Creek Restoration
Watershed Restoration Project (2005)
Salmon License Plate Funds $5,503
Total Project Cost $103,100
Draw bottom roads in the Grande Ronde Basin are chronic sources of harmful sediment and road runoff, decreasing water quality and threatening native fish populations. Bear Creek in the Upper Grande Ronde watershed also suffers from sparse bank vegetation, further adding to excessive sedimentation. With the help of salmon license plate funds from OWEB, the Union Soil and Water Conservation District, in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service, will eliminate a mile of draw bottom road in Bear Creek, create a more fish-friendly ridge top road, and plant nearly seven riparian acres with Douglas fir, Englemann spruce, larch, tufted hairgrass, mountainbrome, and blue wildrye.
For more information contact Paul Boehne, USDA Forest Service (541.962.8521) |
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