Nez Perce TribeNez Perce Tribe

Protecting and Restoring Protecting and Restoring Watersheds in Southeast Watersheds in Southeast

WashingtonWashington

Watershed Division InvolvementWatershed Division Involvement

The Nez Perce Tribe is The Nez Perce Tribe is Actively Actively InvolvedInvolved in: in:

Protect & Restore the Asotin Creek Protect & Restore the Asotin Creek Watershed: road decommissioning and Watershed: road decommissioning and stream restoration (#00011067)stream restoration (#00011067)

Snake River Salmon Recovery BoardSnake River Salmon Recovery Board

Watershed PlanningWatershed Planning

Subbasin PlanningSubbasin Planning

•Lick Creek 2003

•Charley Creek 2004

Umatilla National Forest

Southeast WashingtonProtect & Restore The Asotin Creek

Watershed

Project Areas

Asotin Creek WatershedAsotin Creek Watershed

Asotin Creek is a fourth order tributary to the Snake River Asotin Creek is a fourth order tributary to the Snake River which drains approximately 325 square miles of Asotin and which drains approximately 325 square miles of Asotin and Garfield Counties in the southeast corner of Washington.Garfield Counties in the southeast corner of Washington.

Asotin Creek originates in the Blue Mountains and drains an Asotin Creek originates in the Blue Mountains and drains an area of 208,000 acres.area of 208,000 acres.

Major tributaries to Asotin Creek include Lick Creek as well Major tributaries to Asotin Creek include Lick Creek as well as Charley Creek.as Charley Creek.

Asotin Creek is home to bull trout, summer steelhead and Asotin Creek is home to bull trout, summer steelhead and spring chinook. Charley Creek, an upper tributary, has spring chinook. Charley Creek, an upper tributary, has some of the highest densities of juvenile steelhead in some of the highest densities of juvenile steelhead in southeastern Washington according to local WDFW fisheries southeastern Washington according to local WDFW fisheries surveyssurveys

Project Area

Umatilla National Forest

CooperationCooperation

A A cooperativecooperative project with the Umatilla National Forest (UNF), project with the Umatilla National Forest (UNF), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDF&W), Asotin Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDF&W), Asotin County Conservation District (ACCD) and private landownersCounty Conservation District (ACCD) and private landowners

50/50 50/50 cost sharecost share with the Umatilla National Forest with the Umatilla National Forest

PermissionPermission to work on state land by WDF & W to work on state land by WDF & W

ExpansionExpansion of Nez Perce Tribe’s watershed improvement programs of Nez Perce Tribe’s watershed improvement programs that evolved in the Clearwater and Nez Perce National Forests that evolved in the Clearwater and Nez Perce National Forests

Nez Perce Tribe’s Nez Perce Tribe’s firstfirst watershed improvement cooperative project watershed improvement cooperative project in southeast Washingtonin southeast Washington

BackgroundBackground

PROBLEMPROBLEM: High stream : High stream temperaturestemperatures, , sedimentsediment deposition in deposition in spawning and rearing areas and lack of suitable spawning and rearing areas and lack of suitable poolspools are factors are factors limiting salmonid production as identified by sub-basin planning.limiting salmonid production as identified by sub-basin planning.

REMEDYREMEDY: Reduce sediment entering the stream and restore : Reduce sediment entering the stream and restore proper hydrologic function to areas impacted by forest roads in proper hydrologic function to areas impacted by forest roads in both Lick and Charley Creek areas in addition to creating pools both Lick and Charley Creek areas in addition to creating pools and stabilizing stream banks in the Charley Creek area.and stabilizing stream banks in the Charley Creek area.

GOALGOAL: Reduced sediment intrusion, increased pool numbers and : Reduced sediment intrusion, increased pool numbers and stabilized stream banks, all to restore sustainable, naturally stabilized stream banks, all to restore sustainable, naturally producing salmonid populations to support tribal and non-tribal producing salmonid populations to support tribal and non-tribal harvest and cultural and economic practices while protecting the harvest and cultural and economic practices while protecting the biological integrity and genetic diversity of these species. biological integrity and genetic diversity of these species.

1.1. We survey the roads looking for problem We survey the roads looking for problem areasareas

2.2. We prescribe treatments for those areasWe prescribe treatments for those areas3.3. We prioritize the work to be performedWe prioritize the work to be performed4.4. The road is re-contoured, scarified and/or The road is re-contoured, scarified and/or

closedclosed5.5. Disturbed areas are planted with native Disturbed areas are planted with native

grass seedgrass seed6.6. We monitor and evaluate the resultsWe monitor and evaluate the results

THE PROCESSRoad

Decommissioning

Machine WorkMachine Work

Road RecontourRoad Recontour

Obliteration Obliteration

Planting Native SeedPlanting Native Seed35% Mountain Brome, 35% Blue Wildrye, 30% Idaho Fescue35% Mountain Brome, 35% Blue Wildrye, 30% Idaho Fescue

Lick Creek: 28.5 miles of road surveyed Lick Creek: 28.5 miles of road surveyed (red)(red)

THE RESULTSTHE RESULTS

Lick Creek: 21.3 miles decommissioned, 7.2 abandonedLick Creek: 21.3 miles decommissioned, 7.2 abandoned

MonitoringMonitoring

Photo point monitoring in areas Photo point monitoring in areas randomly chosen plus several in areas randomly chosen plus several in areas with unique aspects, drainage with unique aspects, drainage patterns and/or increased failure patterns and/or increased failure potentialpotential

Based on USDA Forest Service Based on USDA Forest Service Monitoring HandbookMonitoring Handbook

Joint project with UNF and Nez Perce Joint project with UNF and Nez Perce TribeTribe

First years data in progressFirst years data in progress One, two, five and ten year intervalsOne, two, five and ten year intervals

After the work is completed:

Charley Creek:

•High priority listed salmonid habitat stream •Cooperatively, we can protect and restore it

Charley Creek 2004Charley Creek 2004

19 miles of road surveyed – all 19 miles of road surveyed – all to be decommissionedto be decommissioned

5 stream banks to be repaired & 5 stream banks to be repaired & stabilizedstabilized

Minimum of 9 pools to be Minimum of 9 pools to be created with addition of LWD created with addition of LWD and rockand rock

In progressIn progress

Involvement in other planning processes............

Snake River Recovery Snake River Recovery BoardBoard

Coordinates and oversees the Coordinates and oversees the development of a salmon development of a salmon recovery plan that addressesrecovery plan that addresses::

HydropowerHydropower Hatcheries Hatcheries HabitatHabitat HarvestHarvest

Snake River Salmon

Recovery Region

The Recovery PlanThe Recovery Plan

Watershed Planning HIPWalla Walla Only

Subbasin Planning

Snake River Salmon Recovery Plan

(Combines All Elements)

Watershed Planning (WRIA) Watershed Planning (WRIA) #35#35

The Tribe is cooperating with local representatives The Tribe is cooperating with local representatives to develop and implement a watershed plan for the to develop and implement a watershed plan for the beneficial management of water resources to beneficial management of water resources to balance the present and future needs of local balance the present and future needs of local communities, agriculture and industries including communities, agriculture and industries including FISHFISH and and WILDLIFEWILDLIFE

Our Working Area

Subbasin PlanningSubbasin PlanningAsotin, Tucannon and Lower SnakeAsotin, Tucannon and Lower Snake

Will Will identifyidentify the goals for fish, wildlife and habitat, the goals for fish, wildlife and habitat, establishestablish the strategies to meet those objectives, and the strategies to meet those objectives, and definedefine the the objectives that measure progress towards the goal. The plan objectives that measure progress towards the goal. The plan will incorporate all existing information related to fish and will incorporate all existing information related to fish and wildlife activities in a subbasin into a single documentwildlife activities in a subbasin into a single document

The three main The three main partsparts of a subbasin plan are: of a subbasin plan are: Inventory:Inventory: gathers all currently available info on the gathers all currently available info on the

subbasinsubbasin Assessment:Assessment: technical analysis of the info to determine technical analysis of the info to determine

biological potential and opportunities for restorationbiological potential and opportunities for restoration Management Plan:Management Plan: the subbasin vision, biological the subbasin vision, biological

objectives, strategies, and both short and long term objectives, strategies, and both short and long term budget for implementationbudget for implementation

The Tribe was instrumental in the development of The Tribe was instrumental in the development of the draft plan for the three sub-basinsthe draft plan for the three sub-basins

THE FUTURETHE FUTURE

Additional 2 years of road decommissioning Charley CreekAdditional 2 years of road decommissioning Charley Creek Road decommissioning in South Fork Asotin & George CreekRoad decommissioning in South Fork Asotin & George Creek Road decommissioning in Tucannon watershed & all WDF&W Road decommissioning in Tucannon watershed & all WDF&W

landland Fish passage barrier surveys - public and private landsFish passage barrier surveys - public and private lands Cooperative cattle exclusion projects with UNF & WDF&WCooperative cattle exclusion projects with UNF & WDF&W Riparian enhancement, weed controlRiparian enhancement, weed control Rehabilitation of a complete watershed (Steptoe)Rehabilitation of a complete watershed (Steptoe) Cooperative projects between three conservation districts, Cooperative projects between three conservation districts,

two government agencies, two tribes and a host of private two government agencies, two tribes and a host of private individualsindividuals