protect and restore deer creek watershed protect and restore deer creek watershed nez perce tribe...

Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed

Protect and Restore Deer Creek Watershed

Nez Perce Tribe Fisheries/WatershedNez Perce Tribe Fisheries/Watershed

BPA Project #28044BPA Project #28044


The Proposal: Protect and Restore Deer Creek Watershed

Overall Project Goal:Overall Project Goal: Restore ecosystem functions in Deer Creek Restore ecosystem functions in Deer Creek

Watershed to increase and stabilize key speciesWatershed to increase and stabilize key species


The Proposal: Protect and Restore Deer Creek Watershed

Project Objectives:Project Objectives: Fence cattle out of 9 miles of creekFence cattle out of 9 miles of creek Complete watershed analysis to identify Complete watershed analysis to identify

fine scale, site specific problemsfine scale, site specific problems Recommend restoration actionsRecommend restoration actions..


Deer Creek Watershed

Elevations range from 1,080 feet at the mouth to 5,000 feet at the headwaters

The watershed is 25,618 acres in size, and extends approximately 17 miles north to the headwater areas within the Craig Mountains .

Drainages in lower portions of the watershed are deeply incised with near vertical canyon walls, while those in upland areas are less confined and bordered by wide floodplains


Land ownership

12,774 acres (50%) Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG)

7,049 acres (27%) Nez Perce Tribe (NPT), 3,673 acres (14%) private 1, 161 acres (4%) Bureau of Land

Management (BLM) and 961 acres (3%) Idaho Department of Lands

(IDL)


Current land use impacts

The land use impacts in the watershed include grazing, timber harvest, and roads.

Livestock grazing has been restricted on the majority of the lands in the drainage since 1992.

Livestock grazing in the upper watershed still continues and is contributing to bank instability, riparian damage, soil compaction, and nutrification (Rabe 2001, unpublished data)


Characterization of the watershed The headwater areas of Deer Creek have been

logged and roaded. In 1967, the Eagle Creek fire burned a majority of

the watershed, which was subsequently salvage logged (USDI-BLM 2000).

Sedimentation from roads is most problematic in the upper portions of the drainage.

Estimated road density throughout the watershed is 1-3 miles/mi2.


Characterization of the watershed The combined effects of grazing, roading,

and timber harvest have impaired water quality in Deer Creek.

In 1998, Deer Creek was listed by the State of Idaho as impaired under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act for sediment.


Characterization of the watershed ESA-listed steelhead documented in lower four

miles of Deer Creek Rearing habitat for juvenile spring/summer

chinook salmon in lower reaches Resident redband/rainbow trout (sympatric), upper

limits to distribution are unknown Subadult/adult fluvial forms of bull trout and

westslope cutthroat trout may occupy lower reaches

Brook trout most prolific above stream mile 7.0


Limiting factors-upper watershed

Habitat surveys near the confluence with the West Fork Deer Creek documented

• low canopy cover,• a low pool to riffle ratio, • poor width:depth ratio, • macroinvertebrate biotic integrity, • and the lowest habitat index scores of the four

streams studied (China Creek, Eagle Creek, and Wapshilla Creek) sampled (Rabe 1994, unpublished data).


Limiting factors-- upstream from stream mile 7.0 excessive sediment deposition, high summer water temperatures, poor instream cover A lack of high-quality pool habitat (USI-BLM

2000; Rabe 2001, unpublished data; Rabe 1994, unpublished data)::


Limiting factors in lower watershed Water qualityWater quality


Early Construction Activities

Exclusion fencing for cattle along approximately 9 Exclusion fencing for cattle along approximately 9 miles miles of mainstem and tributary riparian miles miles of mainstem and tributary riparian area. area.

Most of this area includes lush wetlands currently Most of this area includes lush wetlands currently disturbed by grazing. disturbed by grazing.

Collapsed and unstable streambanks and riparian Collapsed and unstable streambanks and riparian vegetation is either missing or greatly reduced. vegetation is either missing or greatly reduced.

Some recruitment of native vegetation is occurring Some recruitment of native vegetation is occurring is that is notably stunted because of grazing. is that is notably stunted because of grazing.

Build 3 miles of fence each year for three yearsBuild 3 miles of fence each year for three years


Future activities

Active revegetation of the riparian area will Active revegetation of the riparian area will be delayed until natural recovery can be be delayed until natural recovery can be gauged. gauged.

Several sections of the mainstem in the upper Several sections of the mainstem in the upper watershed may need to be reconfiguredwatershed may need to be reconfigured

These sections will not be included in the These sections will not be included in the first three years of fencing until their first three years of fencing until their hydrology has been analyzed. hydrology has been analyzed.


Why start with an EAWS? Significant data gaps and missing analyses. Watershed, fish and wildlife habitat databases are now

outdated. Comprehensive temperature data and analyses are

insufficient. Hydrologic, riparian, and channel processes need to be

investigated in some detail.


Why start with an EAWS? The knowledge of disturbance patterns needs to be

strengthened. Data on sensitive plants, noxious weeds, and vegetative

response units requires updating. Studies and analyses to date have lacked an adequate

ecosystem perspective. Inventories of logging roads and mining claims require

updating.


Why start with an EAWS?

No consensus on next stepsNo consensus on next steps


Project Objectives:

Conduct a fine scale analysis to describe past and Conduct a fine scale analysis to describe past and current conditions in the watershedcurrent conditions in the watershed

Prioritize critical areas for restoration and/or Prioritize critical areas for restoration and/or protectionprotection

Provide a means by which the watershed can be Provide a means by which the watershed can be understood as an ecological systemunderstood as an ecological system

Improve resolution of the Salmon subbasin Improve resolution of the Salmon subbasin summary and assessmentsummary and assessment


Project Strategies:

Spend one year in data collection effortsSpend one year in data collection efforts


Project Strategies:

Spend one year in data collection effortsSpend one year in data collection efforts Spend one year drafting the EAWSSpend one year drafting the EAWS


Project Strategies:

Spend one year in data collection effortsSpend one year in data collection efforts Spend one year drafting the EAWSSpend one year drafting the EAWS Work cooperatively with:Work cooperatively with:

Nez Perce TribeNez Perce Tribe IDFGIDFG IDLIDL BLMBLM Private landownersPrivate landowners


Thank you. May I answer any questions?


Project Strategies:

EAWS six-step processEAWS six-step processCharacterization of the watershedCharacterization of the watershed


Project Strategies:

EAWS six-step process-EAWS six-step process-Characterization of the watershedCharacterization of the watershed Identification of issues and key questions Identification of issues and key questions


Project Strategies:

EAWS six-step process-EAWS six-step process-Characterization of the watershedCharacterization of the watershed Identification of issues and key questionsIdentification of issues and key questionsDescription of current conditions Description of current conditions


Project Strategies:

EAWS six-step process-EAWS six-step process-Characterization of the watershedCharacterization of the watershed Identification of Issues and key questionsIdentification of Issues and key questionsDescription of current conditionsDescription of current conditionsDescription of reference conditions Description of reference conditions


Project Strategies:

EAWS six-step process-EAWS six-step process-Characterization of the watershedCharacterization of the watershed Identification of issues and key questionsIdentification of issues and key questionsDescription of current conditionsDescription of current conditionsDescription of reference conditionsDescription of reference conditions Interpretation of information Interpretation of information


Project Strategies:

EAWS six-step process-EAWS six-step process-Characterization of the watershedCharacterization of the watershed Identification of issues and key questionsIdentification of issues and key questionsDescription of current conditionsDescription of current conditionsDescription of reference conditionsDescription of reference conditions Interpretation of informationInterpretation of informationRecommendations Recommendations

protect and restore deer creek watershed protect and restore deer creek watershed nez perce tribe...

Documents

deer creek watershed

eagle creek

china creek

headwater areas of deer

west fork deer creek

miles of creek fence

wapshilla creek sampled

watershed esalisted