Implement the Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program Administration and Habitat Restoration Projects

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Implement the Grande Ronde Model Watershed
Program Administration and Habitat Restoration
Projects
Project 199202601 Lyle Kuchenbecker, Project
Planner
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Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program

• Selected by the NPPC in 1992 to be the Model
  Watershed for Oregon
• Mission to develop and oversee the
  implementation, maintenance and monitoring of
  coordinated resource management that will enhance
  the natural resources of the Grande Ronde Basin.

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Grande Ronde Basin
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Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program Goals

• Protect and restore riparian and upland habitats.
• Direct BPA FW Mitigation Funds toward high
  priority restoration work.
• Coordinate basin-wide restoration activities and
  programs.
• Increase landowner involvement
• Conduct project effectiveness and basin-wide
  water quality monitoring.
• Conduct educational outreach to increase public
  awareness and involvement.
• Protect the customs, culture and economic
  stability of the citizens of the Basin and the
  Nez Perce Tribe and the Confederated Tribesof
  the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

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Grande Ronde Subbasin Assessments

• Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program Operations
  Action Plan 1994
• Stream and Riparian Conditions in the Grande
  Ronde Basin Clearwater Biostudies 1993
• Lower Grande Ronde Subbasin Review BLM and USFS
  1998
• Historical Changes in Anadromous Fish Habitat in
  the Upper Grande Ronde River, 1941-1992 McIntosh
  1992
• Application of the Ecosystem Diagnosis and
  Treatment Method to the Grande Ronde Model
  Watershed Program Final Report

• Upper Grande Ronde River Sub-Basin Total Maximum
  Daily Load (TMDL) 2000
• Biological Assessment for Bull Trout, Summer
  Steelhead, Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Upper
  Grande Ronde Assessment Area, USFS, BLM 1999
• Lower Grande Ronde Subbasin Multi-Species
  Biological Assessment USFS 2001-2001
• Grande Ronde Cooperative River Basin Study, Union
  County, Oregon NRCS 1997
• Wallowa County Nez Perce Tribe Salmon Recovery
  Plan, 1993 1999
• USFS Watershed (Ecosystem Analysis)
• Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Watershed
  Assessments
• Stream Surveys ODFW, USFS

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Limiting Factors - Habitat

• Stream and Riparian Conditions in the Grande
  Ronde Basin Clearwater Biostudies
• Application of the Ecosystem Diagnosis and
  Treatment Method to the Grande Ronde Model
  Watershed Program
• Water Quality Limited Streams, DEQ 303(d) List
• Riparian habitat degradation
• Sedimentation
• Low late season stream flows
• Elevated summer water temperatures
• Reduced in-stream habitat complexity
• Loss of wetlands and riparian function
• Passage barriers

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Results

• Habitat Restoration Projects (GRMWP 1995-2000,
  269 projects)
• Developed a network of Restoration Partners
• Established project implementation and
  effectiveness monitoring program
• Implemented a basin-wide water quality monitoring
  program
• Maintained a basin-wide restoration project
  database
• Increased landowner awareness and involvement in
  watershed restoration

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Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program Projects
(1995-2000)
Education/Public Involvement
Monitoring/ Survey/Study
Habitat Restoration

• Partners
• Agencies, Schools, Foundations (56) Individual
  Landowners (numerous)

• Habitat Projects
• Riparian Zone Improvements(105) 154 miles of
  stream benefitted, 2,847 acres treated
• Fish Passage Improvement (35) 45 sites
• Irrigation Diversion Improvements (17) 17 sites
• Livestock Fencing projects (105) 327 miles of
  fence installed
• Livestock water development(62) 316
  developments/improvements
• Instream Structure (77) 150 miles of stream
  treated, 532 structures
• Upland Improvements(54) 200 stream mi.
  benefitted, 11,456 ac. treated, 134,980 ac.
  benefitted
• Riparian and Upland Imp.(25) 30 stream miles
  benefitted, 15,537 acres treated
• Road closure/obliteration(26) 312 miles of road
  closed/obliterated
• Road improvement(59) 204 miles of road improved
• Education, public involvement(25)
• Monitoring/survey/study (25)

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Grande Ronde Basin Watershed Restoration Projects
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Monitoring

• Restoration Project Implementation and
  Effectiveness
• Site Specific in response to individual project
  objectives
• Annual report near term 5 years
• Photopoints, vegetation, X-sections
• Basin-wide Water Quality Monitoring
• Water Quality Advisory Group
• Coordinate Various Individual Monitoring Programs
  (DEQ, ODA, SWCDs, USFS)
• Avoid Duplicative Efforts or Data Gaps
• Comprehensive Annual Report
• Baseline Data Long Term Trend
• Basin-Wide Stream Inventories
• Prior to 1993 925 miles (USFS, ODFW, BLM)
• Resurvey Program (10 year cycle)

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Project Pictures
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Columbia River Basin Ecological Provinces