Technical Assistance OWEB Region
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Application Name: Lostine River - River Mile 5.7 Floodplain and Side Channel Enhancement Project Application Number: 000-0000-16535 By: Grande Ronde Model WS Foundation Offering Type: Open Solicitation Application Type: Technical Assistance OWEB Region: Eastern Oregon County: Wallowa Coordinates: 45.485405,-117.432866 Applicant: Jeff Oveson 1114 J Avenue La Grande OR 97850-2073 (541) 663-0570 [email protected] Payee: Mary Estes 1114 J Avenue La Grande OR 97850 (541) 663-0570 [email protected] Project Manager: Coby Menton 1114 J Ave. La Grande OR 97850 (541) 398-0151 [email protected] Budget Summary: OWEB Amount Requested: $73,040 Total Project Amount: $121,508 Page 1 of 23 Printed by OWEB Grant Management System (OGMS) on 9/18/2018 11:11:05 AM Online Application for Lostine River - River Mile 5.7 Floodplain and Side Channel Enhancement Project --Submitted-- , By Grande Ronde Model WS Foundation Administrative Information Abstract Provide an abstract statement for the project. Include the following information: 1) Identify the project location; 2) Briefly state the project need; 3) Describe the proposed work; 4) Identify project partners. This project is located on the Lostine River at the town of Lostine, Oregon. The project reach is from river mile 5.7 to river mile 6.3. The Lostine River joins the Wallowa River near the town of Wallowa and the project area is in Wallowa County Oregon. The lower 10-miles of the Lostine River has been channelized, straightened and is kept in place by dikes built as a response to flood events in the 1960's and 1970's. These actions have greatly simplified aquatic habitat conditions in the river by reducing the number of pools, increasing riffles, increasing stream velocity, reducing habitat complexity, eliminating side channels, and disconnecting the river from its floodplain. Increased water velocity, specifically at high spring flow, has degraded water quality by increasing bank erosion contributing to fine sediment deposition in the river. The strategic action plan for aquatic restoration in Wallowa County, Wallowa Atlas, identifies limiting habitat factors for the lower Lostine River to be addressed by this project: 1. Floodplain condition, 2. Instream structural complexity, 3. Instream sediment quantity, 4. Stream temperature, and 5. Riparian vegetation. This proposed technical assistance application seeks funding to complete project design, environmental compliance requirements, and construction bidding documents. Deliverables include complete 100% design, ESA Consultation, removal/fill permits, cultural resources survey and report, and construction request for proposal package. Project partners include Grande Ronde Model Watershed, Nez Perce Tribe, and 10 landowners in the project reach. Page 2 of 23 Printed by OWEB Grant Management System (OGMS) on 9/18/2018 11:11:05 AM Online Application for Lostine River - River Mile 5.7 Floodplain and Side Channel Enhancement Project --Submitted-- , By Grande Ronde Model WS Foundation Location Information What is the ownership of the project site(s)? ❑Public land (any lands owned by the Federal government, the State of Oregon, a city, county, district or municipal or public corporation in Oregon) ✓Private (land owned by non-governmental entities) Please select one of the following Landowner Contact Certification statements: ● I certify that I have informed all participating private landowners involved in the project of the existence of the application, and I have advised all of them that all monitoring information obtained on their property is public record. ❍ I certify that contact with all participating private landowners was not possible at the time of application for the following reasons: Furthermore, I understand that should this project be awarded, I will be required by the terms of the OWEB grant agreement to secure cooperative landowner agreements with all participating private landowners prior to expending Board funds on a property. Please include a complete list of participating private landowners Devee Boyd, Landowner Cooperator Carolyn Lochert, Landowner Cooperator Dawn Norman, Landowner Cooperator Larry Bauck, Landowner Cooperator William Hunter, Landowner Cooperator Larry Yarborough, Landowner Cooperator Terry Jones, Landowner Cooperator John Nesemann, Landowner Cooperator Norma Dickens, Landowner Cooperator Stephen Young, Landowner Cooperator ❑This grant will take place in more than one county. Page 3 of 23 Printed by OWEB Grant Management System (OGMS) on 9/18/2018 11:11:05 AM Online Application for Lostine River - River Mile 5.7 Floodplain and Side Channel Enhancement Project --Submitted-- , By Grande Ronde Model WS Foundation Permits Other than the land-use form, do you need a permit, license or other regulatory approval of any of the proposed project activities? ❍ Yes ● No Racial and Ethnic Impact Statement Racial and Ethnic Impact Statement ❍ The proposed grant project policies or programs could have a disproportionate or unique POSITIVE impact on the following minority persons. (indicate all that apply) ❍ The proposed grant project policies or programs could have a disproportionate or unique NEGATIVE impact on the following minority persons. (indicate all that apply) ● The proposed grant project policies or programs WILL HAVE NO disproportionate or unique impact on minority persons. Insurance Information ❑Working with hazardous materials (not including materials used in the normal operation of equipment such as hydraulic fluid) ❑Earth moving work around the footprint of a well ❑Aerial application of chemicals ❑Removal or alteration of structures that hold back water on land or instream including dams, levees, dikes, tidegates and other water control devices (this does not include temporary diversion dams used solely to divert water for irrigation) ❑Applicant’s staff or volunteers are working with kids related to this project (DAS Risk assessment tool not required, additional insurance is required ) ❑Applicant’s staff are applying herbicides or pesticides (DAS Risk assessment tool not required, additional insurance is required) Page 4 of 23 Printed by OWEB Grant Management System (OGMS) on 9/18/2018 11:11:05 AM Online Application for Lostine River - River Mile 5.7 Floodplain and Side Channel Enhancement Project --Submitted-- , By Grande Ronde Model WS Foundation Additional Information ❑This project affects Sage-Grouse. Page 5 of 23 Printed by OWEB Grant Management System (OGMS) on 9/18/2018 11:11:05 AM Online Application for Lostine River - River Mile 5.7 Floodplain and Side Channel Enhancement Project --Submitted-- , By Grande Ronde Model WS Foundation Problem Statement Describe the watershed problem this Technical Assistance Application seeks to address. The project site is located between Lostine River miles 5.7 and 6.3 in the town of Lostine, Wallowa County, Oregon. Within this reach the stream course and drainage patterns have been simplified and severely altered as a result of agricultural practices, road construction, flood control, and residential development. The channel lacks habitat complexity and, as a result, contains limited spawning and rearing habitat for steelhead and Chinook salmon. There are few pools resulting in a limited amount of slow water holding habitat where migrating salmonids can rest or juveniles can rear. The sinuosity is low and the river is entrenched significantly limiting connectivity to the historic floodplain. The properties where the proposed side channel and floodplain enhancement will occur include both residential and farm use practices. All floodplain connection and side channel additions will occur on three properties on the west side of the river (river left), are agricultural use areas, and include the Jones, Nesemann and Dickens parcels. Instream work to reduce erosion and sedimentation, improve habitat complexity, and enhance riparian conditions will occur on all parcels throughout the project reach. The project reach supports three salmonid species listed under the Endangered Species Act: spring Chinook salmon, summer steelhead, and bull trout. The project area is within federally designated critical habitat for all three species. Juvenile spring Chinook and summer steelhead inhabit the project reach year-round. Both species utilize the area for juvenile rearing, however limited suitable spawning habitat exists due to the riffle-dominated high gradient nature of the channelized river. Bull trout are likely to inhabit the reach during winter and spring using it for migration, foraging and overwintering. Other fish species such as mountain whitefish, chiselmouth, dace, sculpin, pike minnow, and suckers are present in the project area. There is potential for lamprey to inhabit the Lostine River as adults are being translocated annually throughout the subbasin. Property owners on the rivers east side (river right) in the town of Lostine are motivated to implement this project as a large cut bank is eroding annually during spring high flows. As a result of channel manipulation, specifically straightening, armoring, and floodplain disconnection, the river has moved to the east approximately 30-feet and created a nearly 40-foot vertical cut bank that is approximately 150-feet long. This cut bank is currently threatening 2 private properties and if allowed to continue will migrate into the town of Lostine. GRMW and partners are not proposing to use habitat and watershed restoration funds to preserve human infrastructure. We are proposing to use those funds to restore fisheries habitat and improve