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Restoration of Lower Klamath River Habitats — Yurok Tribal Fisheries

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Restoration of Lower Klamath River Habitats — Yurok Tribal Fisheries Restoration of Lower Klamath River Habitats — Yurok Tribal Fisheries Program YUROK TRIBE STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM BENEFITS In the Lower Klamath River, Euro-American Economic land use activities since the mid-1850s • Approximately $777,505 over 50 have caused drastic declines to fish runs years for use and passive use values and degraded habitats. Past agricultural associated with increased salmonid practices and intense timber harvest and populations road-building activities have greatly simpli- • Approximately $2,744 per year for fied Lower Klamath watersheds. Large avoided costs associated with reduction floods occurring over the last 150 years in sediment deposition have exacerbated degraded watershed • Approximately $48,229 over 50 years conditions by increasing rates of riparian for passive use value associated with loss, channel widening, and valley aggra- increased riparian habitat dation. Although conditions have been • Approximately $2,864 over 50 years improving due to improved forest practices for ecosystem services provided by and ongoing upslope and instream resto- enhanced and increased wetlands ration, the severe loss of habitat complexity and channel structure remains a primary • Approximately $11,650 over 50 years limitation to the survival of native fish of for avoided costs of climate change the Lower Klamath, especially salmonids. from carbon sequestration Groundwater PROJECT GOALS • The project’s restoration techniques 1. Enhance and restore native salmonid are expected to increase groundwater populations through a process-based recharge approach Water Quality 2. Promote economic stimulus to disad- • Improved water quality will benefit the vantaged communities 303(d) listed Lower Klamath River and 3. Support implementation actions in the Hunter and Terwer Creeks Klamath River TMDL Action Plan Cultural and Social 4. Continue providing an inclusive frame- • Outreach for this project will increase work for intra-regional cooperation, public understanding of and support for planning, and implementation watershed enhancement projects THE SOLUTION • Increased community support for and The project restores spawning and rearing participation in future projects will make habitat for native salmonids and increases restoration projects easier to implement riparian forest resiliency on two miles in and less costly two priority Lower Klamath tributaries: • The project will reduce wood piracy Terwer Creek and Hunter Creek. by increasing channel complexity, limiting vehicle access, working with PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION stakeholders and agencies to improve AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS awareness and law enforcement, and Project activities include: building fostering stewardship constructed wood jams, implementing • Increased salmonid populations confer bioengineering techniques (willow baffles), cultural benefits; a healthy river and and riparian revegetation in Hunter and robust salmon fishery are central to the Terwer creeks. Physical and biological Yurok tradition, cultural practices and monitoring will be conducted to assess well-being project effectiveness and to help guide Jobs and Local Economy future restoration efforts. The Yurok • Nearly $1.2 million will be spent locally Tribal Fisheries Program will immediately using local labor and supplies when address known limiting factors and facili- possible, thus contributing to State tate self-maintaining processes to ensure goals for environmental justice and long-term benefits to native salmonids and social equity the Yurok who rely on them for cultural, • At least 10 high quality, resource-based subsistence, and economic purposes. These jobs will be maintained actions will provide an economic stim- ulus to disadvantaged communities by NEXT STEPS & providing employment to Tribal staff and RECOMMENDATIONS patronizing local businesses. Although this project is a stand-alone PROJECT BUDGET effort, it is part of a larger-scale effort by the Yurok Tribe to restore Klamath Basin IRWM funds: $ 421,354 habitats to levels that will support viable, Leveraged funds: $ 776,914 robust populations of anadromous fish. TOTAL $ 1,198,268 CONTACT Sarah Beesley Yurok Tribe, Klamath, CA 95548 707.482.2841 ext. 235.
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