2017-2020 Implementation Reporting a Snapshot of Partner Efforts to Protect and Enhance the Willamette River for People and Wildlife

Willamette Anchor Habitat Working Group Progress Update 2017-2020 Implementation Reporting A snapshot of partner efforts to protect and enhance the Willamette River for people and wildlife.

Anchor Habitats Where Progress Towards 2022 Targets (%) Work is Underway

1 Columbia River Bottomlands Ecological Target

Total Floodplain Acres 2,602 acres Impacted by Actions 336.76 1,468.34 493.1 Control Trees and Shrubs Floodplain Aquatic Newly Planted Reconnected Invasive Plants 1 Pudding - Molalla 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Conﬂuence 2022 Target 1 Grand Island

2 Outreach Targets Windsor 3 Island Minto Island Expert audiences reached through 200 people meetings, workshops, field tours

2 Youth engaged in 1,500 people educational events Luckiamute - Santiam - Willamette Conﬂuence Public attendees at 6,000 people 11 meetings and tours Bowers Rock - Truax Island Broader 10,000 people media reach 6 Long Tom - Willamette Conﬂuence

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%100% 120% 140% 160% 180% 200% 240% 2022 1 Target McKenzie - Willamette Conﬂuence

5 Middle Fork - Coast Fork Conﬂuence In 2020…

40 46 Private Landowners Engaged Public Properties Enhanced in Restoration Actions by Restoration Actions

2019-2020 Project Performance Not Started Ongoing Complete NA FUNDING OUTREACH OUTREACH DESIGN CONSTRUCTION PLANTING MAINTENANCE EXPECTED COMPLETION BPA MMT OWEB

Albany Oxbows (CWC) 2022 • Alternatives for Ludwigia control (BSWCD) 2023 • Bowers Rock Phase 1 Restoration 2024 • • • Collins Bay 2023 Darrow Rocks Landing Riparian and Wetland Restoration 2020 Gail Achterman Floodplain Enhancement 2026 • Glassbar Island Floodplain Reforestation 2022 • Green Island Floodplain (TA grant) 2021 • • Half Moon Bend Landing Floodplain Revegetation 2020 2020 Harkens Lake Phases 1-5 2022 Horseshoe Lake Phase 1 2019 • Horseshoe Lake Phase 2 2023 • Little Willamette 2019 • Lower Coast Fork - Turtle Flats Floodplain Restoration 2025 • Lower Coast Fork Willamette Hydrologic Analysis and Design Project 2021 • Lower Kiger Side Channel 2020 • Luckiamute State Natural Area Floodplain Reconnection & Reveg 2025 • • • Luckiamute State Natural Area Enhancement Phases 1-3 2025 • • • Minto Brown Island Floodplain Forest Restoration 2025 • Minto-Brown Island Aquatic Habitat Enhancement 2024 • • Mission Bottom Riparian and Floodplain Restoration 2025 Molalla Confluence Floodplain Restoration 2026 • • My Brothers’ Farm 2020 • • Sam Daws Landing Floodplain and Side Channel Restoration n/a • • • Sam Daws Landing Floodplain Revegetation 2023 • Scappoose Creek Restoration 2022 • • Snag Boat Bend Floodplain and Side Channel Restoration 2024 Snag Boat Bend Floodplain Revegetation 2025 • Snag Boat Bend Porter Dam Revetment Restoration 2027 • Truax Island 2024 • Wapato Cove n/a • Willamette Confluence Restoration Project 2021 • • • Willamette Mission Floodplain Reforestation 2026 • • • Primary Actions Projects Advanced in 2017-2020

Increase and enhance Plant riparian vegetation Increase native fish access Enhance former gravel pits floodplain plant along sloughs and side to floodplains by modifying and alleviate stranding by communities through channels to provide shade floodplain topography to re-connecting shallow pits, planting and invasive and support fish rearing increase the extent and regrading pond boundaries species control: 23 Projects habitat: 16 Projects duration of floodplain and filling ponds: 5 projects inundation: 5 Projects

Treat invasive aquatic Construct lateral channels Remove revetments and weeds that degrade water or sloughs in areas with a levees in reaches likely quality and biodiversity: high likelihood of hyporheic to experience channel 18 Projects flow: 4 projects changes: 4 projects

The Effects of the Pandemic

Usual tours and activities decreased because of public Contractors and practitioners faced staffing challenges access to project sites primarily in the Middle Fork-Coast because of the pandemic and the ongoing threat of Fork Confluence Anchor Habitat zone, effecting engagement wildfires. In the highly visible area of the Minto-Brown at the Willamette Confluence Restoration Project Island Aquatic Habitat Enhancement site in Salem, OR, and My Brothers’ Farm. the crews overcame staffing obstacles and were able to tackle two projects in this Anchor Habitat.

Adaptive Management in the Field

The Luckiamute State Natural At the Minto-Brown Island The Molalla River Watch removed Area Floodplain Reconnection and Floodplain Forest Restoration an old rip-rap from the middle of Reforestation project implemented site, the City of Salem is working the river that used to be on the bank the floodplain reconnection piece, to keep visitors on trail and off of to allow for increased flow at the expanding the area and duration of the conservation area. They are Molalla Confluence Floodplain inundation by enhancing connection purposefully leaving blackberry Restoration site. points to the lower Luckiamute River bushes along the boundary to and regrading swales. Volunteers spread avoid the creation of new paths and native grass seed in disturbed areas and entries into the protected zone. contractors installed 9,000 live cuttings. Over 55,000 native bare root trees and shrubs were installed in January 2021. Data Source: ESRI, 2019; CEG Field Data, 2019 Field Data, CEG 2019; ESRI, Data Source: miles 0.05 = Scale:1 inch 8/13/2019 Date: Priority Zones) Priority Acre (First- Per Planting Shrub and Tree Estimated Legend Desired Future Conditions Future Desired Acres) (123.18 Units Management Acres) GAWA (290.8 Boundary (13.86 Acres)(13.86 Wapato-Scrub-Shrub Riparian Acres) (4.31 Shrubs EmergentWetland low and Acres) ForestedWetland (10.65 Acres)(23.55 Willow-Spirea-Dogwood Acres)(24.71 Forest Floodplain Cottonwood ForestAcres) (40.41 MixedHardwood Floodplain WoodlandOak Acres)(1.69 Acres) Oak Savannah/Prairie (4 Anchor Habitat Highlights 2000 1600 1200 1000 300 0 0 0 1,200 900 600 300 0 150 F G E A Feet C Gail Achterman Wildlife Area Wildlife Achterman Gail D DesiredFuture Conditions M L Z:\GIS\215. Gail Achterman\101 maps\DFC_letter_10_1.mxd Gail Achterman\101 Z:\GIS\215. B K H N J I I !

Willamette Mission Harkens Lake, Horseshoe Gail Achterman State Park Lake and Little Willamette Wildlife Area Restoration of Willamette Mission is The work at Harkens Lake, Horseshoe Formerly recognized as Hayden important because land conversion Lake and Little Willamette by the Island, the Gail Achterman Wildlife and development in the early 20th Greenbelt Land Trust created over Area (GAWA) is one of the largest and century cleared native vegetation and 800 acres of floodplain habitat on most intact riparian forests remaining opened the site to noxious weeds, the Willamette River on former between the Willamette River’s which inhibit natural regeneration of agricultural land. The projects have confluence with the Santiam River these important forests. Restoration is successfully reconnected the historic and Willamette Mission State Park. improving habitat complexity, water floodplain to the Willamette River, The vision for preservation of this site quality through flood interaction thus creating a nursery for juvenile is credited to the late Gail Achterman, with the restored forest, and reducing fish while simultaneously reducing a conservation leader, lawyer and habitat fragmentation. Benefit downstream flooding on populated policy expert who inspired many will accrue to ESA listed Chinook areas. Nearly 500,000 trees and to preserve natural resources and steelhead and a multitude of shrubs have been planted in order throughout Oregon. important and at-risk wildlife species to shade the river, sequester carbon, that occupy the park. There were 33 and provide refuge for countless newly planted acres in 2020. species of wildlife.

Bowers Rock My Brothers’ Farm Albany Oxbows The efforts at Bowers Rock aim to A diverse selection of native trees The Calapooia Watershed Council is recapture the signature braided and shrubs were planted to increase currently working with River Design river that the Willamette River once plant diversity at My Brothers’ Farm. Group to assess restoration actions held. The primary actions include, Re-establishing a native riparian that could include log placements, a connection of a 40-acre gravel pit buffer and fencing off the waterways turtle nesting/basking structures, during winter flows, the removal and in this lower reach of the Coast Fork connection augmentation and replacement of culverts that restrict Willamette will benefit fish and wildlife native vegetation planting at the egress of water after high water habitat and improve water quality. Albany Oxbows. events, and the treatment of invasive The riparian buffer and fencing will Ludwigia in the area. shade the water in the river and filter out fine sediments and nutrients in order to foster a more resilient habitat in the face of climate change.

Other Achievements: Mission Lake is now accessible due to low Ludwigia densities in the Willamette Mission State Park. Reflections from the Coordinator Taylor Larson is the coordinator for the AHWG, the Working Lands Project Manager at the Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council and a Farmer at My Brothers’ Farm

Stewarding a river as dynamic and complex as the “ Willamette is a challenging task. Luckily for all of us that live here, we have a community of habitat restoration professionals dedicated to improving the health of our river for generations to come. Coordination and collaboration at a watershed scale is critical to the success of ecosystems that can support thriving populations of fish, wildlife and humans inhabitants. The Willamette Anchor Habitat Working Group is a vital forum for our collective efforts to live in harmony with this place we call home.”

Thanks to our long term funders:

Usual tours and activities decreased because of public access to project sites primarily in the Middle Fork-Coast Fork Confluence Anchor Habitat zone, effecting engagement at the Willamette Confluence Restoration Project and My Brothers’ Farm.

For more info or questions about this report, contact: Kathleen Guillozet [email protected]

For more info about the AHWG, please contact: Taylor Larson [email protected]

Thanks to Kira Waldman for diligence in aggregating and confirming information in this report.