Watershed Restoration for Native Fish Populations Clackamas Partnership
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Watershed Restoration for Native Fish Populations Clackamas Partnership Strategic Restoration Action Plan July 2018 Strategic Restoration Action Plan Table of Contents 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Clackamas Partnership ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Fish Populations and Geographic Focus ..................................................................................................................... 3 Restoration and Conservation Emphasis.................................................................................................................... 7 2. Ecological Outcomes: Restored Aquatic Habitat and Watershed Processes ...................................................... 9 2025: Targeted Restoration Outcomes .................................................................................................................... 11 3. Scope, Vision, and Guiding Principles ............................................................................................................ 15 Geographic Scope ..................................................................................................................................................... 15 Partner Geographic Coverage .................................................................................................................................. 21 Clackamas Partnership’s Vision ................................................................................................................................ 22 Clackamas Partnership’s Mission ............................................................................................................................. 22 Guiding Principles ..................................................................................................................................................... 22 4. Partnership Governance and Structure ......................................................................................................... 25 Governance .............................................................................................................................................................. 25 Partner Roles ............................................................................................................................................................ 26 Core Partners ........................................................................................................................................................ 26 Supporting Partners.............................................................................................................................................. 26 Decision-Making and Administrative Capacity ..................................................................................................... 26 5. Relationship to Other Regional Conservation Strategies ................................................................................ 31 Oregon Conservation Strategy ................................................................................................................................. 31 Lower Willamette River and Floodplain COA ....................................................................................................... 31 Clackamas River and Tributaries COA .................................................................................................................. 32 Bull of the Woods, North COA .............................................................................................................................. 32 Intertwine Alliance Regional Conservation Strategy ................................................................................................ 32 6. Partnership Accomplishments ...................................................................................................................... 35 Core Partner Accomplishments ................................................................................................................................ 36 Supporting Partner Accomplishments ..................................................................................................................... 42 7. Context: Profile of the Plan Area ................................................................................................................... 45 Overview ................................................................................................................................................................... 45 Degraded Aquatic, Floodplain, and Riparian Habitats ............................................................................................. 49 Fish Passage Barriers ................................................................................................................................................ 56 Roads ........................................................................................................................................................................ 57 Impervious Surfaces ................................................................................................................................................. 57 Stream Habitat Quality: High Intrinsic Habitat Potential (IP) ................................................................................... 59 Human Population and Local Economy .................................................................................................................... 59 8. Conservation and Restoration Need .............................................................................................................. 63 Clackamas Fish Population Status ............................................................................................................................ 64 PGE’s Actions ............................................................................................................................................................ 69 Limiting Factors ........................................................................................................................................................ 70 Threats ...................................................................................................................................................................... 73 9. Conservation and Restoration Strategy and Projects ..................................................................................... 75 Addressing Limiting factors ...................................................................................................................................... 76 Prioritizing Habitat Restoration and Protection Areas ............................................................................................. 78 Prioritizing Threats from Development and Climate Change .................................................................................. 83 Restoration Project Identification ............................................................................................................................ 85 10. Goals, Objectives, and Phasing .................................................................................................................... 91 11. Evaluating Success ...................................................................................................................................... 95 12. Communication Plan ................................................................................................................................... 97 13. References ................................................................................................................................................. 98 Appendix A: Watershed Characteristics and Limiting factors Appendix B: High Priority Restoration Project Proposals Appendix C: Communications Plan for Landowner Engagement and Community Awareness 1. Introduction Clackamas Partnership The Clackamas Partnership is more than fifteen Portland Partners* metropolitan region organizations committed to working Clackamas County Water Environment Services collaboratively to improve watershed health. For more than Clackamas River Basin Council ten years, the Partnership’s watershed councils, local, state, Clackamas River Water Providers and federal agencies, tribes, and other Partner organizations have shared resources and collaboratively engaged in Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District restoration projects, funding efforts, monitoring, and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs community outreach activities. Greater Oregon City Watershed Council Johnson Creek Watershed Council The Partnership developed this Strategic Restoration Action Metro Plan (Strategic Plan) to guide restoration actions designed to North Clackamas Parks & Recreation District improve river and stream habitat and the environment that sustains native fish populations. The Strategic Plan’s large North Clackamas Urban Watersheds Council geographic area (Plan Area) encompasses the Clackamas Oregon Dept. of Environmental Quality River and all tributaries from its headwaters to the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife confluence with the Willamette River; a portion of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept. Willamette River and its floodplain; and watersheds flowing Portland