Potlatch River Watershed Restoration

Latah Soil and Water Conservation District

Annual Report 2004 - 2005 October 2005 DOE/BP-00011844-3

This Document should be cited as follows:

Stinson, Kenneth, "Potlatch River Watershed Restoration; Latah Soil and Water Conservation District", 2004-2005 Annual Report, Project No. 200206100, 7 electronic pages, (BPA Report DOE/BP-00011844-3)

Bonneville Power Administration P.O. Box 3621 Portland, OR 97208

This report was funded by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), U.S. Department of Energy, as part of BPA's program to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife affected by the development and operation of hydroelectric facilities on the and its tributaries. The views in this report are the author's and do not necessarily represent the views of BPA. Latah Soil and Water Conservation District Potlatch River Watershed Restoration FY04 – 4Q/Annual Report September 1, 2004 – August 31, 2005 Project No. 2002-061-00 Contract No. 00011844 Amendment No. 002

Project Goal

Improve instream fish habitat in the Potlatch River and the lower through comprehensive watershed planning, implementation of best management practices and expanded water quality and fish habitat monitoring.

Objectives

This proposal has three primary objectives: 1) complete the Potlatch River Watershed Restoration Plan; 2) augment existing monitoring efforts in the Potlatch River to broaden the water quality and fish resource data baseline, and 3) undertake a reporting system that provides public access to project outcomes.

Objective 1. Complete Potlatch River Watershed Restoration Plan

Task 1.1 – Facilitate the conservation agency technical advisory group.

Update – During the FY02 and FY03 contract period, members of the technical advisory group (TAG) met on several occasions to review the preferred structure for the planning approach for the development of the Potlatch River Watershed Restoration Plan (Plan) and review available documentation of resource conditions throughout the basin.

In FY04, the TAG met formally and informally to review the planning process, plan structure, development of new data and review of possible implementation strategies for incorporation into the plan.

The TAG has included participants from the following organizations and agencies:

• Latah Soil & Water Conservation District (LSWCD) • Soil & Water Conservation District (NPSWCD) • Clearwater Soil & Water Conservation District (CSWCD) • Association of Soil Conservation Districts (IASCD) • Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IDF&G) • Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) • Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) • Idaho Soil Conservation Commission (ISCC) • Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA)

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• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Fisheries (NOAA) • US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) • Nez Perce Tribe (NPT) • Potlatch Corporation (Potlatch)

LSWCD has developed the structural model for the Plan. Given the large number of issues associated with the Clearwater Subbasin Plan, LSWCD will coordinate the development and integration of several resource plans to fully address the issues within the Clearwater Subbasin Plan. The current structure allows for consistency between the Clearwater Subbasin Management Plan, LSWCD’s 5-Year Plan, and NRCS’s watershed planning processes.

Individual members of the TAG have undertaken potential project site reviews to determine potential BMPs for select watersheds and land uses. These site reviews have led to the implementation of restoration practices from non-BPA sources.

Task 1.2 – Inventory existing data bases.

Update – IDF&G has completed the initial fisheries inventory on select streams within the Potlatch River watershed. IDF&G has completed a summary report identifying fish densities throughout the watershed and this information is assisting with the identification of priority watersheds. This initial survey highlighted areas where additional fisheries inventory work is needed throughout the basin.

In addition, information has been incorporated into the Plan from IDEQ’s watershed assessment work undertaken for the development of the draft TMDL for the Potlatch River.

The IDF&G survey is currently being used by LSWCD and other state and federal agencies to prioritized non-BPA restoration efforts. This survey information has been used successfully to secure technical and financial assistance to implement restoration practices throughout the basin. For example, LSWCD and IDF&G have used the fisheries inventory information to secure approximately $300,000 in funding through NRCS to remove a significant passage barrier within the Corral Creek watershed.

Task 1.3 – Analyze resource data.

Update – IDF&G has used the information generated from the fisheries inventory to undertake a qualitative habitat analysis to produce a ranked list of priority watersheds for protection and restoration efforts. This listing has been incorporated into the draft Plan.

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Task 1.4 – Reevaluate subwatershed priorities.

Update – The completed fish survey, and associated modeling undertaken by IDF&G, has developed a draft prioritization list for watersheds. This list prioritizes watersheds for protection and restoration efforts. This draft list, in conjunction with the draft TMDL, is being presented to individual agency staff within the TAG for review and final recommendations. Through BPA’s FY05 funding, the TAG will meet to review the development of protection and restoration strategies for each of the prioritized watersheds. Informal prioritization has taken place between agencies as funding opportunities present themselves. The passage barrier on Corral Creek is such an example.

Within the Potlatch River drainage, the Bear Creek system has been prioritized as a steelhead protection area by IDF&G due to the relatively high production potential. IDF&G has been successful in securing additional non-BPA funding to establish adult weirs and juvenile fish traps to provide steelhead production estimates. LSWCD has been successful in securing non-BPA restoration funding for riparian areas within the Bear Creek system.

Task 1.5 – Identify and prioritize projects and pertinent habitat protection and improvement strategies by subwatershed and treatment unit.

Update – Alternative strategies for agricultural and forest lands have been continuously reviewed. Specifically, staff coordinated with the conservation programs outlined in the 2002 Farm Bill to determine the appropriateness of individual programs and their application within the Potlatch River Basin. Strategies have been coordinated with the IDEQ, ISDA, IDF&G, IDL, NRCS and NOAA.

Strategies reviewed include, but were not limited to, sediment reduction from private agricultural lands through the implementation of direct seeding practices, inclusion of highly erosive soils within the USDA Conservation Reserve Program, enhance riparian protection through the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program and the construction of control structures.

Through contract funding with NRCS, LSWCD has developed a conservation/restoration plan on over 30 acres of riparian restoration with funding from USDA’s Continuous Conservation Reserve Program. Several additional plans are currently underway through this contract.

Detailed strategies will be more thoroughly developed for each watershed in the fall of 2005 after survey work is completed as outlined in Task 2.2.

Task 1.6 – Seek public comment on draft Restoration Plan.

Update – During the FY02 contract period, the TAG drafted a preferred planning approach and agency adoption process. The TAG has outlined a public review process

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that will focus at the subwatershed level. Formal community involvement will begin in Spring 2006. Informal comment is also taking place with local landowners through LSWCD’s 5-Year planning process.

Task 1.7 – Write final implementation plan.

Update – A plan outline is being reformatted to be consistent with the draft TMDL and the planning processes of NRCS. If the plan is structurally consistent with the TMDL and the NRCS planning processes, funding may become more readily available from these funding agencies when the plan is completed and implementation begins.

The development of the draft TMDL for the Potlatch River has been delayed and a revised completion date has not been published by DEQ.

Task 1.8 – Coordinate resources necessary for the implementation of the Potlatch River Watershed Restoration Plan.

Update – Based upon preliminary findings from the IDF&G survey, ISCC, LSWCD and IDF&G requested funding from the Idaho’s Office of Species Conservation (OSC) to begin BMP implementation and addition fish productivity survey. FY04 funding has been secured for the IDF&G and LSWCD proposals. IDF&G has installed fish productivity monitoring stations within the Bear Creek watershed. Productivity data will be available in the winter of 2005 for evaluation. LSWCD funding from OSC will be used to begin the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) designed to address the limiting factors related to fish habitat within priority watersheds.

In addition, funding for the Corral Creek passage barrier removal was secured through coordination between IDF&G, LSWCD and NRCS.

LSWCD has developed additional funding proposals for the Potlatch River watershed. Funding requests have been submitted to IDEQ, ISCC and NRCS. Funding announcements are pending.

Objective 2. Monitor fish habitat and water quality in the Potlatch River watershed.

Task 2.1 – Enhance water quality monitoring.

Update – Stream flow monitoring equipment was purchased with FY03 and FY04 funding. Stations have been installed and monitored within the Corral Creek, Pine Creek, Cedar Creek, Purdue Creek, Big Bear Creek and Little Bear Creek watersheds. Data collection continues throughout the reporting period.

Additionally, the US Geological Service was contracted to reinstall a gauging station at the mouth of the Potlatch River. This station remains active. The station provides

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real-time information to the public through the USGS website.1 As the graph indicates, the Potlatch River system is a very “flashy” system.

With funding from OSC, IDF&G has installed fish productivity monitoring stations within the Bear Creek watershed. Steelhead productivity data will be available this winter for evaluation by the TAG.

LSWCD has secured additional funding to continue the water quality monitoring on CWA §303(d) listed waterbodies throughout the basin. IASCD and ISDA have undertaken a water quality survey for pesticides within the Potlatch River mainstem. This information will be incorporated into the Plan.

Task 2.2 – Undertake stream visual assessment on select watersheds.

Update – Stream visual assessments have been undertaken within the Pine Creek, Corral Creek and portions of the Bear Creek watersheds. Surveys will continue with FY05 funding. Survey work focuses on quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the stream systems and the identification of potential restoration projects. Several restoration projects have been identified within the surveyed watersheds.

Objective 3. Data Management and Reporting to BPA

1 http://waterdata.usgs.gov/id/nwis/uv?dd_cd=01&dd_cd=02&format=gif&period=7&site_no=13341570 Potlatch River Watershed Restoration Project No. 2002-061-00 4th Quarter/Annual Report (9/1/04 – 8/31/05) Latah Soil and Water Conservation District Contract No. 00011844 Page 5 of 6