Powder Basin Watershed Council

TO PROMOTE, RETAIN, RESTORE AND ENHANCE WATERSHEDS OF THE POWDER BASIN IN NORTHEAST OREGON.

WATERSHED OUTREACH AND EDUCATION:TO FACILITATE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE RESTORATION PROJECTS, WE APPLIED FOR A RECEIVED FUNDING FROM OWEB TO BRING ON ADDITIONAL STAFF TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE RESTORATION PROJECTS. WE WILL HIRE STAFF AND BEGIN THIS WORK IN 2023.THE PBWC AGAIN IN 2022 PARTNERED WITH THE BAKER RESOURCES COALITION TO BE THE EMPLOYER OF RECORD FOR FOUR BAKER COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. THE FOUR STUDENT INTERNS DID WILDFIRE MITIGATION WORK ON FIVE PROPERTIES ALONG THE FACE OF THE ELKHORNS, ASSISTED WITH WILDLIFE FENCING ON ONE PROPERTY, COLLECTED FOREST STAND MONITORING PLOT DATA ON THE WWNF AND COLLECTED PRE-PROJECT MONITORING DATA FOR THE PBWC CAMP CREEK ECOSYSTEM RESILIENCY PROJECT.IN 2022, THE PBWC HOSTED THREE SPEAKERS TO FACILITATE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PUBLIC. JULIE DAVIES OSHEA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FARMERS CONSERVATION ALLIANCE GAVE A PRESENTATION ON OPPORTUNITIES TO MODERNIZE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS; LEVI OLD OF TROUT UNLIMITED PRESENTED ON STREAM/FLOODPLAIN RESTORATION; AND CAROL EVANS, RETIRED BLM FISHERIES BIOLOGIST, PRESENTED ON RIPARIAN RESTORATION.

WATERSHED RESTORATION:WITH SECURED GRANTS FROM THE OREGON WATERSHED ENHANCEMENT BOARD (OWEB), NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS) AND OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE (ODFW), CONSTRUCTION BEGAN ON BOTH THE CUSICK CREEK PHASE II AND PHASE III RESTORATION PROJECTS TO IMPROVE AQUATIC AND RIPARIAN HABITATS ALONG 1.1 MILES OF CUSICK CREEK (TRIBUTARY TO THE POWDER RIVER), RESTORE SIX EXISTING ASPEN STANDS AND IMPROVE RESILIENCY OF PONDEROSA PINE STANDS ADJACENT TO THE CREEK. WORK ON THESE PROJECTS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 2023.WE SECURED A DESIGN CONTRACTOR AND BEGAN DEVELOPMENT OF DESIGNS TO REPLACE FOUR IRRIGATION GRAVEL PUSH-UP DAMS ON BULL RUN CREEK (TRIBUTARY TO THE SOUTH FORK OF THE BURNT RIVER) WITH PERMANENT DIVERSION STRUCTURES AND DESIGN DELIVERY SYSTEM PIPING. THIS WORK WILL ELIMINATE THE IMPACTS TO AQUATIC AND RIPARIAN HABITATS OF ANNUALLY INSTALLING THE IRRIGATION PUSH-UP DAMS, IMPROVE WATER QUALITY AND IMPROVE PASSAGE FOR NATIVE COLUMBIA BASIN REDBAND TROUT. THIS WORK IS BEING FUNDED BY A GRANT THROUGH OWEB AND COST SHARE BY THE PARTICIPATING PRIVATE LANDOWNER.WORK BEGAN ON ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND PERMITTING FOR A PROJECT ON PINE CREEK TO ADDRESS EROSION OF 170 FEET OF STREAMBANK AND IMPROVE INSTREAM AQUATIC HABITAT FOR NATIVE TROUT INCLUDING BULL TROUT AND COLUMBIA BASIN REDBAND TROUT. FUNDING WAS SECURED FOR THIS PROJECT THROUGH A GRANT FROM OWEB, CASH AND IN-KIND MATCH FROM THE IDAHO POWER COMPANY AND IN-KIND MATCH FROM THE PARTICIPATING PRIVATE LANDOWNER. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT IS PLANNED FOR 2023 AND 2024.GRANTS FROM BOTH OWEB AND THE OREGON CONSERVATION AND RECREATION FUND WERE SECURED TO IMPLEMENT A PROJECT ON CAMP CREEK (A TRIBUTARY OF THE NORTH FORK OF THE BURNT RIVER ON THE WALLOWA WHITMAN NATIONAL FOREST) TO IMPROVE HABITAT FOR COLUMBIA BASIN REDBAND TROUT AND COLUMBIA SPOTTED FROG BY IMPLEMENTING LOW-TECH, PROCESS-BASED RESTORATION TECHNIQUES (BEAVER DAM ANALOGS AND POST ASSISTED LOG STRUCTURES) TO RECONNECT THE CREEK WITH ITS HISTORIC FLOODPLAIN AND FACILITATE RECOLONIZATION BY BEAVER OF THE 2.5 MILE PROJECT REACH. WORK IN 2022 INCLUDED PRE-PROJECT MONITORING AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND PERMITTING ACTIVITIES. IMPLEMENTATION IS PLANNED FOR 2023 AND 2024. THE WALLOWA WHITMAN NATIONAL FOREST IS PROVIDING BOTH CASH AND IN-KIND MATCH TOWARD IMPLANTATION OF THE PROJECT. THROUGH OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE BAKER COUNTY SAGE GROUSE LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION TEAM (BAKER LIT) WE ARE WORKING WITH A PRIVATE LANDOWNER IN THE UNITY AREA TO IMPROVE RANGE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH CATTLE GRAZING BY INSTALLATION OF A WATER DEVELOPMENT. THE WATER DEVELOPMENT WILL LEAD TO IMPROVED USE OF THE RANGE AND IMPROVED HABITAT FOR SAGE GROUSE. FUNDS ARE BEING PROVIDED THROUGH AN OWEB FOCUSED INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP (FIP) GRANT THROUGH THE BAKER LIT.THE PBWC CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE IDAHO POWER COMPANY IN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ITS WATER EFFICIENCY PROGRAM IN THE PINE VALLEY.TO PROVIDE BETTER DIRECTION FOR FUTURE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, WE APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED FUNDING FROM OWEB TO UPDATE THE PBWC STRATEGIC PLAN AND DEVELOP A 10-YEAR WATERSHED RESTORATION ACTION PLAN TO GUIDE PBWC RESTORATION ACTIVITIES. WE WILL EMBARK ON THIS PLANNING PROCESS IN 2023.

WATERSHED ASSESSMENT, PLANNING AND MONITORING:AFTER A ONE-YEAR HIATUS DUE TO A BREAK IN FUNDING, AN OWEB GRANT WAS SECURED TO FUND WATER QUALITY MONITORING 2022 THROUGH 2024. IN ADDITION TO MONITORING DONE AS PART OF THE PAST GRANTS, MEASUREMENT OF E. COLI BACTERIA AND PHOSPHOROUS IN THE BURNT RIVER AND CONTINUOUS MONITORING OF DISSOLVED OXYGEN THROUGHOUT THE BASIN WERE ADDED.TO ASSIST THE BAKER LIT MONITOR EFFECTIVENESS OF SAGE GROUSE HABITAT CONSERVATION PROJECTS, THE PBWC WAS AWARDED AND OWEB FIP GRANT TO MONITOR IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS. STAFF WERE HIRED AND MONITORING WAS CONDUCTED ON 20 PROPERTIES SPRING AND FALL OF 2022. ALSO, PER REQUEST OF THE BAKER LIT AND AWARD OF AN OWEB FIP GRANT, PBWC DID FIELD-TRUTHING OF MAPPING PRODUCTS DEVELOPED TO IDENTIFY MESIC HABITATS IN SUPPORT OF FUTURE EFFORTS OF THE BAKE LIT TO IMPROVE MESIC HABITATS FOR SAGE GROUSE.