Walker Ranch Restoration Project - Klamath

The Klamath Tribes restoration program is a collaborative effort to identify, design and implement restoration projects on private lands. The Klamath Tribes works with USFWS, ODFW, and Trout Unlimited to find private landowners with lands adjacent to streams to identify issues that affect water quality, fish habitat or riparian habitat and work with the land owner to find solutions to the problems. The Klamath Tribe program is an adaptive management approach that will collect data, use historic data, and use ongoing monitoring studies to assess the effects of the restoration project and make adjustment to the restoration program as needed. The Klamath Tribes expects to conduct 3-5 five projects per year depending on size and complexity of the project.



ACTIVITIES

Stream Enhancement: Placing logs, rocks, and root wads in streams to improve spawning habitat for salmonids. Funding will be used to obtain, transport material, beaver dam analogs and place logs in the Sycan River and Snake Creek.



Planting/Caging: Cattle grazing, beaver, and other native wildlife have made establishing woody shrubs and trees along the riparian corridor difficult if not impossible. By planting native trees and shrubs and caging the new planting and existing trees and shrubs already present within the riparian habitat of Snake Creek we will greatly improve habitat conditions. Trees and shrubs will increase soil stability, increase nutrient filtration, and provide shade to streams.



Off-Stream Watering for Cattle: In situations where livestock do not have access to water (except that which is in the river) the current laws states that irrigation canals are not allowed to be charged even for stock water (unless in a drought year). In these scenarios, the landowner must utilize the riparian pastures so water is available to the cattle, and the livestock then spend an inordinate amount of time in the riparian area, degrading the riparian habitat along the Williamson River. By installing off-stream watering in the pasture using a centrifugal pump in an existing pond, this project will maintain and improve riparian condition, and eliminate the need to put livestock into the riparian pasture, streams and rivers. The Klamath Tribes will work with the landowner and/or ranch manager to assess the effectiveness of the restoration activities and develop adaptive management actions to meet restoration goals. This will also result in the landowner providing a fenced off riparian habitat. Both Sycan River and Snake Creek have already had riparian fencing installed.



The landowner has an existing watering facility installed in 2002 utilizing an artisan well. During the drought of 2022 the facility was unable to produce sufficient water for his livestock. The current watering facility also has problem with creating water ponding and run off issues. The proposal will include installing a new well with pump and solar power to provide water. It will also include installing new troughs and drain system for better function and reduce waste and erosion.



A second watering system is located on the South West portion of the property. This system has and existing power and pump system that is turned on manually. The project proposes installing a new trough and an automatic shutoff system to better facilitate watering livestock.



Fish Passage Improvement: An undersized culvert is located on Snake Creek that the landowner needs to access a portion of his property. The project proposal will install a bridge approximately 12 feet wide and 20 feet long. This will increase fish passage, reduce erosion and prevent culvert failure.

The result of The Klamath Tribes Restoration Program will be improved water quality, improved fish habitat and riparian habitat improvement. The Klamath Tribes Restoration program will use an adaptive management approach to collect data, conduct project monitoring that will provide more insight on effectiveness of restoration projects and suggestions to improve the program. The program also strives to achieve better communication and coordination between the Klamath Tribes, USFWS, non-Government agencies and landowners.





TRACKING METRICS



Reports will document how many projects were implemented, how many miles of stream were restored, monitored or analyzed. Reports of how many acres were planted/cages or fenced off will be produced as well.