Tucannon River Habitat Restoration, PA-32

The Columbia Conservation District will used this grant, leveraged with Bonneville Power Administration funding, to construct the planned habitat restoration actions on Project Area (PA) 32, located between river miles 14.65-16.1 on the Tucannon River. The goals were to improve floodplain connectivity and channel complexity to improve the quantity and quality of riparian habitat and winter rearing habitat for Chinook and steelhead, reduce redd scour, and reduce pre-smolt emigration from the project reach. The sponsor installed 36 large wood instream and 15 large wood floodplain structures to improve in-stream habitat conditions, and provide increased connectivity and floodplain roughness. The project also set back 1,200 feet of levee for additional floodplain access. During the design process it was determined that shorter length of levee was sufficient to protect agricultural fields than was originally estimated. These actions addressed identified limiting factors in the Snake River Salmon Recovery Plan (2011) and provided multiple life cycle benefits for Endangered Species Act listed Spring Chinook, Snake River steelhead, and Bull Trout.

Improve floodplain connectivity and flood frequency to the point that riparian habitat quantity and quality can re-establish and be supported by natural process. The sponsor installed large wood structures in-channel and on the floodplain, and set back a levee. The work benefits Chinook salmon and steelhead.