Nicolai-Wickiup Watershed Connectivity and Tidal Restoration - PHASE II

This project is located in Agency Creek and Warren Slough, directly adjacent to the Lewis & Clark National Wildlife Refuge on the OR shoreline of the Columbia River (CR) within the Big Creek- Frontal CR (HUC 10). In the project area, foraging and rearing habitat for all local and upriver stocks of juvenile salmonids are limited by past land use (rail/hwy and ag.) developments. Restoration efforts will focus on the enhancement of CR mainstem-adjacent habitat at the base of the Nicolai-Wickiup watershed bisected by the railroad, reestablishing juvenile salmonid access to rearing habitats. The projects will expand several existing openings and create new openings in the railroad prism providing access to rearing habitat for salmonids. New railroad breaches, reducing velocities at existing openings, and channel excavation will significantly reduce the distances between existing available habitat patches, increase wetland capacity, and restore natural hydrologic connectivity. Project activities include Estuarine channel modification, culvert removal, dike and berm removal, and planting. Partners include North Coast Land Conservancy (NCLC), Columbia Land Trust (CLT), Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and three private landowners.
This project (23016) is paired with OWEB #224-1035-23722 Nicolai-Wickiup Watershed Connectivity and Tidal Restoration Project – update. Additional funds were added to this project effort by way of a new grant (23722) and the metrics have been parsed accordingly.

This project is specifically designed to benefit juvenile salmonids. While the projects will restore access to several small streams that could serve as spawning grounds we do not anticipate significant use of those by adult
salmon.

The proposed project is part of a larger ecosystem-based restoration effort in the CRE to increase habitat connectivity and address limiting factors affecting the recovery of all 13 Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed
Columbia River adult and juvenile salmonids. Limiting factors include impaired and diminished spawning and rearing habitat as well as disconnected food-web associations. The project goals are to increase the quality of and access to important habitats critical to all Columbia River salmonid Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs). Additionally, project goals related to access and habitat improvements will increase watershed resiliency to existing and predicted increases in storm events and sea level rise (SLR), enhance ecosystem functions such as improving food-web connections, nutrient flux, tidal hydrology, and natural sediment processes.

The project is primarily intended to restore connectivity to historically connected tidal wetlands. Connecting historic shallow water habitats that will serve as off-channel foraging and rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids that are moving downriver on their way to the ocean. Survivorship of juvenile salmonids in the ocean is largely related to their size upon ocean entry, which means that locating sufficient food resources during outmigration is crucial. The four sites that make up this project reside in an incredibly important location for benefiting these fish. The upstream most project at E. Aldrich is in the freshwater reach, while the downstream most project at Wolf Bay is
approximately at the upstream limits of salt intrusion into the Columbia Estuary.

Agency Cr. and Warren Slough are the only two being brought forward in this years grant round. Measurable post-restoration outcomes from these include:
• The removal of 100-feet of railroad berm/levee
• The removal of 2 hydrologic constrictions, both near complete fish barriers
• Improved fish accessibility to nearly 1 stream mile
• 43.93 acres of tidal floodplain habitat will be restored and accessible to salmonids.

The project will provide lasting ecological benefits by breaching railroad infrastructure, restoring fish access, and reestablishing hydrologic connectivity to CRE tidal wetland habitats.