ODFW Plan Implementation - Eastside 2022

The purpose of this project was to provide an Implementation Coordinator for the Mid-C conservation and recovery plan and work on ODFWs Beaver Action Plan. The coordinator interacted, coordinated priorities, and tracked accomplishments with the numerous diverse agencies, entities, and individuals involved with implementing the range of strategies and actions across the entire plan area. The East Region IC continued to serve as the Oregon lead on the Bi-State, Tri-Tribal Middle Columbia Steelhead DPS Recovery Steering Committee. The IC continued participation on the Steering Committee’s planning and facilitation team with NMFS, Yakima Fish and Wildlife Recovery Board, and Snake River Salmon Recovery Board staff to coordinate meeting agendas and invited speakers. The IC coordinated with NMFS and East Region Fish Research staff on spatial structure and metric monitoring and drafting a data entry template for the Mid-C Steelhead SS/D Workgroup. The IC participated in the Upper Grande Ronde River Watershed Partnership’s (UGRRWP) Place-Based Water Planning (PBWP) process. The IC attended monthly UGRRWP stakeholder meetings, riparian technical workgroup meetings, and provided technical review comments on the implementation strategy report. The IC also provided review comments on the draft Lower John Day Basin Place-Based Water Planning Report and participated in PSU’s Place-Based Water Planning Workshops to provide feedback on the UGRRWP and OWRD’s PBWP pilot project processes. The IC provided grant review and recovery plan prioritization information for OWEB’s Land Acquisition grant cycle. The IC continued facilitation of the Division 33 Interagency (OWRD-ODFW-ODEQ) Review Team meetings. The team is working on revising the water rights application review processes to improve statewide instream flow and water quality protections for Oregon’s ESA-listed and native fish species. The IC continued involvement on the John Day Basin Partnership’s (JDBP) Steering Committee, Project Tracker Workgroup, and Adaptive Management Workgroup.

The goal of this project is to successfully implement the Mid-C conservation and recovery plan. In order to do this, a coordinator with sole responsibility for plan implementation is required, given the scope of the plan and the likelihood that the level of attention needed for successful implementation of it would not be able to be provided by adding responsibilities to existing staff with full workloads. The goal of the plan is to provide a roadmap of actions for delisting the species addressed from the federal ESA list, and improve and maintain healthy populations of these native fish for the social, economic, and natural benefit of current and future Oregonians.