White Salmon River Fish Passage and Habitat Restoration

This project was a complement to the completed 2009 PCSRF Rattlesnake and Indian Cr. Fish Passage and Wetland Habitat Enhancement Project (#2009-4-01). The habitat has continued to improve through these efforts. This project complemented the work done by the Underwood Conservation Districts (UCD) RCO projects #15-1298R and #13-1409 and they are recording their accomplishments separately.

A significant change that occurred from the originally planned project was that work planned for the Gooseberry Meadow worksite could not occur because a new landowner purchased the property that contains this site between the time of the project design and implementation, and was not interested in the restoration work, so funding for this portion of the restoration was redirected to other fish-accessible sites in the watershed (grouped under worksite #2), including the Stevens and Markgraf family properties, Uno Bull, Jebe Swale, and various riparian fencing locations throughout Upper Rattlesnake Creek Basin.

Specific tasks that occurred at each of the two worksites were:

Worksite #1 (Dunkard Meadows)($14,990): 0.47 miles of instream habitat was treated and monitored, including the placement of 30 individual unanchored log and rock channel structures, which created 30 new pools within the channel. Around 0.8 miles of streambank was stabilized as a result of vegetation planted to stabilize streambank and improve the riparian condition. Around 0.24 riparian acres were planted with Populus balsamifera (Black cottonwood), Cornus sericea (red-osier dogwood), Salix spp. (willows) species.
Proposed fencing for livestock exclusion did not occur because the evaluation of the site found that the site was not well-suited for fencing. Cattle here are actively managed and do not affect the riparian corridor as anticipated, and maintenance of fencing would be challenging because of difficult site access.

2) Worksite #2 (Spans multiple locations in the Middle and Upper portions of Rattlesnake Creek watershed)($165,010): 1.1 miles of instream habitat was treated and monitored, where 5 individual unanchored log channel structures were placed along .56 miles, and treating 1.85 acres of streambed creating 5 new pools. Vegetation was planted to stabilize the streambank and improve the riparian condition on 0.75 miles of streambank and a total or 2.5 riparian acres were planted with the following species: Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp dogbane), Asclepias speciosa (showy milkweed), Cornus sericea (redosier dogwood), Holodiscus discolor (oceanspray), Mahonia aquifolium (tall Oregon grape), Quercus garryana (Oregon white oak), Populus balsamifera (black cottonwood), Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) and Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine).

13.75 miles of fencing was constructed to excluding cattle grazing along of streambank protecting 315 acres. Also at an ongoing restoration site on the White Salmon River adjacent to Northwestern Park, crews successfully pumped water from the White Salmon River and ran hoses throughout to the new site, watering all the plants planted previously under a different project by hand once every three weeks. Since the site is very exposed to sun and desiccating winds, and lacks soil or soil structure to retain moisture, irrigation may have made a significant difference in survival for plants on the project site.

These funds also contributed to the development of the designs on the preferred alternatives.

The attached final revised progress report has more details about specific work that occurred and the timeline.

This project addresses habitat limiting factors (high stream temperatures, low summer/ high peak flows, lack of woody debris and riparian vegetation) in the White Salmon basin and one of its largest tributaries. Large woody debris (LWD) installations in the middle and lower reaches of Rattlesnake will benefit anadromous fish habitat, providing refuge and structure for trapping spawning gravels and adding complexity. Restoration of incised channels and meadows in upper Rattlesnake Creek will help restore natural hydrologic processes and improve flow, water temperature and sediment downstream. Actions include construction of riparian cattle exclusion and watering development; in-stream treatments to address headcutting and flashiness and recharge headwater meadow complexes; riparian revegetation to reduce stream temperatures, stabilizing streambanks and recruiting LWD; and monitoring watershed changes. This project also assists with ongoing activities such as irrigation at a 2.8-ac. restoration site on the White Salmon mainstem downstream of Rattlesnake subbasin, where the YN planted over 7500 native plants.