White Salmon Delta Habitat Enhancement Planning & Assessment

Project staff originally assessed 12 acres of delta habitat at the mouth of the White Salmon River with the Columbia River (see Figure#1 in attached progress report). It was determined that river aggradation at the upstream portion and east bank of the White Salmon River project area were responding well with natural revegetation and accumulated river cobbles. These areas were not subject to the same degree of pool ramping/juvenile stranding events and would continue to respond favorably to natural river processes over time. The project team then concentrated efforts in the 5.7 acres on the river bar where post-Condit Dam sediments remained in place (see Figure#2 in attached progress report). This Planning and Assessment grant was used to develop design plans and permit submittals (Joint Aquatic Resource Permit Application – available upon request). To support additional information requested by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), a Basis of Design technical memo was developed (see Attachment A in attached progress report).

Specific planning and assessment tasks associated with this project included the following:

• Design development and review
• Permitting (County Shoreline, Section 106, Section 401, and Section 404). Planting & Revegetation Survival Plan (a component of the 404 permit). All final permits available upon request.
• Construction contracting (bid development, response review, contractor selection, and contracting).

This project addressed factors that limit productivity of Middle Columbia River Steelhead (threatened), Lower Columbia River Chinook (threatened), Lower Columbia River Coho (threatened), pink salmon, bull trout (threatened), and Pacific lamprey. Specifically this project established the source of funds to conduct planning and assessment activities to rehabilitate shallow delta habitats identified as “impaired habitats” within the Recovery Plan. Project created side channels that maintain wetted channel area and habitat complexity during low pool conditions to reduce stranding. As White Salmon river summer water temperatures are cooler than the mainstem Columbia, these newly created habitats will also provide safe rearing habitats for outmigration salmonids from outside the White Salmon Subbasin.