North Fork Salmon River Habitat Restoration Thomas Property

Salmonid Habitat Restoration and Acquisition

Instream Habitat Riparian Habitat
Project ID011 17 SA
Recovery DomainsSnake River
Start Date07/31/2019
End Date12/20/2019
Year2017
StatusCompleted
Last Edited01/25/2024
 
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Description    


The project improved spawning, rearing, and overwintering habitat for ESA listed Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead trout (O.mykiss) in the North Fork of the Salmon River and Hughes Creek. The project increased habitat complexity, recruited spawning gravels, and created over winter and rearing habitat on private property. Habitat complexity included creating pools, provided cover with the placement of wood, provided staging areas for adult migrating fish, recruitment of spawning gravels, lateral habitat improvement, and increasing bank stabilization by planning riparian vegetation. Proper installation of all of the habitat features were achieved on this project. A biologist and/or engineer was on site for all of the instream channel work. Visual inspection during construction and afterwards is how the project was determined to be successful. All disturbed area was rehabilitated with riparian plants and seed. The habitat features and riparian plants will be monitored for the next several years to determine successful growth. The action outcomes met expectations for this project. Photos are included at the end of this document.

Worksite #1 – North Fork Salmon River
1. Installed three channel spanning weirs, seven engineered log jams, one boulder field with 6 boulder clusters and pools, and one partial channel spanning weir on the North Fork of the Salmon River. The river section is approximately 0.27 miles in length. Pools were excavated at all of these structures. Each structure can affect 3-5 m of stream, depending on site specific hydraulics.
2. Installed riparian vegetation throughout the entire project on both sides of the river. Native vegetation was used to help with bank stabilization, river shading, and habitat. A total of 3.5 acres were planted with native trees, shrubs, and grasses along the North Fork of the Salmon River.
3. Installed a riparian jack fence along 0.20 miles of the North Fork of the Salmon River. The fence is on one side of the river and will protect the riparian zone from cattle grazing.

Worksite #2 – Hughes Creek
1. Installed three channel spanning weirs, two boulder fields, each with two boulder clusters, and nine engineered log jams on Hughes Creek, a tributary to the North Fork of the Salmon River. This river section is approximately 0.32 miles long. Pools were excavated at all of these structures and can affect 3-5 m of stream, depending on site specific hydraulics.
2. Installed riparian vegetation throughout the entire project on both sides of the river. A total of 4.5 acres were planted with native trees, shrubs, and grasses along Hughes Creek.
3. Installed a riparian jack fence along both sides of Hughes Creek. The river section is 0.32 miles long and will protect the riparian zone from cattle grazing.

Project Benefit    


This project work will increase instream channel complexity, increase recruitment and retention of vital spawning gravels, provide resting, rearing, and overwinter habitat, provide bank stabilization, and protect and enhance the riparian vegetation. This will significantly improve habitat conditions for Chinook salmon and Steelhead spawning, rearing, and overwintering conditions. The project area is located in the North Fork of the Salmon River and Hughes Creek basin within the Chinook salmon and steelhead production area. This area currently lacks staging areas, overwintering habitat, habitat complexity, and spawning gravels. As spawning and rearing conditions improve, the number of juveniles surviving in the North Fork to pre-smolt and smolt stages is expected to increase.

Accomplishments

Metric Completed Originally
Proposed
Instream Habitat
  Stream Miles Treated .59 .59
Riparian Habitat
  Stream Miles Treated 1.18 1.18
  Acres Treated 8.0 8.0

Funding Details

SourceFunds
PCSRF$115,800
Other$188,000
Report Total:$303,800


Project Map



Worksites

WS 1: NF Salmon River    


  • Worksite Identifier: WS 1: NF Salmon River
  • Start Date: 07/07/2018
  • End Date: 12/31/2019
Area Description
Salmon River, North Fork

Location Information

  • Basin: Salmon (170602)
  • Subbasin: Middle Salmon-Panther (17060203)
  • Watershed: North Fork Salmon River (1706020306)
  • Subwatershed: Lower North Fork Salmon River (170602030606)
  • State: Idaho
  • Recovery Domain: Snake River
  • Latitude: 45.48322
  • Longitude: -113.9847

ESU

  • Snake River Basin Steelhead DPS
  • Snake River Spring/Summer-run Chinook Salmon ESU

Map

Photos

Metrics

Metrics
  • C.0 Salmonid Habitat Restoration and AcquisitionY (Y/N)
    •      . . C.0.a Habitat restoration and acquisition funding 146,300.00
    •      . . C.0.b Length of stream treated/protected .27
    •      . . C.0.c
      Project identified in a Plan or Watershed Assessment
      NMFS. 2017. ESA Recovery Plan for Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Snake River Basin Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss).
    •      . . C.0.d.1 Project Monitoring (LOV)
    •      . . C.0.d.2 Monitoring Location (LOV)
    •      . . C.4 Instream Habitat ProjectY (Y/N)
      •      . . . . C.4.a Instream Habitat Funding 115,500.00
      •      . . . . C.4.b Total length of instream habitat treated .27
      •      . . . . C.4.c.1 Channel reconfiguration and connectivityY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.2 Type of change to channel configuration and connectivity (LOV)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.3 Miles of stream treated for channel reconfiguration and connectivity .27
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.4 Miles of off-channel stream created through channel reconfiguration and connectivity .00
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.5 Acres of off-channel or floodplain connected through channel reconfiguration and connectivity .0
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.6 Instream pools created/added through channel reconfiguration and connectivity 17
      •      . . . . C.4.d.1 Channel structure placementY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.2 Material used for channel structure (LOV)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.3 Miles of stream treated through channel structure placement .27
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.5 Pools expected to be created through channel structure placement 0
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.7 Number of structures placed in channel 17
      •      . . C.5 Riparian Habitat ProjectY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . C.5.a Riparian Habitat Funding 30,800.00
        •      . . . . C.5.b.1 Total riparian miles streambank treated .54
        •      . . . . C.5.b.2 Total Riparian Acres Treated 3.5
        •      . . . . C.5.c.1 Riparian plantingY (Y/N)
          •      . . . . . . C.5.c.2
            Species of plants planted in riparian
            Salix sp., Amelanchier, Prunus virginiana, Ribes sp., Cornus sericea, Rosa woodsii, Secar sp., Bromar sp., Supinus sp., Geranium maculatum
          •      . . . . . . C.5.c.3 Acres planted in riparian 3.5
        •      . . . . C.5.d.1 FencingY (Y/N)
          •      . . . . . . C.5.d.2 Miles of fence along stream .20

WS 2: Hughes Creek    


  • Worksite Identifier: WS 2: Hughes Creek
  • Start Date: 07/07/2018
  • End Date: 12/31/2019
Area Description
Salmon River, North Fork

Location Information

  • Basin: Salmon (170602)
  • Subbasin: Middle Salmon-Panther (17060203)
  • Watershed: North Fork Salmon River (1706020306)
  • Subwatershed: Hughes Creek (170602030605)
  • State: Idaho
  • Recovery Domain: Snake River
  • Latitude: 45.48395
  • Longitude: -113.9858

ESU

  • Snake River Basin Steelhead DPS
  • Snake River Spring/Summer-run Chinook Salmon ESU

Map

Photos

Metrics

Metrics
  • C.0 Salmonid Habitat Restoration and AcquisitionY (Y/N)
    •      . . C.0.a Habitat restoration and acquisition funding 157,500.00
    •      . . C.0.b Length of stream treated/protected .32
    •      . . C.0.c
      Project identified in a Plan or Watershed Assessment
      NMFS. 2017. ESA Recovery Plan for Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Snake River Basin Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss).
    •      . . C.0.d.1 Project Monitoring (LOV)
    •      . . C.0.d.2 Monitoring Location (LOV)
    •      . . C.4 Instream Habitat ProjectY (Y/N)
      •      . . . . C.4.a Instream Habitat Funding 115,000.00
      •      . . . . C.4.b Total length of instream habitat treated .32
      •      . . . . C.4.c.1 Channel reconfiguration and connectivityY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.2 Type of change to channel configuration and connectivity (LOV)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.3 Miles of stream treated for channel reconfiguration and connectivity .32
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.4 Miles of off-channel stream created through channel reconfiguration and connectivity .00
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.6 Instream pools created/added through channel reconfiguration and connectivity 16
      •      . . . . C.4.d.1 Channel structure placementY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.2 Material used for channel structure (LOV)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.3 Miles of stream treated through channel structure placement .32
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.5 Pools expected to be created through channel structure placement 0
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.7 Number of structures placed in channel 16
      •      . . C.5 Riparian Habitat ProjectY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . C.5.a Riparian Habitat Funding 42,500.00
        •      . . . . C.5.b.1 Total riparian miles streambank treated .64
        •      . . . . C.5.b.2 Total Riparian Acres Treated 4.5
        •      . . . . C.5.c.1 Riparian plantingY (Y/N)
          •      . . . . . . C.5.c.2
            Species of plants planted in riparian
            Salix sp., Amelanchier, Prunus virginiana, Ribes sp., Cornus sericea, Rosa woodsii, Secar sp., Bromar sp., Supinus sp., Geranium maculatum
          •      . . . . . . C.5.c.3 Acres planted in riparian 4.5
        •      . . . . C.5.d.1 FencingY (Y/N)
          •      . . . . . . C.5.d.2 Miles of fence along stream .64