CTUIR Ceded Area Subbasin Priority Natural Resource Acquisitions

The project works in conjunction with each of the CTUIR’s Subbasin Anadromous Fish Habitat Projects to identify and seek permanent protection for high value habitats and water rights through fee title acquisition and conservation easements and purchase of grazing and forest management rights to provide watershed conservation benefits. An emphasis is placed on habitats of high value and areas of high restoration potential benefiting the productivity of ESA-listed Pacific salmonids, as described in habitat objectives and restoration strategies in the 2004 NPCC Subbasin Plans, and the Mid-C Steelhead and Snake River ESA Recovery Plans.



This proposal includes work that is crucial to the finalization of a large conservation easement that will benefit ESA-listed fish and tribal First Foods. The CTUIR will spend the secured funds to enhance an existing well located within the boundary of privately owned land within an approximately 1000-acre conservation easement in Pendleton OR along Birch Creek. The existing agreement will allow the land owner to irrigate 2.23 acres of land. To utilize the existing well, the CTUIR will replace the existing pump, casing, and install a buried irrigation line to deliver water to the small parcel of land. The CTUIR has identified the Birch Creek watershed as an area of high priority due to once being a primary producer of the Umatilla River’s steelhead population.



This water right is associated with the larger water rights transfer as part of the Umabirch Conservation Easement. As part of the CE benefits, the landowner would retain this small water right and move the surface irrigation Point of Diversion (POD) from Birch Creek to groundwater to irrigate the 2.23 acres. This will allow about 3.5 cfs of surface water rights in Birch Creek and the Umatilla River to be left instream for fish and natural resource benefits and pivotal in the entire CE and instream water rights transfer to be accomplished.



The PCSRF providing funds to upgrade the PA-3 well has a pivotal role in the conservation easement being completed, protecting almost 1000 acres including about 250 acres of floodplain/river bottom habitat, about 3.5 cfs not to be diverted and left instream for flow benefits and allow for large-scale floodplain restoration on three project areas for about 4 miles of river habitat directly benefitting ESA listed steelhead and other key anadromous and resident fish species.



* Note: This project was amended in October 2023 from the previous description, which was a land acquisition project.

Worksite #1 Proposed Work:

Worksite: The project is located next to the town of Reith approximately 3 miles West of Pendleton, Oregon. The site location of the well is adjacent to the county bridge upstream from Taylor Lane. PCSRF secured funds will be used specifically for the well enhancement. The well enhancement includes: a new casing, new pump, and buried pipeline to deliver the water to the parcel. The pipeline will have to be trenched. The diameter of the pipeline will be (approximately 2-3”) plastic pipe to a depth of about three feet. The well has been tested within the last two years and easily can produce the small volume needed to maintain his water right.

Benefits will be achieved through the protection and restoration of natural physical and ecological processes and resulting habitat and water quality improvements. Impacts from development and resource extraction actions that might degrade aquatic habitats and limit fish production will be eliminated. ESA species: summer steelhead, other species: spring Chinook, coho salmon, pacific lamprey, freshwater mussels, and other miscellaneous resident fish.