CTUIR Ceded Area Subbasin Priority Natural Resource Acquisitions

This ongoing (multi-phase) 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 project enabled the renovation of an existing groundwater well to allow groundwater to be used in lieu of surface water rights that will be transferred instream on a conservation easement CTUIR is completing at the confluence of Birch Creek and the Umatilla River. This project also enabled work to begin on the relocation of a second groundwater well out of the floodplain and out of the restoration area (this well relocation was completed through Project 19-Umat-01). The well components supported by this Project were essential to allowing the broader acquisition of the 954.5-acre conservation easement and permanent habitat restoration at the confluence of Birch Creek and the Umatilla River (the cost of acquiring the easement itself will be covered by BPA).



Note: The metrics for this project were split 50/50% with project 19-Umat-01 since they combined to achieve the same goal. The purchase of the easement was not reported in the metrics since this will occur with subsequent funding.

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.