FY19 JSKT Dungeness Salmonid Recovery and Riparian Habitat Restoration Planning and Coordination

[WORKSITE: JSKT Admin/NR Offices] Actual Start Date: ~8/01/21
[Note: Activities for this WORKSITE largely covered October 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021, time period, due to some overlap with FY2018 award which extended to September 30, 2021].


1) Planning for riparian habitat restoration and protection projects in the Dungeness and Sequim Bay watersheds.
This task focused on riparian habitat restoration and protection within the lower 11 miles of the Dungeness riparian corridor and relevant shorelines. Tribal staff continued to work toward implementing riparian protection/restoration actions, such as planning for imminent engineered log jam projects, the Rivers Edge Restoration project (levee setback), and the Dungeness River Nature Center floodplain restoration project. The Tribe also pursued riparian land acquisitions or easements for riparian restoration and protection purposes. This included implementing related due diligence (such as performing appraisals, planning for bulkhead, rip-rap or other human-made infrastructure removal, permitting, and writing or updating related stewardship plans for those relevant parcels, etc.).
[Worktype: Coordination on implementing recovery plan]

2) Providing technical assistance to partners planning and implementing restoration projects benefiting ESA-listed salmonids.
Habitat Program and Environmental Planning staff continued to engage with partners by providing technical assistance on relevant riparian or estuary restoration and protection projects. The Tribe partnered with the Dungeness River Nature Center and assisted with design work related to removal of a dike located on the east side of the Dungeness River Railroad Bridger landing.
[Worktype: Evaluation and analyses of restoration projects]

3) Coordinating activities related to ESA-listed salmonid recovery and watershed restoration.
a) The Tribe continued its leadership role on the Dungeness River Management Team (DRMT), meeting monthly to discuss potential projects, concerns and partnerships within the Dungeness Watershed (or Puget-Sound wide concerns impacting the Dungeness). Tribal staff coordinated and participated in DRMT meetings, prepared and distributed meeting notes, and assisted coordination of a new DRMT committee (Dungeness Water Resources Technical Group). Staff also attended meetings of other relevant planning or restoration groups (such as the North Olympic Peninsula Lead Entity Group), and continued to review and evaluate salmon recovery projects as part of that group.
[Worktypes: Coordination on implementing Recovery Plan (Chinook); Evaluation and analyses of restoration projects.]


[WORKSITE: Point-No-Point Treaty Council Offices] Actual Start Date: 01/01/21 (and end date: December 31, 2021)

b) This task also included salmon recovery planning/assessment activities appointed by Jamestown to the Point-No-Point Treaty Council (Treaty Council), such as: 1) assisting in riparian salmonid habitat protection and restoration planning; 2) designing projects that address factors limiting the productivity and viability of ESA-listed Pacific anadromous salmonids; 3) refining and implementing the ESA-listed Puget Sound Steelhead Recovery Plan, while continuing to implement and adaptively manage using the HCCC Hood Canal/Strait of Juan de Fuca Summer Chum Salmon Recovery Plan; and, 4) participating in other recovery forums, processes and initiatives focused on improving salmonid productivity and viability in the region.
[Worktypes: Coordination on implementing Recovery Plan (Chinook); Coordination on developing Recovery Plan (steelhead); Evaluation and analyses of restoration projects.]

This project will allow the Tribe’s Habitat Program and Environmental Planning Program staff to continue habitat restoration planning efforts necessary to promote salmonid/treaty resource recovery. Technical assistance to and partnerships with restoration groups will target key factors limiting salmonid productivity, including low flows, undesirable channel morphology, and other habitat impairments. Treaty Council efforts allow us to extend our planning and coordinating capacity.