Lower Clearwater Tributaries Restoration

Cultural Resources
ICF was hired by TNC to conduct a cultural resource survey within the projects Area of Potential Effect, with the records search completed on May 21, 2021 “None of these resources or property types appear within a mile of the study area”, and the ground survey taking place on June 3, 2021.. The final report concluded: “ICF conducted a cultural resources survey, which consisted of a pedestrian survey and the excavation of 13 SPs—two of which were continued with an auger—and one shovel scrape. The survey revealed that sediments across the APE are indicative of alluvial and glaciofluvial deposition, which was expected at these locations. In survey area 1, The cutting and construction associated with the road, berm, and culverts, along with repeated logging events, impacted the natural deposits of this area. Similarly, but to a lesser extent, road construction at survey area 4 has impacted natural deposits there. No cultural resources were identified during the archaeological investigations. Based on the results of the records search and survey presented in this report, the project is not expected to adversely affect cultural resources. Therefore, a finding of “no historic properties affected” is recommended.”

Fish Passage Improvement (Road Crossing Removal)
During the Fall of 2022, we were able to successfully remove and stabilize two failing road crossing culvert positions, with one culvert removal located within Worksite #1 (Dog Leg Creek) and the second culvert removal located within Worksite #2 (Hunt Creek). Post project field monitoring of both sites during the height of winter precipitation in 2023 showed both positions to now be geomorphologically stable and to have adequate and stable channel bottom width to accommodate fish migration. These new stream channel(s) have already begun to naturally meander and reestablish within the old culvert footprint without causing undercutting and mass wasting of the recontoured slopes that bound the new stream. It was estimated that these two culvert removals would collectively make 0.79 miles of previously inaccessible anadromous salmonoid habitat, newly accessible.

Fish Passage Improvement (Blockages Removed or Altered)
Concurrent with the Worksite #1 culvert removal implementation, we were able to replace three 50 year old, failing small diameter culverts (46+50, 54+35, 58+25) along the 1301 road near Dog Leg creek. Because of the existing easements involved with this road that precludes road culvert removal/restoration, we chose to address them with replacement to avoid potential habitat degradation when they eventually failed. 2 Weirs closely located to the culvert removal were also addressed and removed by hand crew during this time period.

Riparian Habitat Project (Forestry Practices/Stand Management)
We were able to exceed our proposed target of 60 acres and completed a total of 152 acres of precommercial thinning using hand crews within both worksites. Our ability to keep cost(s) down whenever possible during the entire project implementation phase allowed us to quickly identify and implement additional thinning in the Fall/Winter of 2022, when construction costs for other restoration goals previously completed were unexpectedly low, leaving us with a small but effective surplus of funds. The additional stand (92 acres) was located along lower Hunt Creek and borders a 100 foot wide (average) patch of creekside old growth (not thinned) directly above lower Hunt Creek. Acres for this thinning unit were reported under Worksite 1 (Clearwater Forest Reserve South) within Prism. Both thinning stands (152 acres total) selected were adjacent to major salmonoid-bearing tributaries that had both been final harvested under 15 years ago. Our thinning protocol focused on meeting goals for structural diversity and future large wood recruitment for adjacent streams. This was accomplished by creating openings and “skips” that will crea

1. Increase pacific Pacific salmon, particularly coho, productivity by increasing the quality and quantity of salmon rearing habitat in the lower reaches of the Clearwater River watershed.
2. Restore the landscape of physical and ecological processes associated with the low gradient, complex off-channel habitat for the benefit of anadromous Pacific salmon and other fish species in the Queets and Clearwater River watersheds.