Elk Creek Watershed Council Support

Salmonid Restoration Planning and Assessments

Project ID	OWEB 220-021-16928
Recovery Domains	-
Start Date	07/01/2019
End Date	11/18/2021
Year	2019
Status	Completed
Last Edited	04/11/2024

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Description

This project provided funding for the Coordinator/Executive Director, and operations of the Elk Creek Watershed Council in the 2019-2021 biennium.

Council identified limiting factors include habitat access and quality, water quality, and knowledge gaps.

In the 2019-2021 biennium, the Council implemented five(5)instream habitat and riparian improvement projects, was awarded funding for an additional two (2) projects, and implemented four (4) upland projects to improve water quality. A Strategic Restoration Plan for the Elk Creek Watershed was completed in 2019, and the Council received funding to develop an Action Plan for the Big Tom Folley Watershed. The Council continued work on landowner outreach with funding from the BLM RAC, though the Councils annual Free Lunch program was cancelled due to Covid-19 concerns.

In addition to the restoration work in the Elk Creek Watershed, the Council was actively engaged in Umpqua Basin regional efforts. The Council continued to administer the funding grants for both the Douglas County CREP program and the Douglas County Weed Control program. A successful BLM RAC grant allowed the 2021 Weed Control program to continue in spite of the lack of OWEB funds.

Project Benefit

The Elk Creek Watershed contains more than 300 miles of stream habitat for coho and Chinook salmon and steelhead species within the Council boundaries .
Limiting factors include:
Habitat Access - Impaired access to habitat;
Hydrograph/water quantity - Altered hydrology;
Knowledge Gaps - Lack of Information;
Physical habitat quality - Altered quality of physical habitat;
Water Quality -Altered physical, chemical, or biological water characteristics.

The council’s 2018 Action Plan focuses largely on fish recovery actions. In the past 2 years the council has assisted with the development of eleven restoration projects that address salmon and/or steelhead and their habitats. The coordinator will utilize watershed assessments, action plans and relevant Recovery Plans to develop a prioritized list of future restoration and monitoring projects.

Source

Funds

State

$122,900

In-Kind Volunteers

$6,350

Report Total:

$129,250

Worksites

16928

Worksite Identifier: 16928
Start Date:
End Date:

Area Description

No Area Description data was found for this worksite.

Location Information

Basin:
Subbasin:
Watershed:
Subwatershed:

State:
Recovery Domain:
Latitude: 43.65595871
Longitude: -123.32570978

ESU

Oregon Coast Chinook Salmon ESU
Oregon Coast Steelhead DPS
Oregon Coast Coho Salmon ESU

Map

Photos

Metrics

B.0 Salmonid Restoration Planning and AssessmentsY (Y/N)

. . B.0.a Planning And Assessment Funding 129,250.00
. . B.0.b.1 Area Encompassed 187,090.0

. . B.1 Restoration Planning And CoordinationY (Y/N)

. . . . B.1.a Planning and Coordination funding 129,250.00

. . . . B.1.b.4 Watershed council supportY (Y/N)

. . . . . . B.1.b.4.a
Name of plan developed or implemented

Final ESA Recovery Plan for Oregon Coast Coho Salmon, National Marine Fisheries Service Northwest Region, 2016

. . . . . . B.1.b.4.b

Description of the Plan

This project supports local watershed councils by providing capacity to engage in salmonid recovery planning and coordination. The Recovery Plan(s) indicate state and local collaboration and partnerships, especially in the form of watershed councils, are needed to successfully implement Recovery Plan actions and refer to the Oregon Plan. The Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds (1997) provides the governance structure for implementing restoration in Oregon and specifically charges these watershed councils with the task of developing and implementing watershed improvement projects. Additionally, the Oregon Plan indicates that, in order to complete these tasks, watershed councils require funding to provide for stable infrastructure and support for council activities.