Lower Clackamas River Habitat Assessment & Project Prioritization

Salmonid Restoration Planning and Assessments

Project ID	OWEB 220-8207-17288
Recovery Domains	Willamette River
Start Date	07/01/2019
End Date	03/03/2022
Year	2019
Status	Completed
Last Edited	05/03/2024

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Description

This project provided an assessment of conditions and the identification of project opportunities in the lower 24 miles of the Clackamas River, from the River Mill Dam downstream to the confluence with the Willamette River. This project assessed conditions, identified a broad suite of restoration opportunities, and prioritized projects that will guide Clackamas River Basin Council’s decision-making for years to come. A total of 43 restoration project sites were identified and ranked. Feasibility designs were developed for the two top-ranked projects, along with a memo that details alternative analyses, design considerations, project feasibility, and an assessment of opportunities and constraints. The effort produced a prioritized restoration plan that can be used to effectively guide implementation of actions to restore native fish populations. Project partners include members of the Clackamas Partnership Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) including Portland General Electric, Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, North Clackamas County Parks & Recreation District, Metro, U.S. Forest Service, Clackamas River Basin Council and Clackamas Water Environment Services.

Project Benefit

The project will identify restoration actions to directly benefit salmon and steelhead and the habitat they utilize for spawning and rearing. The project includes an evaluation of all potential restoration opportunities that provide the most critical habitat value for ESA listed salmonids and other fish native to the study reach. Projects previously identified will be further analyzed and re-prioritized along with the entire suite of off-channel restoration actions identified through this effort. Specific instream projects identified through this effort will aim to increase floodplain connectivity at higher frequency and longer duration which will provide critical rearing opportunities for juvenile salmonids that is lacking in the lower Clackamas River.

CRBC will contract with a water resource engineering design firm which will have a multidisciplinary design team of scientists, geomorphologists and engineers with qualifications to successfully conduct watershed assessment, site selection and design of fisheries and riparian habitat restoration. Evaluation of potential sites will focus on criteria for the enhancement of summer and winter refugia for downstream migrating juvenile coho, spring Chinook salmon and steelhead habitat as well as spawning habitat for winter steelhead and fall Chinook salmon that spawn throughout the lower Clackamas basin . The firm selected will facilitate development of a prioritization method based on the Lower Columbia River Conservation and Recovery Plan-Project Prioritization Tool or other locally accepted prioritization method.

Source

Funds

State

$74,998

Other

$5,030

In-Kind Donated Labor

$6,900

In-Kind Other

$1,000

Report Total:

$87,928

Worksites

17288

Worksite Identifier: 17288
Start Date:
End Date:

Area Description

No Area Description data was found for this worksite.

Location Information

Basin:
Subbasin:
Watershed:
Subwatershed:

State: Oregon
Recovery Domain: Willamette River
Latitude: 45.21159351
Longitude: -122.24029265

ESU

Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon ESU
Columbia River Chum Salmon ESU
Lower Columbia River Steelhead DPS
Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon ESU
Upper Willamette River Chinook Salmon ESU

Map

Photos

Metrics

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

. . B.0.a Planning And Assessment Funding 87,927.94
. . B.0.b.1 Area Encompassed .0

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

. . . . B.1.a Planning and Coordination funding 87,927.94

. . . . B.1.b.8 Conducting habitat restoration scoping and feasibility studiesY (Y/N)

. . . . . . B.1.b.8.a

Name of plan implemented

National Marine Fisheries Service Northwest Region, 2013-06-01, ESA Recovery Plan for Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon, Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon, Columbia River Chum Salmon, and Lower Columbia River Steelhead; Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2010-08-01, Lower Columbia River Conservation and Recovery Plan for Oregon Populations of Salmon and Steelhead; Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2016-01-01, Oregon Conservation Strategy ; National Marine Fisheries Service Northwest Region, 2013-06-01, ESA Recovery Plan for Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon, Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon, Columbia River Chum Salmon, and Lower Columbia River Steelhead; Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2010-08-01, Lower Columbia River Conservation and Recovery Plan for Oregon Populations of Salmon and Steelhead; Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2016-01-01, Oregon Conservation Strategy.

. . . . . . B.1.b.8.b

Description and scope of the plan implemented

ESA Recovery Plan - Section 4.1.1 identifies tributary habitat limiting factors including many of the same factors impacting the lower Clackamas River., , Oregon Conservation Strategy - Core Opportunity Area (COA) #65 - Lower Clackamas River and tributaries. Area extends from the Willamette River COA upstream to Estacada and includes floodplain, tributaries, and upland habitats., , Lower Columbia River Conservation & Recovery Plan - The plan identifies loss of or impaired habitat due to either lost access to off channel habitat and/or stream straightening, channelization, and lack of large wood recruitment as a key/primary limiting factor and threat for coho, spring and fall Chinook, and winter steelhead. Chapter 5, Section 5.4-Limiting Factors & Threats to Lower Columbia River populations of salmon and steelhead. Limiting Factor 6e Physical habitat quality (impaired habitat complexity and diversity, including access to off-channel habitats).

. . . . B.1.b.12 Developing restoration/action planY (Y/N)

. . . . . . B.1.b.12.a
Name of plan developed

Feasibility Designs and Meo for the Assessment and for Landslide Toe and Clear Creek Confluence Projects.

. . . . . . B.1.b.12.b

Description and scope of the plan developed
Feasibility Designs for the Landslide Toe and Clear Creek Confluence Restoration Projects; as well as a memo and MapBook documenting Restoration Project opportunities in the lower 24 miles of river.