Finn Rock Reach Floodplain Restoration Engineering and Permitting

Salmonid Restoration Planning and Assessments

Project ID	OWEB 220-3035-17418
Recovery Domains	Willamette River
Start Date	04/22/2020
End Date	04/26/2021
Year	2019
Status	Completed
Last Edited	05/03/2024

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Description

The project provided engineering and permitting to facilitate a middle-McKenzie River floodplain habitat restoration project on a side channel of the McKenzie River. With the completion of the engineering and beginning design and permitting process, the project is now ready for a final project design and subsequent restoration implementation. Major project partners include the McKenzie Watershed Council and USFS.

Project Benefit

The resulting project would benefit salmon, steelhead, and other native species in multiple ways by creating more juvenile salmonid rearing habitat.
As previously mentioned, in 2005, the United States National Marine Fishery Service (NMFS) reported to the U.S. Congress that decreased juvenile salmonid access to rearing habitats was one of five limiting factors to the recovery of salmon in the region.
The McKenzie Watershed Council’s Sub-basin Strategic Action Plan for Aquatic and Riparian Conservation and Restoration (2016) highlighted the specific conservation and restoration opportunities at the site. NMFS most recently reported that the Upper Willamette River Chinook is currently at a high risk of extinction (2008 Willamette Project Biological Opinion Executive Summary, pg. 7). The reduced access to off-channel habitat and reduced floodplain function and connectivity were again identified as limiting factors to the recovery of Upper Willamette River Chinook (NMFS, Willamette Project Biological Opinion July 2008; NMFS and State of Oregon, Upper Willamette River Conservation & Recovery Plan for Chinook Salmon & Steelhead, August 2011). The resulting restoration project would provide off-channel refugia, it would restore floodplain connectivity, and it would increase floodplain complexity through the addition of large wood, sediments, and nutrients.

Source

Funds

State

$7,603

Other

$5,805

Report Total:

$13,408

Worksites

17418

Worksite Identifier: 17418
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: 44.14598059
Longitude: -122.36401784

ESU

Upper Willamette River Steelhead DPS
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 13,408.00
. . B.0.b.1 Area Encompassed 85.0

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

. . . . B.1.a Planning and Coordination funding 13,408.00

. . . . B.1.b.11 Engineering/design work for restoration projectsY (Y/N)

. . . . . . B.1.b.11.a

Name of plan implemented

National Marine Fisheries Service Northwest Region and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2011-08-01, Upper Willamette River Conservation and Recovery Plan for Chinook Salmon and Steelhead; Office of the Governor, State of Oregon, 1999-01-01, The Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds; Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2003-09-12, Oregon's Native Fish Conservation Policy; Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2016-01-01, Oregon Conservation Strategy.

. . . . . . B.1.b.11.b

Description and scope of the plan implemented

Upper Willamette River Conservation and Recovery Plan for Chinook Salmon and Steelhead, , In 2005, the United States National Marine Fishery Service (NMFS) reported to the U.S. Congress that decreased juvenile salmonid access to rearing habitats was one of five limiting factors to the recovery of salmon in the region. The Northwest Power Planning Council (NWPPC) has singled out the lower McKenzie River and confluence area as a focus for restoration and protection of just such rearing habitats (Willamette Sub-basin Summary 2002, p.143). The McKenzie Watershed Council’s biological assessment of the McKenzie-Willamette confluence area (2000) highlighted the specific conservation and restoration opportunities at the site. NMFS most recently reported that the Upper Willamette River Chinook is currently at a high risk of extinction (2008 Willamette Project Biological Opinion Executive Summary, pg. 7). The reduced access to off-channel habitat and reduced floodplain function and connectivity were again identified as limiting factors to the recovery of Upper Willamette River Chinook (NMFS, Willamette Project Biological Opinion July 2008; NMFS and State of Oregon, Upper Willamette River Conservation & Recovery Plan for Chinook Salmon & Steelhead, August 2011)., , OR Native Fish Conservation Policy, , Goals:, 1., Prevent the serious depletion of native fish., 2., Maintain & restore naturally produced fish in order to provide substantial ecological, economic and cultural benefits to the citizens of Oregon., 3., Foster & sustain opportunities for fisheries consistent with the conservation of naturally produced fish, Options for Recovery Strategy, 4., Assessment of the primary factors causing the gap between current & desired status and identify those that can be managed, , , Oregon Conservation Strategy, , The Oregon Conservation Strategy states "Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats" as being a significant target for restoration and conservation. Green Island, being at the confluence of the Willamette and McKenzie Rivers, is encompassed within this habitat type. In addition, many strategy species, including red-legged frog, western pond turtle, chinook salmon, Oregon chub, pacific lamprey, western brook lamprey, and cutthroat trout, are all potentially benefited through this restoration project that will result from the Technical Assistance grant-funded analysis and design work., , The Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds, , The Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds lists the Coalition of Land Trusts, which MRT is a member, as a partner organization. One of the stated policies is for statewide riparian management and states "The Policy of the, State of Oregon is to promote land use policies and land management practices that sustain streamside and wetland riparian functions that support desirable water quality, native fish populations, and wildlife across the landscape." MRT is committed to compliance with this policy. The Oregon Plan's stated goals for riparian areas are: "To protect and restore riparian functions in watersheds across the state of Oregon. To achieve clean water and high quality, productive riparian and aquatic habitats to support self-sustaining populations of native fish species."