Phase II Finn Rock Reach Floodplain Habitat Restoration Engineering and Permitting

Salmonid Restoration Planning and Assessments

Project ID	OWEB 221-3033-19597
Recovery Domains	-
Start Date	10/26/2021
End Date	08/22/2023
Year	2019
Status	Completed
Last Edited	04/11/2024

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Description

The project provided engineering and permitting assistance to facilitate a middle-McKenzie River floodplain habitat restoration project encompassing approximately 65 acres of floodplain. The consultant developed the engineering necessary for the completion of all required permits to implement restoration actions. They incorporated existing data to complete 2D hydraulic modeling and developed applications and obtained permits necessary to construct the final design. Environmental compliances associated with listed and or sensitive species and adjacent federal and state land were obtained. The watershed issue addressed was degradation of streams. This project reshapes the floodplain and adds substantial amounts of large woody debris to transform the area into a depositional environment with increased permanently wetted surface area, floodplain connection, and habitat complexity.

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

PCSRF

$51,740

Other

$16,202

Report Total:

$67,942

Worksites

19597

Worksite Identifier: 19597
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: 44.1453
Longitude: -122.36338

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 67,941.50
. . B.0.b.1 Area Encompassed 65.0

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

. . . . B.1.a Planning and Coordination funding 67,941.50

. . . . 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; Northwest Power and Conservation Council, 2004-05-28, Northwest Power and Conservation Council Willamette Subbasin Plan; Office of the Governor, State of Oregon, 1999-01-01, The Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds; 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, cites that decreased juvenile salmonid access to rearing habitats was one of five limiting factors to the recovery of salmon in the region. Sub-basin Strategic Action Plan for Aquatic and Riparian Conservation and Restoration (2016) highlighted this property as a high priority for restoration activities. 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 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. Many strategy species 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 lists the Coalition of Land Trusts. 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." 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." The Northwest Power and Conservation Council Willamette Subbasin Plan lists increasing the interaction of rivers and floodplains as a strategy component of Restoring processes that maintain watershed health (p5-22 and 5-23) and connecting favorable habitats by connecting fish to off-channel habitat by reconnecting rivers with floodplains (p 5-25).