Mainstem Touchet Project Area 15 Design

Columbia Conservation District sponsored the Touchet River Project Area 15 for Design. The project area is located between Dayton and Waitsburg, North of Highway 12, and East/West of Ward Rd in Columbia County, WA. The project covers 1.5 miles and between river mile (RM) 19 and RM 20.5 as represented in the 2020 Upper Touchet River Geomorphic Assessment Restoration Plan. Preliminary designs were developed that, once implemented, will address key limiting factors including floodplain connectivity, channel complexity, excess sediment transport capacity, pool frequency, and water temperatures. These limiting factors will be addressed by removing or modifying encroaching features, placing large woody material instream and in the floodplain, enhancement of existing gravel bars to promote channel complexity, assess the possibility to modify public county infrastructure, and revegetation. The project area falls within a major spawning area and is within a priority restoration reach. We look to restore and protect spawning, migration, and over wintering habitat for Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed summer steelhead, juvenile rearing bull-trout, and non-ESA listed reintroduced spawning/juvenile rearing spring Chinook.

Our goals are increase spawning/juvenile/adult holding for Endangered Species Act listed Snake River steelhead migration/overwintering habitats. This project will also improve spawning/juvenile habitats for spring Chinook (re-introduced)n and improve juvenile rearing habitats for migratory bull trout. By increasing river complexity, available floodplain, creating a higher pool frequency, and promotd increased sediment sorting and distribution. Through this project specific actions will be developed as part of the design process including large wood placement and potentially levee removal with associate setback.