Middle Methow River Acquisition RM 48.7

The Methow Salmon Recovery Foundation (MSRF) acquired 17.13 acres of riparian and side channel habitat at RM 48.7 of the Methow River. Property includes active floodplain, side channel, and limited upland area. The property was successfully acquired on 01/31/2012. A Deed of Right restriction was placed on the property coincedent with closing.
The middle Methow is a Category 2 watershed, in which habitat protection actions are a Tier 1 priority. The Upper Columbia Biological Strategy states protecting habitat “to allow unrestricted stream channel migration, complexity, and floodplain function [should be the] highest priority for protecting biological productivity” (RTT 2008). Acquisition will protect seasonal side channel, floodplain, & riparian habitat from residential development & will provide opportunities for active restoration in the side channel. These habitats are currently functioning well and provide habitat diversity, water storage, and critical rearing, refuge, and migratory habitat for ESA listed spring Chinook, summer steelhead, and bull trout. The property supports some of the highest densities of summer Chinook spawning in the river. The objectives of the project were fully met. Complexity actions were completed within the active side channel, floodplain, and riparian areas. Actions also addressed historic tresspass and removal of both fill and debris.
MSRF and partners are implementing a reach-based study to identify, prioritize and support restoration and monitoring actions in the middle Methow. This project site was identified through that effort. USGS now operates a PIT-tag detector in the lower end of the property to identify fish usage of the side channel outlet alcove. Data collected has been used to develop a baseline for effectiveness monitoring for future restoration. Acquisition has allowed restoration actions to be developed/implemented in next five years. Monitoring was initiated prior to construction and repeated at the conclusion of construction to help ground truth USGSs operating theory that side channel complexity actions will result in measurable benefit to TES salmonid species. Monitoring efforts will continue for three to five years.

The goal of this project is to to acquire and protect 17 acres of riparian and side channel habitat along the Methow River. The acquisition will protect seasonal side channel, floodplain and riparian habitat from residential development and will provide opportunities for restoration projects. These habitats are functional and provide habitat diversity, water storage, and critical rearing, refuge and migratory habitat for endangered spring Chinook, upper Columbia River summer steelhead, which the federal government has listed as threatened with extinction under the Endangered Species Act, and bull trout. Restoration actions completed are intended to expand functional habitat area and duration available for rearing and spawning.