Elochoman River Community Riparian Restoration

The project implemented riparian restoration in partnership with 7 non-industrial private ownerships who participated in the Elochoman River Knotweed Treatment project. The successful treatment of knotweed resulted in bare ground which this project treated by planting woody riparian buffers. The project proposed metrics includes the mileage of river treated for knotweed. The actual project accomplished metrics are quite lower. However, the acreage planted far eclipsed the proposed acreage. The district had enivisoned numerous small parcel engaging in the opportunity. Participating landowners ended up consisting of larger parcels with more extensive knotweed infestations. Several issues surfaced resulting in less participation than even the district anticipated. Considerable concern surfaced over concerns with buffer widths being reported from news articles regarding the state position on riparian buffers. Knotweed treatment was extended on additional treatment window. This resulted in concern regarding the soil residual nature of the chemical of choice for treating knotweed. Conservation District staff worked with 7 landowners to draft conservation district plan of operations (Plan) covering site preparation, planting, and maintenance practices used to ensure successful establishment of the riparian buffers.

There are several concerns with restoration metrics that warrant further clarification. The original grant proposal indicated that 62.4 miles of stream was to be treated while the final metric is only 3.3 miles. When we proposed the project there was 62.4 miles of streambank being treated for knotweed in the watershed. We were encouraged by RCO and the LCFRB to recognize this number because it represented the opportunity that existed for riparian restoration. Under the riparian habitat project metrics 20.23 miles miles of streambank was anticipated for actual riparian restoration treatment. The final metric was only 3.3 miles. Wahkiakum Conservation District was as concerned about this number as we feel that RCO is. Landowners expressed considerable concern with continued engagement with government. The primary concern was with several articles primarily within the Capital Press regarding the governor and tribal push for requiring big buffers along salmon bearing streams. Many landowners declined to participate due to anticipated buffer widths and fear of continued regulation. Interesting enough, estimated metrics for acres treated was 20.23 acres while the final metric was 50.6 acres. The estimated buffer width was originally 35 feet while the final metric was 132 feet. The landowners that did engage with the district tended to enroll a wider buffer width and therefore more acreage than estimated. Wahkiakum Conservation District feels that the 20.23 anticipated miles would have been close to reality without all the political turmoil regarding stream buffers in the news. The balance of restoration metrics was generally met. For example, continued weed control was estimated at 30 scres but the final metric was 50.6 acres, Other than stream miles treated, Wahkiakum Conservation District contends that the final metric is fairly consistent with the utilized funding (25% of the funding expended. Only 16% of stream miles proposed was achieved however 250% of buffer acres and 377% of buffer width was realized.

The goal of this project is to support diverse native riparian habitat for the protection and recovery of Lower Columbia Chinook, coho, chum, and steelhead. This will be achieved by treating invasive knotweed infestations in the Elochoman River watershed