Upper Methow Assess/Design & Protection Strategy

Salmonid Restoration Planning and Assessments

Project ID	19-1470 P
Recovery Domains	Upper Columbia River
Start Date	12/12/2019
End Date	12/31/2022
Year	2019
Status	Completed
Last Edited	01/14/2025

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Description

In partnership with the Methow Conservancy, Cascade Fisheries developed restoration concepts in a two mile reach of the Upper Methow (RM 72-74), where decades of floodplain encroachment have diminished quantity and quality of habitat for ESA-listed spring chinook, summer steelhead, and bull trout. Over the last two decades, the Methow Conservancy has secured (easement and fee simple) many contiguous parcels in this reach, with a goal of protecting existing high-quality habitat and facilitating improved floodplain function.

CF compiled available data, identified and filled data gaps, initiated stakeholder outreach, and developed three restoration concepts and an assessment for a protection strategy in support of working toward developing ecologically beneficial and socially feasible projects in this high-priority reach of the Upper Methow River. Restoration concepts included levee removal, mainstem log jams, and removal of floodplain barriers. Due to the location of many properties within the floodway, the risk to properties identified in hydraulic modeling of proposed conditions for these projects was not substantially different than that of existing conditions. However, the continued private ownership of many parcels, and the existence of several houses in close proximity to the river, supports the need for more extensive protection and possible structure relocation in order to facilitate any substantive restoration project proposed for the reach. CF will continue working with the Methow Conservancy, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, private landowners, and future possible funders to work toward sufficient protection in the reach to enable future large-scale restoration of floodplain processes.

The 2016 PCSRF funds were spent within the award period.

Project Benefit

This project developed three restoration concepts and a protection assessment for this high-priority reach of the Methow River. This work will act as the foundation for future protection and implementation.

Source

Funds

PCSRF

$36,660

Other

$47,031

Report Total:

$83,691

Worksites

1-Upper Methow RM 72-74

Worksite Identifier: 1-Upper Methow RM 72-74
Start Date:
End Date:

Area Description

No Area Description data was found for this worksite.

Location Information

Basin: Upper Columbia (170200)
Subbasin: Methow (17020008)
Watershed: Upper Methow River (1702000802)
Subwatershed: Rattlesnake Creek-Methow River (170200080205)

State: Washington
Recovery Domain: Upper Columbia River
Latitude: 48.63750265
Longitude: -120.48797457

ESU

Upper Columbia River Steelhead DPS
Upper Columbia River Spring-run Chinook Salmon ESU

Map

Photos

Metrics

B.0 Salmonid Restoration Planning and AssessmentsY (Y/N)

. . B.0.a Planning And Assessment Funding 83,691.00
. . B.0.b.1 Area Encompassed 260.0
. . B.0.b.2 Stream Miles Affected 2.00

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

. . . . B.1.a Planning and Coordination funding 77,658.56
. . . . B.1.b.8 Conducting habitat restoration scoping and feasibility studiesY (Y/N)
- . . . . . . B.1.b.8.a
  Name of plan implemented
  
  YN Upper Methow Reach Assessment (2015); RTT biological strategy (2017)
- . . . . . . B.1.b.8.b
  Description and scope of the plan implemented
  
  Highest priority assessment unit in the Methow Subbasin (RTT Biological Strategy, 2017)
. . . . B.1.b.11 Engineering/design work for restoration projectsY (Y/N)
- . . . . . . B.1.b.11.a
  Name of plan implemented
  
  YN Upper Methow Reach Assessment (2015); RTT biological strategy (2017)
- . . . . . . B.1.b.11.b
  Description and scope of the plan implemented
  
  Highest priority assessment unit in the Methow Subbasin (RTT Biological Strategy, 2017)

. . B.2 Salmonid Habitat Assessment / InventoryY (Y/N)

. . . . B.2.a Habitat Assessment Funding 6,032.44

. . . . B.2.b.1 Watershed AssessmentY (Y/N)

. . . . . . B.2.b.2

Name of document(s)
Project partners already at work in the reach preferred to wait on landowner outreach until a collaborative outreach plan had been developed. CF is working with the Methow Conservancy and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville to do this.