North Touchet Restoration RM 1.3-2.0

Salmonid Habitat Restoration and Acquisition

Instream Habitat Riparian Habitat
Project ID19-1496 R
Recovery DomainsMiddle Columbia River
Start Date12/12/2019
End Date01/19/2021
Year2019
StatusCompleted
Last Edited11/20/2024
 
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Description    


The project at RM 1.3 reconnected floodplain, improved fish habitat, and restored riparian area in the project area. The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Cultural Resources Protection Program conducted the cultural resources survey for this project. No discoveries were found during the field survey. Additionally, the CTUIR Cultural Resources Protection Program also required a cultural resources monitor onsite during all phases of construction. A significant element of this project involved removing the existing levee and grading the newly connected floodplain. Consequently, we excavated over 30,000 cubic yards of material from the project area. The net result of the levee removal and floodplain grading was a reconnected floodplain over the entire project length. We know have over 10 acres of reconnected floodplain along this 0.5 mile stretch.

Large engineered wood structures were added directly to the stream channel along this project reach. These structures have multiple benefits. First they will accumulate and sort sediment, second they will provide habitat cover, third they will scour pools and some will also split channel flow. We also added engineered large wood high flow structures to the newly reconnected floodplain. In addition to the benefits already described for wood structures in general, the high flow structures added roughness to the newly reconnected floodplain.

In terms of planting, we began by using willow baffles by excavating trenches in the floodplains and then filling the trench with willow cuttings. A large quantity of trees and shrubs were planted in the new constructed floodplain following the design specifications. It looks like a forest down there.

This work benefits ESA listed mid-Columbia Steelhead, bull trout, redband trout, and now Chinook salmon.

Project Benefit    


The goal of this project is to provide over-wintering habitat for listed Mid-Columbia steelhead and Chinook in the Touchet River. This was achieved through levee set-back, allowing for floodplain reconnection; and adding wood to the channel and floodplain for channel aggradation and formation of pools and complex habitat in the project area.

Accomplishments

Metric Completed Originally
Proposed
Instream Habitat
  Stream Miles Treated .70 .70
Riparian Habitat
  Stream Miles Treated .70 .70
  Acres Treated 7.5 7.5

Funding Details

SourceFunds
PCSRF$324,105
Other$526,560
In-Kind Donated Labor$12,000
Report Total:$862,665


Project Map



Worksites

1-North Touchet RM 1.3-2.0    


  • Worksite Identifier: 1-North Touchet RM 1.3-2.0
  • Start Date:
  • End Date:
Area Description

No Area Description data was found for this worksite.

Location Information

  • Basin: Middle Columbia (170701)
  • Subbasin: Walla Walla (17070102)
  • Watershed: Upper Touchet River (1707010203)
  • Subwatershed: Lower North Fork Touchet River (170701020308)
  • State: Washington
  • Recovery Domain: Middle Columbia River
  • Latitude: 46.29217896
  • Longitude: -117.93208898

ESU

  • Middle Columbia River Steelhead DPS
  • Un-Named ESU Chinook

Map

Photos

Metrics

Metrics
  • C.0 Salmonid Habitat Restoration and AcquisitionY (Y/N)
    •      . . C.0.a Habitat restoration and acquisition funding 862,665.00
    •      . . C.0.b Length of stream treated/protected .70
    •      . . C.0.c
      Project identified in a Plan or Watershed Assessment
    •      . . C.0.d.1 Project Monitoring (LOV)
    •      . . C.0.d.2 Monitoring Location (LOV)
    •      . . C.4 Instream Habitat ProjectY (Y/N)
      •      . . . . C.4.a Instream Habitat Funding 736,599.83
      •      . . . . C.4.b Total length of instream habitat treated .70
      •      . . . . C.4.c.1 Channel reconfiguration and connectivityY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.2 Type of change to channel configuration and connectivity (LOV)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.3 Miles of stream treated for channel reconfiguration and connectivity .70
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.4 Miles of off-channel stream created through channel reconfiguration and connectivity .30
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.5 Acres of off-channel or floodplain connected through channel reconfiguration and connectivity 11.0
        •      . . . . . . C.4.c.6 Instream pools created/added through channel reconfiguration and connectivity 0
      •      . . . . C.4.d.1 Channel structure placementY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.2 Material used for channel structure (LOV)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.3 Miles of stream treated through channel structure placement .70
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.5 Pools expected to be created through channel structure placement 7
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.7 Number of structures placed in channel 23
      •      . . C.5 Riparian Habitat ProjectY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . C.5.a Riparian Habitat Funding 126,065.17
        •      . . . . C.5.b.1 Total riparian miles streambank treated .70
        •      . . . . C.5.b.2 Total Riparian Acres Treated 7.5
        •      . . . . C.5.c.1 Riparian plantingY (Y/N)
          •      . . . . . . C.5.c.2
            Species of plants planted in riparian
            Alnus sinuata, Salix exigua, Populus tricarpa, Cornus sericea, Rubus parviflorus, Pinus ponderosa
          •      . . . . . . C.5.c.3 Acres planted in riparian 7.5
          •      . . . . . . C.5.c.4 Miles of streambank treated with riparian planting