Elk Creek River Mile (RM) 5.6 Ecological Restoration

The project at Elk Creek River Mile (RM) 5.6 is Phase 2 of multi-year actions throughout the sub- basin. With a drainage area of 134 square miles, Elk Creek joins the Rogue River 3 miles upstream of Trail. Elk Creek has degraded water quality, stream processes, and aquatic and terrestrial habitats that negatively affect ecosystems Riparian forests are reduced, grazed, and infiltrated with noxious weeds. Elevated summer water temperatures threaten cold water fish populations. For this phase, the project proposes a combination of restoration actions including placing large wood at strategic locations in the mainstem and secondary channels, along with placing large wood structures in key locations to further enhance flows in secondary channels and help develop cool-temperature summer alcoves. Over 16 acres of riparian forest will be treated through noxious weed control and native planting. Plant stewardship activities (reported as C.11 - Site Maintenance) will be conducted for up to five years after the plantings are completed. The stewardship activities will ensure the success of the project plantings by helping plants achieve free-to-grow status. This project is supported by the US Army Corps of Engineers and Wild Salmon Center/ NOAA Restoration Center with input from US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management biologists.
Because the projects scheduled end date is after the PCSRF FFY 2022 award closes, no funds allocated for this project are reported as match to PCSRF funds.

The Phase 2 project adds to ecological restoration actions that were previously implemented. Benefits include increasing the duration and frequency of active winter flow in the secondary channels, burying bedrock, increasing hyporheic flow, creating complex hydraulics during high flow, sorting gravels important for spawning, and providing cover for all life stages of salmonids. Riparian rehabilitation will improve overhead cover of channels while supplying native allochthonous inputs and help lower water temperature to the entire project area. This will provide food resources for the aquatic invertebrate populations, which are important for maintaining high water quality and prey for juvenile fish. Large wood will be placed in configurations to create scour during winter that will hold water in a pool complex all summer. Increasing flows and creating complex habitat in both primary and secondary channels will help to ensure cooler alcoves and pools can be utilized by many coho salmon and steelhead juveniles.