Blue Sky Habitat

County: Clatsop

Watershed: John Day River

Description: John Day Crossing Restoration Project is located on a tidal reach of an unnamed John Day River tributary that passes under North John Day River Road through two 60-inch culverts. The undersized culverts restrict natural hydrologic function and are fish passage barriers. The road adjacent to the culverts is also seasonally flooded, preventing residents and emergency services from reaching households. The proposed project will remove the two undersized culverts and replace them with a 61 foot bridge and raise the low stretch of road above the 100-year flood elevation. Post-project, full aquatic organism passage will be restored to 22 acres of high quality tidal wetlands upstream of the former culverts and local residents will have safe access to and from their homes throughout the year. The existing conversion from pasture land to a more natural wetland habitat re-establishes the upstream area as prime rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids. The project will also allow for full tidal exchange upstream of John Day River Road, currently restricted by the undersized culverts.

Native fish benefited: Juvenile and adult Chinook, chum and coho

County: Jackson

Watershed: Rogue River

Description: The Little Butte Creek Floodplain Rehabilitation Project seeks to transform a 48-acre parcel of land that formerly served as a wastewater treatment facility into a healthy aquatic ecosystem and community park. The north edge of the project property, owned by the City of Eagle Point, is bounded by Little Butte Creek. The riparian corridor within the project area is characterized by severely eroding stream banks and dense thickets of Himalayan blackberry. This project offers an opportunity to build community support for watershed health, improve water quality, and enhance fish habitat. This project will rehabilitate 0.3 miles of Little Butte Creek and reconnect the floodplain.

Native fish benefited: Adult and juvenile steelhead and potentially ESA listed adult and juvenile coho salmon

County: Clackamas

Watershed: Sandy River

Description: The Freshwater Trust (TFT), US Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are taking the lead on the Upper Sandy River Basin Habitat Restoration Project on behalf of the Sandy River Basin Partners (Partners). This project seeks to address primary limiting factors for anadromous fish by increasing side channel habitat/floodplain connectivity and large wood abundance in the Salmon River. Restoration actions include: the restoration of year-round flow to one historic side channel; the restoration of two inlet side channels; the enhancement of two wetland complexes; the construction of five large wood habitat structures, and the placement of 220 boulders in the mainstem and additional large wood in side channels and on stream margins.

Native fish benefited: Spring Chinook, coho, winter steelhead, cutthroat trout, and lamprey

 

County: Jackson

Watershed: Rogue River

Description: The Freshwater Trust (TFT) will work with the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and a private landowner (C2 Cattle Ranch) to restore instream and riparian habitat on South Fork Little Butte Creek in the Rogue River basin. Past and on-going land management decisions have impaired water quality and fish habitat in the Little Butte subbasin. The proposed project will 1) reactivate flow to 0.35 miles of side channel fed seasonally by the South Little Fork Butte Creek mainstem and an unnamed tributary; 2) install 7 large wood structures within the reactivated side channel and at its inlet; 3) treat noxious weeds and revegetate riparian floodplain with native plants; and 4) install livestock exclusion fencing in an area that is seasonally grazed. The proposed restoration project will work in concert with previously completed mainstem actions to enhance overall watershed benefits.

Native fish benefited: Chinook, steelhead, coho, and lamprey

County: Jackson

Watershed: Bear Creek

Description: The Willow Wind Riparian and Meadow Restoration Project aims to restore degraded riparian habitat at the Willow Wind Community Learning Center in Ashland, Oregon.  Located at the confluence of Paradise Creek and Bear Creek on Ashland School District’s 40-acre property, this project includes the removal of invasive plants and re-establishment of native vegetation up to 75 feet from the stream bank, nearly 2 acres of creek habitat. With the help of hundreds of students, under the professional leadership of Lomakatsi restoration experts, the project will aim to restore the site to a more natural riparian condition with a strong tree canopy and layered understory, shading the creek for anadromous fish, improving water quality and providing a diverse, healthy riparian forest for wildlife habitat. In addition to reducing stream temperatures, the planting will also stabilize banks to reduce erosion and sedimentation, provide beneficial nutrients for aquatic life and create a future source of large wood for fish habitat. The Willow Wind Project expands the restoration footprint of an active 20-year, community-based stewardship effort at Willow Wind.  New sections of Paradise Creek and Bear Creek and the adjacent meadow will be restored, continuing the long-term dedicated work of local students, teachers, parents and residents.

Native fish benefited: Juvenile and adult Chinook, summer steelhead, coho, and lamprey