Dark Canyon Creek Exclosure and Upland Water Source Project

Proposal

11/6/15

Contact: Joe Platz

1. Project Name: Dark Canyon Creek Exclosure and Upland Water Source Project

The project is located on Dark Canyon Creek: on lands administered by the US Forest Service.

2. Applicant:

US Forest Service (USFS), LaGrande Ranger District; Attn: Joe Platz; 3502 HWY 30; LaGrande, OR 97850. Email: jplatz@fs.fed.us. Phone Number: 541-962-8571. Fax Number: 541-962-8580.

3.	Participating Landowner(s) and Agencies:

(1) USFS; Attn: Joe Platz; 3502 HWY 30, LaGrande, OR 97850; (541) 962-8571; Fax: (541) 962-8580

(2) Grande Ronde Model Watershed, Lyle Kuchenbecker; 1114 J Ave., La Grande, OR 97850; 541-663-0570; Fax: 541-962-1585

(3) Bonneville Power Administration; Tracy Hauser; P.O. Box 3621; Portland, OR 97208; PH 503-230-4296

4.	Project Contact(s):

Technical contact(s):

Joe Platz: 3502 HWY 30, LaGrande, OR 97850; jplatz@fs.fed.us; (541) 962-8571

Administrative contact(s):

Bill Gamble: 3502 HWY 30, LaGrande, OR 97850; bgamble@fs.fed.us; (541) 962-8582

5. Project Location:

The Dark Canyon Creek Exclosure and Upland Water Source Project is located on Dark Canyon Creek, a tributary to Meadow Creek. The project is located on 2 miles of Dark Canyon Creek (approximately RM 7.0 - 9.0) (T 2S, R 35E, S 23, 26, & 33; T 3S, R 35E, S 4)(Dark Canyon Creek Subwatershed (170601040205)); Union County.

6. Project Objectives:

The objective is to improve summer steelhead habitat, specifically through improving or increasing the following habitat elements.

Improve riparian & wetland diversity, vigor and function

Improve floodplain function

7. Project Description

Introduction

Dark Canyon Creek is spawning and rearing habitat for Snake River Basin summer steelhead and redband trout. Summer steelhead are federally listed under ESA as a threatened species. Redband trout are on the Regional Forester's Sensitive Species List.

Existing condition

There is a total of 8.7 miles of Dark Canyon Creek on USFS lands and is broken up into 3 reaches. This project is located in reach 3. Reach 3 is considered a B4 channel with 18 pieces of wood per mile. There are 52 pools per mile with an average stream gradient of 1%. The bankfull width to depth ratio is 16.5 and has a dominant/subdominant substrate of gravel/sand. The riparian areas has a dominant overstory of lodgepole pine and an understory of grass/forb/sedge.

Within the upper two miles of reach 3 on Dark Canyon Creek, there has and is excessive livestock use. It continues to be an area difficult for livestock management. Excessive streambank trampling and livestock utilization continues to occur.

Within the lower 6.7 miles of Dark Canyon Creek (outside of the project area (Reaches 1, 2, and part of 3)), woody debris ranges 14 – 16 pieces per mile and pool frequency consists of 32 – 35 pools per mile. The bankfull width to depth creeps up to 24. In some areas, riparian vegetation is limited. The Forest Service is in the beginning stages of developing a restoration project proposal for this portion of Dark Canyon Creek. Potential restoration activities include fish structure construction with pool development, planting and fencing.

Specific Actions

The Dark Canyon Creek Exclosure and Upland Water Source Project will consist of two miles of exclosure fence construction and the development of three spring sources. All disturbed areas will be seeded after project completion.

Fencing

A new livestock exclosure fence will be constructed on Dark Canyon Creek. This will involve constructing a 4 strand barb wire fence for two miles that would adjoin existing fence to exclude 2 miles of stream from livestock.

Spring Developments

Standard water developments will be constructed at three spring sources. The project would involve the installation of a spring box, trough, and 1/16 mile of 4 strand barb wire exclosure fence around the spring.

Seeding

All areas disturbed by equipment will be seeded with a native grass/forb seed mix after project completion. Mulching would occur, where necessary, for erosion control.

Benefits

Benefits include: Improved riparian & wetland diversity, vigor and function and improved floodplain function.

Project Maintenance

Maintenance of the exclosure fences and spring developments would be completed by the USFS and permittees. Maintenance would involve ensuring the fences are up after spring flows every year (June). Maintenance of the spring sources would be completed by the allotment permittee.

Permits

NEPA will need to be obtained for this project.

Monitoring Plan

Monitoring specific to project activities would be accomplished to assure that activities conform to objectives of the Forest Plan. Project level monitoring is a component of Forest Plan monitoring. The following types of monitoring would be accomplished:

Implementation Monitoring - Are the project design being implemented as planned?

A range/biological technician would be on site during project operations to ensure that the project design and mitigation measures would be implemented as planned.

Reports -

Reports: A final report would be completed in the winter of 2017.

Work Dates

The fence and spring developments would be constructed from May through November of 2016.

9. Attachments

Attachments include: (1) Vicinity map; (2) Project Description Map; and (3) Budget.