The Underwood Conservation District used this grant grant to place wood, plants and small rocks in 1.2 miles of Simmons Creek to create additional habitat and slow the creek to reduce erosion. The upper reaches of Simmons Creek are located on a relatively flat plateau with deep, fine-grained soils. At least a 6,600 linear foot length of the stream was identified by UCD staff and partners as moderately to deeply incised. The condition was probably due to a combination of historic agricultural clearing and ditching and past intensive grazing. Erosion and downcutting occurs in these streams during high flows, as water is unable to spread onto the floodplain. Rapid runoff results in poor groundwater recharge, exacerbating low, warm summer flows in downstream reaches of Snyder Creek, which contains spawning and rearing habitat for ESA-listed Middle Columbia steelhead. The project was designed to build and install channel roughness/sediment capture structures within the 6,600 linear foot stream segment of Simmons Creek. Riparian plantings of willow, black cottonwood, and other species will be included. The objective was to use wood, vegetation, and small rock to add channel roughness, stabilize eroding banks, increase groundwater recharge, reduce downstream sedimentation, and increase summer flows in downstream salmonid habitat. A rapid assessment was conducted to evaluate sediment budget in the area which will lead to future projects in the basin.