PA-15: Instream Habitat Phase I Contracts #62573

The PA-15 design was the result of a combined effort between SRFB matching funds and the Programmatic. In 2012, the SRSRB utilized a SRFB grant to develop the conceptual design prepared for Project Area 15 by Anchor QEA (Anchor November 2012) into a 30% preliminary design. The project was selected for preliminary design because it was identified as a Tier 1 project (Anchor November 2012). The preliminary design process was completed in July 2012, and in August 2013, the CCD became the project sponsor with a near final design finished in December 2013. During the design process the total project length was reduced to exclude the section above RM 36.96 from the final design. The purpose was to avoid risk to three small private parcels on river right. Final Designs are attached to the project contract #58975 in Pisces. The project was recommended for implementation in 2014 using 100% Programmatic funding with materials match from the USFS.

The implementation of this project was modified into two separate phases to accommodate a short fall in budgets brought on first by fixed fiscal budgets and secondly by a high construction bid. The CCD was able to negotiate a construction contract to complete work under Phase 1 in 2014. It is anticipated that Phase II will be built in 2015 by the WDFW construction crew under direction of CCD. The project area is mostly on WDFW properties but involves two private landowners, one on the down river end and one on the up river end. The focus of the design was to increase complexity, floodplain connectivity and off channel habitat through placement of wood while maintaining the existing private infrastructure.

The construction of Phase I placed 210 LWD key pieces (>6m long & 0.3m dia) in 0.36 miles of the main stem (Figure 22 & 23) and in the 0.26 mile perennial side channel (Table 10) constructed during the project (Figure 24 & Appendix A). Within the project area LWD structures were placed in 0.62 miles of perennial channel, including both main channel and perennial side channel. A total of 33 complex wood structures were constructed and 16 single habitat logs were placed. In total, 0.26 miles of side channel were created and 0.2 miles were enhanced through wood placement and increased flow frequency (Table 10), an overall 57% increase in side channels (Table 12). The project increased wetted perennial channel by 42% including both main channel and perennial side channels.

PA-15 is paired with a matched treatment and control CHaMP habitat monitoring sample site which has had three years pre-treatment monitoring (Figure 23). The results from the sampling events are available through the Tucannon River CHaMP monitoring lead or through CHaMP monitoringdata.org. A full habitat analysis of CHaMP data will be conducted by the Ecological Research Inc., the firm conducting the CHaMP program in the Tucannon for BPA. A summary of CHaMP monitoring results will be provided in next year's report following project implementation.

Phase II will be completed in 2015 with the placement of 7 additional structures and 20 single logs.