DESCRIPTION
Columbia Conservation District will also be sponsoring MS-10 for implementation this grant round. This proposal will cover between RM 13.5 to RM 14 on the Touchet River. Our overall goal for this project is to fully implement final designs for MS-10 to promote salmonid habitat and survival. Priority species will include Summer Steelhead migration/spawning/juvenile rearing/over wintering/adult habitat as well as Bull Trout juvenile rearing habitat. Once implemented, this project will increase floodplain connectivity, increase LWD which will increase pool frequency and decease stream velocities, and increase channel complexity.
Columbia Conservation District (CCD) is sponsoring the Touchet River project Area MS-10 for Design. The project area is located between Dayton and Waitsburg, South of Highway 12 between Gallaher Rd and Lower Hogeye Rd. The project length is ~.25 miles and is designated between ~RM 13.6 to ~RM 13.8 as represented in the Upper Touchet Basin Geomorphic Assessment and Restoration Plan (GARP) created by Anchor QEA in 2020. This project will develop preliminary designs that once implemented will address key limiting factors including flood plain connectivity, channel complexity, excess transport capacity, pool frequency and water temperatures. These limiting factors will be addressed by removing or modifying encroaching features, placing large woody material instream and in the floodplain, the enhancement of existing gravel bars to promote channel complexity, an assessment and possible modification of public county infrastructure, and revegetation. The project area falls within a Major Spawning Area and is within a priority restoration reach. We look to restore and protect spawning, migration and overwintering habitat for 2 ESA listed species and 1 reintroduced. Species effected are all life stages of ESA listed Summer Steelhead, juvenile rearing Bull-Trout, and non-ESA listed reintroduced spawning/juvenile rearing Spring Chinook.