Powder Basin Watershed Council

TO PROMOTE, RETAIN, RESTORE AND ENHANCE WATERSHEDS OF THE POWDER BASIN IN NORTHEAST OREGON.

WATERSHED RESTORATION:IN COLLABORATION WITH THE IDAHO POWER COMPANY (IPC), DESIGNS WERE COMPLETED FOR THE TARTER SLOUGH DIVERSION PROJECT. RESOURCE SPECIALISTS, INC. OUT OF REDMAND, OREGON WERE CONTRACTED TO DO THE DESIGN WORK WITH FUNDING FROM THE IDAHO POWER COMPANY AND OWEB. THE PROJECT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BY IPC AND THE EAGLE VALLEY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT IN 2022. THE WORK WILL INCLUDE A NEW FISH PASSAGE FRIENDLY DIVERSION STRUCTURE FOR DIVERTING IRRIGATION WATER INTO TARTER SLOUGH, A FISH SCREEN TO PREVENT ENTRAINMENT OF FISH INTO THE DIVERSION AND TREATMENTS TO THE STREAM TO IMPROVE INSTREAM HABITAT DIVERSITY AND STREAMBANK STABILITY. WE ASSISTED IPC IMPLEMENT THEIR WATER EFFICIENCY PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDED IMPLEMENTING IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY ACTIONS ON THREE PROPERTIES THAT WILL LEAD TO IMPROVED INSTREAM FLOWS. WE APPLIED TO OWEB FOR FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT TWO RESTORATION PROJECTS, ONE ON PINE CREEK AND A DESIGN PROJECT ON BULL RUN CREEK IN THE BURNT RIVER WATERSHED. THESE GRANTS WERE AWARDED AND WILL BE IMPLEMENTED 2022-2023. THE PINE CREEK PROJECT INCLUDES WOOD PLACEMENTS TO IMPROVE INSTREAM HABITAT FOR REDBAND TROUT AND BULL TROUT AND STREAMBANK TREATMENTS TO REDUCE EROSION. THE BULL RUN PROJECT INCLUDES DESIGN FOR REPLACING FIVE IRRIGATION PUSH-UP DIVERSION DAMS WITH PERMANENT FISH PASSAGE FRIENDLY DIVERSION STRUCTURES, PIPING OF TWO OPEN DITCH DELIVERY SYSTEMS AND SCREENING TO PREVENT ENTRAINMENT OF FISH INTO THE DIVERSION. WE WERE AWARDED AN OWEB GRANT TO IMPLEMENT THE CUSICK CREEK RESTORATION PHASE II PROJECT. CUSICK CREEK IS A TRIBUTARY TO THE POWDER RIVER. THE PROJECT INCLUDES IMPROVEMENTS TO INSTREAM HABITAT DIVERSITY, FLOODPLAIN FUNCTION AND STEAMBANK STABILITY. IMPLEMENTATION WILL OCCUR IN 2022. ACTIVITIES IN 2021 INCLUDED EXECUTION OF A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE LANDOWNER AND DEVELOPMENT OF PERMITTING APPLICATIONS. WE COLLABORATED WITH THE WITH THE US FOREST SERVICE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROJECT TO RESTORE AQUATIC HABITAT AND BEAVER HABITAT ON CAMP CREEK, A TRIBUTARY TO THE NORTH FORK BURNT RIVER.

WATERSHED OUTREACH AND EDUCATION:AGAIN IN 2021, WE COLLABORATED WITH THE BAKER RESOURCES COALITION TO IMPLEMENT AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BAKER COUNTY. WE SERVED AS THE EMPLOYER OF RECORD. FOUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED, LED BY AND INTERN FROM EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY. INTERN ACTIVITIES INCLUDED FORESTRY MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ON PRIVATELY OWNED SMALL WOODLAND PROPERTIES, MONITORING OF VEGETATION PLOTS ON THE WALLOWA WHITMAN NATIONAL FOREST AS PART OF THE EASTSIDE ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PROJECT, AND ASSISTANCE WITH A NUMBER OF OUTDOOR LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR BAKER 5J SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS. WE PARTICIPATED IN AN OUTDOOR LEARNING ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS FROM THE BAKER TECHNICAL INSTITUTE. THE PBWC BOARD OF DIRECTORS PARTICIPATED IN A SITE VISIT TO THE CUSICK CREEK RESTORATION PROJECT, INCLUDING THE LANDOWNERS AND PROJECT MANAGER (KEN DIEBEL, DIEBEL CONSULTING).

WATERSHED ASSESSMENT, PLANNING AND MONITORING:DUE TO IMPACTS OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, FUNDING WAS NOT OBTAINED TO CONTINUE LONG-TERM WATER QUALITY MONITORING IN 2021. FINAL DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORTING WAS COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED TO THE OREGON WATERSHED ENHANCEMENT BOARD (OWEB) FOR MONITORING COMPLETED 2018 THROUGH 2020. WE APPLIED TO OWEB FOR FUNDING TO CONTINUE OUR LONG-TERM WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROJECT, 2022 THROUGH 2024 AND WERE AWARDED THAT GRANT. WE CONTINUED WATER QUALITY MONITORING AT THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE ELK FEEDING STATIONS. SAMPLING OCCURRED IN AUGUST 2020, AND MARCH AND MAY OF 2021 INCLUDING MEASUREMENTS OF E. COLI BACTERIA AND TOTAL PHOSPHOROUS. DATA WILL BE COLLECTED ONCE MORE IN AUGUST 2021 AND THEN FINAL REPORTING COMPLETED.

WATERSHED RESTORATION:IN COLLABORATION WITH THE IDAHO POWER COMPANY (IPC), DESIGNS WERE COMPLETED FOR THE TARTER SLOUGH DIVERSION PROJECT. RESOURCE SPECIALISTS, INC. OUT OF REDMAND, OREGON WERE CONTRACTED TO DO THE DESIGN WORK WITH FUNDING FROM THE IDAHO POWER COMPANY AND OWEB. THE PROJECT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BY IPC AND THE EAGLE VALLEY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT IN 2022. THE WORK WILL INCLUDE A NEW FISH PASSAGE FRIENDLY DIVERSION STRUCTURE FOR DIVERTING IRRIGATION WATER INTO TARTER SLOUGH, A FISH SCREEN TO PREVENT ENTRAINMENT OF FISH INTO THE DIVERSION AND TREATMENTS TO THE STREAM TO IMPROVE INSTREAM HABITAT DIVERSITY AND STREAMBANK STABILITY. WE ASSISTED IPC IMPLEMENT THEIR WATER EFFICIENCY PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDED IMPLEMENTING IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY ACTIONS ON THREE PROPERTIES THAT WILL LEAD TO IMPROVED INSTREAM FLOWS. WE APPLIED TO OWEB FOR FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT TWO RESTORATION PROJECTS, ONE ON PINE CREEK AND A DESIGN PROJECT ON BULL RUN CREEK IN THE BURNT RIVER WATERSHED. THESE GRANTS WERE AWARDED AND WILL BE IMPLEMENTED 2022-2023. THE PINE CREEK PROJECT INCLUDES WOOD PLACEMENTS TO IMPROVE INSTREAM HABITAT FOR REDBAND TROUT AND BULL TROUT AND STREAMBANK TREATMENTS TO REDUCE EROSION. THE BULL RUN PROJECT INCLUDES DESIGN FOR REPLACING FIVE IRRIGATION PUSH-UP DIVERSION DAMS WITH PERMANENT FISH PASSAGE FRIENDLY DIVERSION STRUCTURES, PIPING OF TWO OPEN DITCH DELIVERY SYSTEMS AND SCREENING TO PREVENT ENTRAINMENT OF FISH INTO THE DIVERSION. WE WERE AWARDED AN OWEB GRANT TO IMPLEMENT THE CUSICK CREEK RESTORATION PHASE II PROJECT. CUSICK CREEK IS A TRIBUTARY TO THE POWDER RIVER. THE PROJECT INCLUDES IMPROVEMENTS TO INSTREAM HABITAT DIVERSITY, FLOODPLAIN FUNCTION AND STEAMBANK STABILITY. IMPLEMENTATION WILL OCCUR IN 2022. ACTIVITIES IN 2021 INCLUDED EXECUTION OF A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE LANDOWNER AND DEVELOPMENT OF PERMITTING APPLICATIONS. WE COLLABORATED WITH THE WITH THE US FOREST SERVICE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROJECT TO RESTORE AQUATIC HABITAT AND BEAVER HABITAT ON CAMP CREEK, A TRIBUTARY TO THE NORTH FORK BURNT RIVER.

WATERSHED OUTREACH AND EDUCATION:AGAIN IN 2021, WE COLLABORATED WITH THE BAKER RESOURCES COALITION TO IMPLEMENT AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BAKER COUNTY. WE SERVED AS THE EMPLOYER OF RECORD. FOUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED, LED BY AND INTERN FROM EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY. INTERN ACTIVITIES INCLUDED FORESTRY MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ON PRIVATELY OWNED SMALL WOODLAND PROPERTIES, MONITORING OF VEGETATION PLOTS ON THE WALLOWA WHITMAN NATIONAL FOREST AS PART OF THE EASTSIDE ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PROJECT, AND ASSISTANCE WITH A NUMBER OF OUTDOOR LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR BAKER 5J SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS. WE PARTICIPATED IN AN OUTDOOR LEARNING ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS FROM THE BAKER TECHNICAL INSTITUTE. THE PBWC BOARD OF DIRECTORS PARTICIPATED IN A SITE VISIT TO THE CUSICK CREEK RESTORATION PROJECT, INCLUDING THE LANDOWNERS AND PROJECT MANAGER (KEN DIEBEL, DIEBEL CONSULTING).

WATERSHED ASSESSMENT, PLANNING AND MONITORING:DUE TO IMPACTS OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, FUNDING WAS NOT OBTAINED TO CONTINUE LONG-TERM WATER QUALITY MONITORING IN 2021. FINAL DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORTING WAS COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED TO THE OREGON WATERSHED ENHANCEMENT BOARD (OWEB) FOR MONITORING COMPLETED 2018 THROUGH 2020. WE APPLIED TO OWEB FOR FUNDING TO CONTINUE OUR LONG-TERM WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROJECT, 2022 THROUGH 2024 AND WERE AWARDED THAT GRANT. WE CONTINUED WATER QUALITY MONITORING AT THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE ELK FEEDING STATIONS. SAMPLING OCCURRED IN AUGUST 2020, AND MARCH AND MAY OF 2021 INCLUDING MEASUREMENTS OF E. COLI BACTERIA AND TOTAL PHOSPHOROUS. DATA WILL BE COLLECTED ONCE MORE IN AUGUST 2021 AND THEN FINAL REPORTING COMPLETED.