The proposed project will take place on private property located 2 miles south of the town of Monument, along lower Cottonwood Creek (HUC 1707020209) in Grant County, Oregon.
Cottonwood Creek is a 303(d) listed stream for temperature that provides spawning and rearing habitat to ESA listed Mid Columbia River steelhead. High water temperatures and low summer flows are the primary limiting factors to steelhead populations in Cottonwood Creek, a major tributary to the North Fork John Day River. Smallmouth bass have expanded their range several miles into the Cottonwood watershed, cross competing for habitat resources and adding predation pressure to native species. Land use changes throughout the watershed have modified hydrologic timing, resulting in very efficient (flashy) transport of basin runoff.
This grant proposes to develop engineered designs for three Points of Diversion (POD), instream habitat and bank stabilization features, along approximately 0.7 miles of Cottonwood Creek. The designs will include stable pools for three PODs, low tech process-based restoration (LTPBR) structures such as beaver dam analogues (BDA) and post assisted log structures (PALS), along with two bank stabilization features. POD designs will limit the need for landowner maintenance within the riparian zone . LTBPR structures will improve LWD retention, attenuate flows, improve floodplain connectivity, aggregate sediment, and increase riparian hardwood productivity. The increased physical complexity within the channel may be utilized by steelhead, but to greater benefit, BDAs are thought to limit the movement of smallmouth bass upstream protecting high quality habitat above the project site. Two locations that exhibiting bank instability will have structural wood placements to allow the riparian zone to establish, reduce sediment inputs, and protect property infrastructure.
Partners for the project include Kurt Boyer (LO), ODFW, CTWS and Monument SWCD.
