Post on 27-Mar-2015
Little Canyon Creek Subwatershed Steelhead Trout Habitat
Improvement Project
Sponsored by:
Lewis Soil Conservation District
Project GoalProject Goal
Improve steelhead trout habitat in
Little Canyon Creek by implementing best management practices
to upland agricultural lands.
Little Canyon Creek Watershed
Big Canyon Creek Watershed
Little Canyon Creek
• 100% within Nez Perce Reservation
• 93% privately owned
• 68% agricultural land use
Little Canyon Creek
Wild A-run steelhead trout occur
Lower Little Canyon Creek Subwatershed
Problems
•The only remaining steelhead trout runs in
the Clearwater River subbasin, with limited or
no hatchery influence, occur in the lower
Clearwater River tributaries
•The only remaining steelhead trout runs in
the Clearwater River subbasin, with limited or
no hatchery influence, occur in the lower
Clearwater River tributaries
Problems
•Limiting factors to steelhead habitat within
Little Canyon Creek are associated with
climate and land use patterns, including:
–excess sediment delivery
–flashy storm events
–low sustained summer base flows
•Limiting factors to steelhead habitat within
Little Canyon Creek are associated with
climate and land use patterns, including:
–excess sediment delivery
–flashy storm events
–low sustained summer base flows
• Surface soil erosion is the dominant type of erosion from most cultivated lands in the watershed
• Source of sediment and water quality problems
• Sediment contributes to increased stream temperature and reduced stream productivity
• Surface soil erosion is the dominant type of erosion from most cultivated lands in the watershed
• Source of sediment and water quality problems
• Sediment contributes to increased stream temperature and reduced stream productivity
Problems
SolutionsSolutions
To protect, enhance and/or
restore fish habitat,
best management practices should
be developed and implemented
on agricultural lands.
To protect, enhance and/or
restore fish habitat,
best management practices should
be developed and implemented
on agricultural lands.
SolutionsSolutions
Best Management
Practices
Dryland Agriculture
Best Management
Practices
Dryland Agriculture
SolutionsSolutions
• Best Management Practices– Combination of practices that effectively and
practicably prevent or reduce the amount of
sediment delivery to receiving streams– Techniques that will begin restoration and
protection of aquatic habitat impacted by land management
• Best Management Practices– Combination of practices that effectively and
practicably prevent or reduce the amount of
sediment delivery to receiving streams– Techniques that will begin restoration and
protection of aquatic habitat impacted by land management
SolutionsSolutions
• Best Management Practices– Control and reduce erosion and subsequent
sedimentation:
• conservation tillage (no-till)
• sediment basins
• gully plugs
• culvert outlets
• grade stabilization
• grassed waterways
• permanent vegetation
• Best Management Practices– Control and reduce erosion and subsequent
sedimentation:
• conservation tillage (no-till)
• sediment basins
• gully plugs
• culvert outlets
• grade stabilization
• grassed waterways
• permanent vegetation
SolutionsSolutions
• Best Management Practices– Promote upland water storage:
• conservation tillage (no-till)
• ponds
• sediment basins
• riparian habitat improvements and protection
• Best Management Practices– Promote upland water storage:
• conservation tillage (no-till)
• ponds
• sediment basins
• riparian habitat improvements and protection
No-Till(Conservation Tillage)
Gully ErosionControl
Upland Water Storage
Little Canyon Creek
• BMPs currently being implemented in uppermost portions of the watershed (Long Hollow and Holes Creeks) through State Agricultural Water Quality Program
• BMPs currently being implemented in uppermost portions of the watershed (Long Hollow and Holes Creeks) through State Agricultural Water Quality Program
Little Canyon Creek
• BMPs currently being implemented in
Lower Little Canyon Creek through BPA
funded effort (ongoing for the past 27
months)
• BMPs currently being implemented in
Lower Little Canyon Creek through BPA
funded effort (ongoing for the past 27
months)
Little Canyon Creek
• Nearly 1/2 of the watershed will have received enhanced level of conservation efforts (Dec. 2001)
• BMPs implemented to date
• 4,100 acres of no-till• 12 sediment basins and 3 ponds• 9 gully plugs and 3 grade stabilization
structures• 7 grassed waterways• 8 culvert outlets• 2 off-site watering facilities
• Nearly 1/2 of the watershed will have received enhanced level of conservation efforts (Dec. 2001)
• BMPs implemented to date
• 4,100 acres of no-till• 12 sediment basins and 3 ponds• 9 gully plugs and 3 grade stabilization
structures• 7 grassed waterways• 8 culvert outlets• 2 off-site watering facilities
Little Canyon Creek
Soil savings over the practice’s life
expectancy totals over 225,000 TONS
Soil savings over the practice’s life
expectancy totals over 225,000 TONS
• Implement BMPs on agricultural uplands and adjacent riparian areas (~20,000 acres)
• Survey fish density and riparian habitat quality index in Little Canyon Creek
• Communicate with cooperating agencies on coordinate monitoring efforts (Nez Perce Tribe and DEQ)
Little Canyon Creek Project
Continued implementation ofBest Management Practices
to agricultural uplandsshould improve
steelhead trout habitatin Little Canyon Creek, Big Canyon Creek and
the Lower Clearwater River
Little Canyon Creek SubwatershedSteelhead Trout
Habitat Improvement Project
Sponsored by:Lewis Soil Conservation District