Response for project 199701100: Shoshone-Paiute Habitat Enhanc
Comment on proposed FY 2006 budget
Budget is consistent and adequate; M&E Plan or new project work will have to be abbreviated until more funding is available.
Accomplishments since the last review
| Produce Environmental Compliance Documentation | All EC documents were prepared, and maps and other documents were generated or assembled for 2003 and 2004 project years. | |
| # of people reached in each of 3 classes (T/S/G): Teachers, Students, General public | Science fair projects with youth; hosted 6 youth workers; hosted public meetings, workshops, and celebrations; developed science curriculum and taught classes for elementary school; macroinvert sampling w/ Boy Scouts; wrote articles for paper | |
| # of people reached in each of 3 classes (T/S/G): Teachers, Students, General public | Deputy Director delivered presentations at Annual Wildlife Society meeting; livestock symposiums; Tribal Council meetings; CBFWA Resident Fish Committee meetings | |
| Produce Inventory or Assessment | In 2003, in cooperation with the Tribal Environmental Protection Program, DVIRFG delineated wetlands and assessed wetland types on the reservation in order to develop a Wetlands Management Plan. | |
| Manage and Administer Projects | For FY03 and FY04, SOW packages and all BPA programmatic requirements were completed; budgets and purchasing were managed; invoices were submitted in a timely manner; general project management; equipment and vehicles were maintained. | |
| Produce Plan | In 2004, DVIRFG completed and submitted the M&E Plan for Habitat Enhancment projects. The Plan was accepted by both ISRP and BPA. | |
| Produce Annual Report | Produced annual reports. | |
| Produce Status Report | Produced Quarterly Reports. | |
| # of stream miles treated (0.01 mi.) | 2003: Developed plan in cooperation w/ Tribal Environmental Program (TEPP) to restore 3 miles of the E.Fork Owhyee River. | |
| # of structures installed | 2003: 3 road crossing areas on Skull Creek and 1 on N.Fork Skull Creek had banks re-shaped, vegetation added, and stream meanders re-routed | |
| Develop Alternative Water Source | In 2003, several off-site watering troughs were placed to keep livestock out of the E.Fork Owyhee River, its tributaries, and sensitive springs. | |
| # of road miles improved, upgraded, or restored | In 2003, the unimproved road causing sediment loading to Fawn Creek (a pure redband trout stream) was improved with sediment reduction measures including 6 road crossings for springs, sediment catchment basins, and about 20 drainage dips. | |
| # of road miles improved, upgraded, or restored | In 2003, 13 drainage dips were installed in the road following Skull Creek (pure redband trout stream). Sediment catchment basins using geo-jute were also installed. | |
| # of miles of fence (0.01 mi.) | At least 5 miles of fencing installed for spring exclosures; at least 5 miles of fencing of riparian areas in FY03. | |
| # of riparian miles treated (0.01 mi.; count each bank separately) | .5 miles of Skull Creek were re-vegetated in FY03; department constructed a "Stinger" water jet for willow planting. | |
| Maintain Terrestrial Structure | In 2003 & 2004, all fences, enclosures, rock jacks, off-site watering structures, bioengineering projects, culverts, and backcountry road project structures were maintained. | |
| Replace/Maintain Instream Structure | Replaced and maintained improved stream crossings and bioengineering projects in Skull Creek, N.Fork Skull Creek, Fawn Creek, and Summit Creek. | |
| Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data | 2003: collected water quality data on 16 streams and the E.F. Owyhee River; collected water, soil, and fish samples on 3.5 miles of the Owyhee River with Tribal Environmental Protection Program to test for metals from upstream abandoned mine site. |
FY 2006 goals and anticipated accomplishments
| Produce Environmental Compliance Documentation | Produce and assemble all required EC documentation and maps. | |
| # of people reached in each of 3 classes (T/S/G): Teachers, Students, General public | Reach 60 students; 300 general public; 5 teachers. | |
| Manage and Administer Projects | Complete SOW package; BPA programmatic requirements; financial reporting; timely invoicing; general contract and project management. | |
| Produce Plan | Work with TEPP to develop Wetlands Management Plan. | |
| Produce Annual Report | Produce Annual Report | |
| Produce Status Report | Produce Quarterly Reports. | |
| Develop Alternative Water Source | Develop 4 alternative watering sites with troughs and strategic mineral placements | |
| # of miles of fence (0.01 mi.) | Install 5 miles of riparian fencing; protect 4 springs with fencing | |
| Maintain Terrestrial Structure | Maintain all fences, off-site watering structures, road improvements, rock jacks, etc. | |
| Replace/Maintain Instream Structure | Maintain all stream crossings, road crossings, culverts, re-shaped banks and re-located stream meanders. | |
| Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data | Implement M&E Plan | |
| Manage/Maintain Database | Manage and maintain data for local and larger databases. |
Subbasin planning
How is this project consistent with subbasin plans?
Improper grazing, roads, and water use were identified in the Owyhee Subbasin Plan as limiting factors to riparian, wetland, shrubbe-steppe, and aquatic habitats in the subbasin. The DVIR Habitat Enhancement project intends to protect and restore these habitats through off-site livestock watering, coordination with the ranching community, fencing, bioengineering, and enhancement of backcountry roads that follow or go through streams. SPT also intends to implement the M&E Plan to evaluate the effectiveness of these projects, which was Strategy 2 in the OSP (Ch 4 p37). Strategy 1 (Ch 4 p36) is to continue the implementation of ongoing projects in the Owhyee Subbasin, such as the Habitat Enhancement project. The ongoing projects sponsored by the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes form the nucleus of goals, objectives, and strategies for aquatic and terrestrial habitat restoration and enhancement using BPA funds (Ch 4 pp41-43; pp106-108). The ongoing near-term habitat restoration objectives and strategies are summarized in Tables 4.11 and 4.18, including the following Habitat Enhancement project objectives: • identify, prioritize and locate springs in need of protection (priority to suspected redband trout streams), • implement protective measures of springs (minimum of 6 springs per year); implement protective measures (fencing riparian areas/fixing road crossings) on streams and/or headwaters (appr. 6-10 miles of fence, troughs, culverts, etc). • implement PFC assessment; conduct population estimates, size structure, condition, locations (GPS) in coordination with Project 2000-079. • develop and implement terrestrial habitat and wildlife monitoring plan for the Duck Valley Indian Reservation. Ch 4 pp115-118 and pp430-431 lists strategies and objectives to monitor, evaluate, minimize and treat the effects of grazing in riparian, wetland, and shrub steppe habitats; these management actions mimic the objectives of the DVIR Habitat Enhancement project.
How do goals match subbasin plan priorities?
CH 4 p56: Table indicates that riparian condition including bank stability has been identified as a limiting factor in the Owyhee Subbasin, including the DVIR portion of the Owhyee River. CH 4 p115: 4.4.2.2.2 Riparian and Wetland Habitats Problem 1. The loss and degradation of riparian and wetland areas in the Owyhee subbasin has negative effects on fish and wildlife species that utilize these habitats. Improper Grazing, roads, and water use have been identified as the primary factors limiting the quality of this habitat type in the subbasin. CH 4 p118: 4.4.2.2.3 Shrub-steppe Habitat Problem 2. Degradation, fragmentation, and loss of native shrub-steppe habitat in the Owyhee subbasin adversely affects associated terrestrial species. Improper Grazing, fire, noise pollution, nonnative invasive plants and noxious weeds have been identified as the primary factors limiting the quality of this habitat type and terrestrial species in the subbasin.