200753600 - Piloting StreamBank™ Web Tool and permitting efficiencies to achieve Middle Fork John Day River Channel Reactivation and Floodplain Restoration.

Sponsor: Oregon Trout

Short description: Oregon Trout seeks to bring web-based innovation and increased efficiency to stream restoration work in connection with a large-scale restoration project on private land in the John Day River Basin.

Location: Columbia Plateau province, John Day subbasin

Budgets: FY08: $327,742 | FY09: $27,199

Primary species:
Anadromous: Chinook: Mid-Columbia River Spring ESU
 Anadromous: Steelhead: Middle Columbia River ESU (threatened)

Objectives

ObjectiveDescriptionSubbasin planStrategies
A. Increase Chinook and steelhead rearing habitat. The project will address Chinook and steelhead limiting factors of key habitat quantity, habitat diversity, and temperature identified in the John Day Subbasin Plan (Subbasin Plan, Table 28, p. 86 and Table 36, p. 104). There are two historic meanders at the project site. After site analysis and discussion with members of the DAT, we have elected to reactivate the lower meander and enhance floodplain connection at the site of the upper meander. Reactivating this meander will carry less risk and will provide more channel length than the upstream meander. Potential risks to project success include a large-scale flood before the vegetation has colonized the project area, structure failures, and revegetation failure. RDG’s experience completing similar projects will minimize these risks. In addition, RDG follows industry standards for structure design and project implementation, and they will work closely with the landowner, easement holders, and regulatory entities. The RPB Ranch project will increase channel length by 1,200 feet, restore floodplain connectivity over 4,100 feet, and enhance aquatic habitat over 5,600 ft. Through floodplain enhancement, 78 acres will be restored. The RPB Ranch project will be the first of two project phases. The second project phase will be completed on the upstream USFS parcel bordering the RPB Ranch. John Day Subbasin Plan objectives for addressing limiting factors of key habitat quantity, habitat diversity, and temperature.
B. Accelerate stream restoration by 2x status quo Web technology has used in a broad spectrum of industries to create management efficiencies. However, such tools have yet to be applied to the stream and habitat restoration arena. Over the past year, Oregon Trout has worked to create StreamBank, an innovative web-based tool that is designed to bring Turbo Tax-like efficiencies to the processes of project design, funding, permitting, contracting and reporting - all without sacrificing biological outcomes, regulatory aims, and quality of work. StreamBank is now ready for real-world testing. SUB-OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate StreamBank web tool efficiencies to key restoration entities. With this project we will pilot the StreamBank tool and its attendant resources with a series of real-world and “in the lab” tests that will quantify the efficiency gains possible with StreamBank. Key restoration entities will be involved in the process to verify the tool’s ability to accelerate restoration while satisfying agency regulatory objectives and biological outcomes. John Day The Subbasin Plan cites a need to determine ways of streamlining the restoration process.

Narrative

Recommendations

  • ISRP: Unranked
  • Council: Not fundable
  • BPA: Not fundable