200752500 - Integrating Ecological Flows into River Management on the Willamette River
Sponsor: Nature Conservancy
Short description: The project will identify ecological flow requirements for the Willamette River and its tributaries and design and test alternative flow releases from Corps and EWEB dams to achieve more natural flow regimes for the benefit of fish and wildlife.
Location: Lower Columbia province, Willamette subbasin
Budgets: FY08: $52,538 | FY09: $11,613
Primary species:
Anadromous: Chinook: Upper Willamette River ESU (threatened)
Anadromous: Coho: Unspecified Population
Anadromous: Steelhead: Upper Willamette River ESU (threatened)
Objectives
| Objective | Description | Subbasin plan | Strategies |
| 1. Provide ecological flows in the McKenzie River | Develop ecological flow targets for the McKenzie River and design and test alternative flow releases from Corps of Engineers and Eugene Water and Electric Board dams to achieve more natural flow regimes. | Willamette | 5.4.2.1, 5.4.2.2, and 5.4.3.1 |
| 1a. Implement initial flow releases from the dams | Adjust reservoir operations on the McKenzie River dams to achieve recommended ecological flows to meet the habitat and life-history requirements of listed species. | Willamette | 5.4.2.1, 5.4.2.2, and 5.4.3.1 |
| 1b. Evaluate effects of ecological flow | Develop a monitoring and modeling program to evaluate the ecological effects of implementing the recommended flow regimes in the McKenzie River. Evaluate the benefits of different flow restoration scenarios on target species | Willamette | 5.4.2.1, 5.4.2.2, and 5.4.3.1 |
| 2. Provide ecological flows in Middle & Coast Fork | Develop ecological flow targets for the Middle and Coast Fork Willamette River and design and test alternative flow releases from Corps of Engineers dams to achieve more natural flow regimes. | Willamette | 5.4.2.1, 5.4.2.2, and 5.4.3.1 |
| 2a. Implement initial flow releases from the dams | Adjust reservoir operations on the Middle and Coast Fork dams to achieve recommended ecological flows to meet the habitat and life-history requirements of listed species. | Willamette | 5.4.2.1, 5.4.2.2, and 5.4.3.1 |
| 2b. Evaluate effects of ecological flows | Develop a monitoring and modeling program to evaluate the ecological effects of implementing the recommended flow regimes in the Middle and Coast Forks Willamette River. Evaluate the benefits of different flow restoration scenarios on target species | Willamette | 5.4.2.1, 5.4.2.2, and 5.4.3.1 |
Narrative
Recommendations
- ISRP: Unranked
- Council: Not fundable
- BPA: Not fundable