La Grande Ranger District Planning Summer Aquatic Restoration Projects
By Garrett Christensen on Friday, March 17th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
Union County – (Information from the La Grande Ranger District) The La Grande Ranger District is planning four restoration projects within the Wallowa Whitman National Forest and accompanying wildlife areas. These projects will begin, at the earliest, in may and run as late as November. A description of the projects along with a location and timeframe are as follows:
Battle + Campbell Creek Restoration
Timeline Estimate: Early May 2023 – November 2023
Specific Location: “Restoration activities within Battle and Campbell Creek are primarily within the Starkey Experimental Forest of the LaGrande Ranger District, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. The project is located within the Meadow Creek Watershed (1706010402); Lower Meadow Creek Subwatershed (170601040206).”
Project Description: “Wood will be configured into channel spanning log jams within 3 miles of Battle Creek and 1.5 miles of Campbell Creek to add roughness, increase floodplain interaction and habitat complexity, and promote out of channel flooding. These structures also promote longer periods of hydrologic production, decrease stream temperatures, and increase riparian deciduous vegetation. Wood for these streams will be hand-felled from dense stands within 200 feet on each side of the stream and transported to the channel by mini excavators.
Peet Creek Restoration
Timeline Estimate: Early May 2023 – November 2023
Specific Location: “The project area can be accessed from National Forest System Road 2100, near the Starkey Experimental Forest boundary. It is within the Meadow Creek Watershed (1706010402); Middle Meadow Creek Subwatershed (170601040202); Union County (T 3S, R 33E, S 24, 25; T 3S 34E, S 19).”
Project Description: “Wood will be configured into channel spanning log jams within Peet Creek to add roughness, increase floodplain interaction and habitat complexity, and promote out of channel flooding. These structures also promote longer periods of hydrologic production, decrease stream temperatures, and increase riparian deciduous vegetation. Wood for these streams will be hand-felled from dense stands within 200 feet on each side of the stream and transported to the channel by mini excavators.”
Syrup Creek Restoration
Timeline Estimate: Early May 2023 – November 2023
Specific Location: “The project area can be accessed from National Forest System Road 2120, near the Starkey Experimental Forest boundary. It is within the Lower McCoy Creek Subwatershed (170601040204); Union County (T 3S, R 34E Sections 16, 21, 22, 23).”
Project Description: “Wood will be configured into channel spanning log jams within Syrup Creek to add roughness, increase floodplain interaction and habitat complexity, and promote out of channel flooding. These structures also promote longer periods of hydrologic production, decrease stream temperatures, and increase riparian deciduous vegetation. Wood for these streams will be hand-felled from dense stands within 200 feet on each side of the stream and transported to the channel by mini excavators.”
Upper Fly Creek Restoration
Timeline Estimate: June 1, 2023 – November 2023
Specific Location: “Restoration activities within Upper Fly Creek will take place near National Forest System Road 5155-400 at T5S R35E Sections 17 & 20. The project area is within the Lower Fly Creek Subwatershed (170601040108) (T 5S, R35E, S 17 & 20).”
Project Description: “Wood will be configured into channel spanning log jams at 13 sites between river miles 8.5 – 9 of Upper Fly Creek. These structures will improve floodplain inundation and habitat complexity. Wood for these streams will be removed from nearby road prisms and hand- felled from dense stands within 200 feet on each side of the stream and transported to the channel by mini excavators.”
