Salmon Recovery

Program History

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Department of Natural Resources created the fisheries habitat program with the goal of restoring fish habitat in the Grande Ronde, John Day, Tucannon, Umatilla, and Walla Walla subbasin watersheds. The primary strategy of the program is a First Foods-based approach which focuses on restoring the watershed’s quality through an ecosystem wide restoration. Of these first foods, it is the Chinook and Coho salmon, along with Lampreys, Mussels, Sockeye, Steelhead, Suckers, Trout, Whitefish populations that the program aims to restore. By coordinating with federal, private, and non-profit organizations, the program works to complete restoration projects throughout the various subbasins.

Umatilla Subbasin History

In 1987, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Department of Natural Resources created the Umatilla River Anadromous Fish Habitat Project with the goal of protecting and restoring salmon populations of the Umatilla subbasin. Within the subbasin, much of the work has been completed on the Meacham, Isquulkpte, Birch, Wildhorse, East Birch, West Birch creeks as well as the mainstem Umatilla River. Over the course of the 36-year history of the program, many fish enhancement projects have been implemented throughout the various waterways in the Umatilla subbasin watershed. Throughout this period, a total of 7,089 acres have been protected via conservation easements or acquisitions. Within these protected areas, 187 miles of fish habitat has been reopened, 6.8 miles of main and side channels have been reconnected, 1.5 miles of floodplains have been reconnected, 3.7 miles of levee removals, 3,400 pieces of wood have been installed, 690 acres planted with native vegetation, and 4,100 acres treated for weeds. These project efforts were funded largely by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) restoration programs, as well as federal and state grants.  

Ongoing Restoration Efforts in the Basin

Currently, the team is working on the UmaBirch Project which includes the confluence of Birch Creek from RM 0.0 to RM 0.7 and RM 1.8 to RM 2.7, the Umatilla River from RM 47.8 to RM 49.9, the entire Birch Creek alluvial fan, and the associated floodplain areas of Birch Creek and the Umatilla River. This waterway is important as it is where 54% (Mid-Columbia Steelhead DPS Recovery Plan pg. 6 – 7) of the Steelhead population in the subbasin spawn. However, it has been severely degraded over the use due to agricultural practices. The objective of this project is to increase the stream’s complexity, floodplain connectivity, and improve/construct fish habitat within. By achieving these project goals, we anticipate significant fish habitat improvement in the stream and in turn increase the local Steelhead population. While conducting this restoration project, the team is also maintaining the Wildhorse and Meacham Creek project areas by continuing to plant native vegetation and control noxious weed populations. Future projects include the Imeques project that aims to restore Meacham Creek RM 1.1 to improve local fish habitat, as well as local hatchery operations and the Meacham Creek RM 10-11 project that aims to continue the restoration efforts from previous projects in the lower half of the creek.