This project will take place on sixmile creek

This project will take place on sixmile creek- a tributary of the lower middle fork of the john day in ritter- oregon. The ritter fish habitat assessment performed in 2021 identified several deficiencies in fish habitat on sixmile creek as well opportunities to improve hydrologic function and water storage. Limiting factors within the creek include degraded riparian area- channel structure and complexity- floodplain degradation- altered hydrology- sediment- water quality- and low flows. A general lack of instream complexity driven by a lack of wood structures drives the vast majority of these factors. This project proposes to improve fish habitat and watershed function in sixmile creek via the placement of large wood structures and construction of beaver DAM analogues (bdas) and post assisted log structures (pals) . This project will also involve planting and fencing to improve stream shading and riparian conditions. This project is a cooperative effort between the north fork john day watershed council (nfjdwc)- the ritter land management team (rlmt)- the oregon department of fish and wildlife (odfw)- and the united states fish and wildlife service (USFWS). Nfjdwc will be the project lead- providing primary project oversite- contract oversite- planting- some materials- and project monitoring. Rlmt will assist with project oversite- planting- and maintenance- odfw will provide direct assistance with implementation as well as consultation to project design and oversite of instream work. USFWS will provide assistance with permitting and funding for habitat improvements on two additional properties.