Project Grant F23AP00197

THE WILLIAMSON RIVER AND SPRING CREEK PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY SPAWNING HABITAT FOR REDBAND TROUT. MANY STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (USFWS), HAVE IMPLEMENTED A SPAWNING GRAVEL AUGMENTATION PROGRAM ON THE WILLIAMSON RIVER AND ON OTHER UPPER KLAMATH BASIN TRIBUTARIES SINCE THE MID 1970S WITH THE GOAL OF ADDRESSING LIMITED ADULT REDBAND TROUT SPAWNING, AND FRY AND JUVENILE REARING HABITAT. SPAWNING GRAVEL AUGMENTATION PROJECT SITES ON THE WILLIAMSON RIVER AND ON LOWER SPRING CREEK PROVIDE IMPORTANT SPAWNING HABITAT USED BY LARGE ADFLUVIAL REDBAND TROUT. THE PROJECT INCLUDES TWO PROJECT ELEMENTS 1) PLACE 200 CY OF SPAWNING GRAVEL IN THE WILLIAMSON RIVER DOWNSTREAM OF THE SPRING CREEK CONFLUENCE TO INCREASE SPAWNING HABITAT, AND 2) PLACE 80 LARGE WOOD STRUCTURES ON THE RIVER LEFT CHANNEL MARGIN OF THE WILLIAMSON RIVER TO INCREASE CHANNEL MARGIN HABITAT STRUCTURE FOR ADULT AND JUVENILE REDBAND TROUT. THE TREATMENTS WILL ALSO BENEFIT LOST RIVER SUCKER AND SHORTNOSE SUCKER, AND FOLLOWING THE REMOVAL OF THE LOWER KLAMATH RIVER DAMS, FALL AND SPRING CHINOOK SALMON, SUMMER STEELHEAD, AND PACIFIC LAMPREY. MAPS AND EXISTING CONDITION GROUND PHOTOS ARE INCLUDED IN THE ATTACHMENTS. THE PROJECT WILL ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN THE USFWS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. AQUATIC HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS FOR NATIVE FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC SPECIES. VOLUNTARY RESTORATION OF FISH, WATERFOWL AND OTHER NATIVE WILDLIFE HABITAT ON PRIVATE LANDS IN THE KLAMATH BASIN. CLIMATE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES THAT RESULT IN IMPROVED CONDITIONS FOR NATIVE FISH AND WILDLIFE SPECIES IN THE KLAMATH BASIN. THE FOLLOWING SECTION PROVIDES SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION WILLIAMSON RIVER RESTORATION PRIORITIES, REDBAND TROUT SPAWNING HABITAT USE, AND THE PROPOSED HABITAT RESTORATION ACTIONS FOR THE PROPERTY ON THE WILLIAMSON RIVER.