This project specifically requests funding for adding design and implementation of an additional partial of ground at the wilson and dorrance diversion locations

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $150,000 Project Grant to the Nez Perce Tribe under the National Fish Passage Program (CFDA 15.685) to fund the design and implementation of an additional partial fish passage at the Wilson and Dorrance diversion locations on the Wallowa River. This project aims to restore aquatic organism passage and connectivity, enabling access to 10 miles of critical spawning, rearing, and foraging habitat for species such as spring Chinook salmon, coho salmon, sockeye salmon, steelhead, bull trout, and Pacific lamprey. The grant project has an anticipated completion date of January 6, 2028. By removing these priority fish passage barriers, the Nez Perce Tribe will help restore comprehensive instream passage and ecological connectivity in the Wallowa River watershed, benefitting native fish populations and supporting subsistence and cultural practices of tribal members.

These diversions are two of eight irrigation diversions planned for restoration on the wallowa river. These diversions are identified by odfw priority fish passage barrier list 2019 and the oregon fish passage barrier data standard dataset 2020 as a priority partial fish passage barrier., access would be improved for 10 miles of fish distribution above this diversion including several miles of pristine tributaries located above wallowa lake. Once these barriers are removed, all life stages of spring chinook salmon, coho salmon, and sockeye salmon, steelhead, bull trout, and pacific lamprey migrating through this portion of the wallowa river will benefit by regaining access to critical spawning, rearing and foraging habitat upstream.removal of these barriers, along with numerous other completed or planned priority barriers upstream and downstream, will be key to restoring comprehensive instream passage, ecological connectivity, and access to cold water refugia. Low flows and highwater temperatures resulting from a damcontrolled muted hydrograph, irrigation withdrawals, reduced snowpack, and other climate change effects, amplify the importance of enhanced passage and access to habitat in less flow limited reaches located upstream. Benefits to the species listed above as per local, state, and federal recovery plans are expected to be immediate and substantial. The replacement of the current irrigation dams with a roughened channel will allow fish to better navigate the diversion while simultaneously providing water to the irrigator. In addition to the ecological benefit of enabling aquatic organisms unobstructed access to critical habitat, allowing more fish to move through the system to spawn and rear will also provide for tribal members, who rely on them for subsistence and cultural value. We are requesting funding for the completion OF1 stamped final plan sets for both diversions.2 federal, state, and county environmental permits by a subcontracted engineer firm and ESA regulatory agency consultation AND3 ontheground construction by a subcontracted general contractor.