Improve anadromous fish habitat for federally listed steelhead trout in the TOM beall creek watershed, a tributary to lapwai creek, located in northern idaho

The Bureau of Reclamation awarded $489,454 to the Nez Perce Soil and Water Conservation District on June 23, 2025, under the WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) program (CFDA 15.507) to improve anadromous fish habitat for federally listed steelhead trout in the Tom Beall Creek watershed. The project, with completion targeted for November 30, 2026, will remove an existing box culvert that prohibits upstream fish migration and replace it with a fish-passable bottomless arch culvert. Additional structural improvements include installation of two rock weirs to control channel grade, a temporary construction bridge, and a permanent bridge. These infrastructure modifications will remove a critical fish passage barrier and provide steelhead, coho, and Chinook salmon access to approximately two miles of previously inaccessible habitat within the Reclamation's Lewiston Orchard Project boundaries.

The project will deliver comprehensive ecosystem and community benefits through site preparation activities including drone imagery and baseline habitat quality data collection, culminating in improved watershed health, reduced flood risk in the project area, and enhanced water quality for downstream recreational and agricultural users. As a cost-shared initiative typical of WaterSMART's ecosystem restoration focus, this project supports the Bureau of Reclamation's mission to advance water conservation and sustainability while benefiting stakeholders involved in watershed improvement, fish habitat management, and fishery conservation across northern Idaho.

Activities

Remove an existing box culvert, which prohibits upstream fish migration, and replace the culvert with a fish passable structure. Major components of the project include: preparing site through drone imagery and baseline habitat quality data collectionreplacing an existing box culvert with bottomless arch culvertinstallation of two rock weirs to control grade within the channelinstallation of temporary bridge for use during constructioninstallation of permanent bridgeexpected deliverables or outcomes: support the migration of the steelhead trout and additional species including coho and chinook salmonprovide access to approximately two miles of habitat and reduce area flood risk improve water quality to downstream recreational and agricultural water usersintended beneficiaries: anyone dealing with watershed improvement, fish habitat, and fishery conservation management.subrecipient activities (if known or specified at time of award): n a