Attachment_1_-_Pumpkin_Creek_Restoration_PWS.pdf

Performance Work Statement (PWS) Pumpkin Creek Process Based Restoration

1. Background:

In 2009, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) acquired 1700 acres of land encompassing 8 miles of Pumpkin Creek, a perennial prairie stream and tributary of the Tongue River, located approximately 11 miles south of Miles City, Montana. It’s a flashy system that drains ~700 mi2 of hilly, prairie landscape, lies within an unconfined valley bottom, and requires floodplains, riparian vegetation and structural elements to create and maintain attributes associated with the potential of the system. Historically, this system was likely a depositional, multi-threaded channel with high lateral connectivity across the valley bottom, driven in large part by structural forcing (Cluer & Thorne, 2014) provided largely by cottonwood and beaver dams.

However, historic land use practices (e.g., removal of beaver, livestock grazing, and hydrogeomorphic modifications such as small levees) caused a dramatic decline in riparian vegetation and beaver dam building activity, leading to structural starvation. As a result, the system incised, lateral connectivity between the stream and surrounding valley bottom declined, floodplain aquifer elevations dropped, and it transitioned to a transport reach in which nearly all water and sediment are rapidly transported out of the system. The little remaining riparian vegetation consists of senescing, mature cottonwood trees that are primarily situated on the inactive floodplain surfaces. Overall, the creek is now an incised, single threaded, meandering, structurally starved channel with inactive floodplain surfaces spanning nearly 90% of the valley bottom. Lateral connectivity under normal flood flows is limited to some small inset floodplains where channel widening has occurred. Despite correcting the grazing issues and the rebound of beaver throughout the region, recovery is exceedingly slow. This is because the ecological processes & related structural forcings that catalyze hydrologic, geomorphic, and vegetative adjustments are largely inactive. Therefore, the BLM implemented a low-tech process based restoration (LTPBR) project in 2023 to mimic and promote the keystone ecological processes (e.g., beaver dam building activity and wood accumulations) to accelerate recovery through the stream evolution sequence.

Throughout the entire project area, the channel is incised. However, some reaches have begun to widen and develop components of an inset floodplain. Given these conditions and associated dominant physical processes (widening or widening & aggrading), relative to the desired future conditions (Stage 8, Cluer & Thorne, 2014) and scope of hydraulic influence of structural elements (e.g., post assisted log structures and beaver dam analogs), multiple phases of treatment will be required. Phase 1 was implemented in 2023 and completed in 2024 which included installing 203 structures throughout the eight miles of Pumpkin Creek. Through this performance work statement, maintenance would be implemented on certain structures to continue the encouragement of widening, aggradation, and recruitment of riparian vegetation during successive flood events.

2. Description:

This is maintenance on an existing Low-Tech Process Based Restoration (LTPBR) project. This project exists along eight (8) miles of Pumpkin Creek administered by the BLM. The project area is subdivided into three

(3) reaches based on current conditions of the channel. The goal of the restoration project is to mimic and promote the processes (wood accumulations & beaver dam building activity) that historically created and maintained hydraulic, hydrologic, geomorphic, and vegetative attributes associated with the potential of the system, over time. Desired conditions are associated with Stage 6 (Quasi-equilibrium) and/or 7 (laterally active), as described in Cluer& Thorne, 2014. Maintenance actions will include:

• Lateral extensions of structures through adding wood and posts,

• Increase structures height through adding wood,

• Plugging gaps through the addition of wood or fine material,

• Adding posts to stabilize existing structures,

• Repair breaches, and

• Building new structures where previous structures have blown out.

Equipment requirements for maintenance of LTPBR structures (e.g., PALS and BDAs) consist of a hydraulic post pounder, chainsaws, loppers, shovels, picks, and 5-gallon buckets. The hydraulic power source for the pounder is mounted on a rolling frame that can be moved between structure locations by 2-3 people.

Where access allows, ATVs can also be used to transport the hydraulic post driver and power pack between structures. A griphoist may also be used to transport larger wood pieces from the floodplain to the channel.

PALS are constructed by hand placing the wood in the channel and then using the hydraulic post pounder to pound 2-4” diameter untreated wooden posts into the channel angled towards each other to create an “X” shape in order to wedge the wood in place and prevent them from rafting up and floating away in high flows.

BDAs are built by using a variety of materials (e.g., willow, alder, conifers) that are woven between wooden posts driven into the stream bed in the same manner as PALS (in the case of post-assisted BDAs).

The main difference between BDAs and PALS is that BDAs are always channel spanning and local fill from the banks or bed are used to promote ponding of water during low-flow conditions. The fill is typically sourced from the banks and bed upstream of the structure from the area that will be inundated by the pool formed by the BDA. The fill is placed on the upstream side of the BDA to slow water moving through the structure and increase ponding. Material is collected using shovels and picks and moved by hand using 5-gallon buckets. More detail on construction and design aspects of PALS and BDAs can be found in Appendix 1.

Important:

Pumpkin Creek is a very large, dynamic prairie system. The Contractor (at least one person, key in the execution of, and involved in the day to day work to execute the contract) must have formal education in hydrology or similar discipline that gives the contractor competency in fluvial geomorphology processes.

The contractor must understand riverscape health, be familiar with the Low-Tech Process Based Restoration of Riverscapes Design Manual (hereafter referred to as Low-Tech PBR manual, see references), and follow all principals in the Low-Tech PBR manual to implement treatments effectively in this system. See Appendix 2 for details on how to demonstrate qualifications.

The Pumpkin Creek Restoration Project is a showcase project for the Miles City Field Office for education of restoration processes. A restoration workshop was held at this site that was attended by many BLM staff, including Headquarters, and other BLM partners. This site has been toured multiple times by BLM Headquarters, Montana Dakotas State Office personnel, several Montana BLM field offices, Resource Advisory Committees (RACs), as well as many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as Pheasants Forever and different watershed groups. BLM staff and BLM partners (as interested) may tour the project site during restoration for education on different restoration processes and to view this project.

PROJECT: Pumpkin Creek Restoration Maintenance

Base: Perform maintenance on 40 structures located throughout Reach 1 and Reach 2 (Attachment 2). Maintenance will include lateral extensions of 7 structures through adding wood and posts, increase the height of 7 structures through adding wood, adding wood and posts to 19 existing structures, and building 7 new structures where previous structures have blown out completely. Most of these structures also need fine materials added in to plug gaps.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

Work can begin when water levels are low enough to implement treatments properly, approximately late summer to early fall 2025. All work must be completed by November 30, 2025. No surface disturbing activities can occur from April 15, 2025 to July 15, 2025. Instream work can only occur during low to no flow periods.

The contractor will supply a Schedule of Values and the estimated start and completion dates, upon submittal of the bid for this contract.

Location:

Work under this contract is located in Custer County, Montana as shown in the map below. To access the site, travel south on Highway 59 out of Miles City, MT for approximately 15 miles to the project site. The project is located immediately off Highway 59, on the east side of the Highway. There are three access points into the project site.

Map showing project location within the Pumpkin Creek Watershed in eastern Montana.

Requirements:

• Vehicles shall be cleaned and weed-free before entering/re-entering the project site to prevent the transfer of noxious and invasive weeds.

• Work would not be performed during periods when the soil is too wet to adequately support equipment/vehicles. If equipment/vehicles create ruts in excess of 3 inches deep, operations would cease, as the soil will be deemed too wet to adequately support equipment/vehicles.

• Ground disturbance, including off-road travel will be kept to a minimum to avoid the appearance of an established route that could be mistakenly used by the public.

• Operations of the contractor (including storage of materials, camping area, and vehicle parking) on BLM lands shall be confined to areas approved by the BLM COR (Appendix 3). The surrounding landscape shall not be disturbed. Disturbance to the landscape outside of areas identified by the BLM COR will result in the cessation of operations and written permission from the BLM COR would be required prior to resuming work. In the event that landscape outside of areas identified by the BLM COR for disturbance or operations are disturbed, the Contractor shall restore that area at the Contractor’s expense.

• There are cultural and/or paleontological sites within the project area. These resources will be flagged for avoidance prior to implementation. If the Contractor disturbs or damages any cultural or paleontological sites, the Contractor would be liable for all costs incurred that result from evaluation of impacts to the impacted cultural or paleontological resources as well as any stabilization, repair, or restoration efforts.

• No standing trees or rock outcroppings will be disturbed.

• To protect wildlife (nesting migratory birds) no surface disturbing activities will take place between April 15 to July 15.

• Work affecting a streambed or stream bank will be completed in an expeditious manner to avoid unnecessary impacts to the stream; work will be completed during low to no flow periods.

• Equipment servicing and refueling activities will take place 500 feet from the outer edge of riparian areas, wet areas, and drainages. This includes chainsaws and generators.

• Portable hand operated hydraulic generators that operate within the stream channel or riparian area will use biodegradable hydraulic fluid, such as synthetic ester or vegetable oil.

• Surface disturbance will be limited by only clearing vegetation to an extent that is necessary for construction of the project. Precaution will be taken to preserve existing riparian vegetation.

Native vegetation will be salvaged and reused where possible.

• Temporary construction facilities will be configured to minimize disturbance to stream banks, stream bank vegetation, and the streambed by locating staging or storage facilities out of the floodplain (See Appendix 3).

• Work will be conducted in a manner that minimizes turbidity and other disturbances to aquatic resources.

• Appropriate restrictions may apply during times of elevated fire danger.

• During hunting season all personnel should wear a hunter orange vest or other type of clothing that is brightly colored to make them visible to the public. This is a publicly accessible area and is used by the public regularly.

• All waste, including scraps and packing materials (e.g., metal bands, plastic sacks, etc.) resulting from implementation of treatments shall become the property of the Contractor and shall be removed from the site by the Contractor. Disposal of materials in a legal manner and payment of fees required shall be the Contractor’s responsibility. Burning of any waste materials is not permitted on the work site. Any waste left onsite will be cleaned by the BLM. The time and materials necessary to clean the site will be back charged to the contractor.

• The work shall comply with codes and standards applicable to each type of structure as listed in the Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration of Riverscapes Design Manual (hereafter referred to as Low-Tech PBR manual, see References).

• Maintenance of structures should generally be based on the physical parameters of the site, restoration goals, constraints imposed by adjacent land uses, as well as pragmatic considerations on how best to allocate limited project resources.

• To the extent practicable, maintenance should be implemented in accordance with the following principles of process-based restoration:

o Target root causes of habitat and ecosystem change o Tailor restoration actions to local potential o Match the scale of restoration to the scale at which keystone processes create and maintain site attributes.

o Be explicit about expected outcomes.

• Where BDAs are installed, utilize combinations of primary and secondary dams to create a series of pools and elevation drops that mimic natural beaver dam complexes and correspondingly enable or enhance passage of native fish.

• Where posts are used to provide temporary stability by pinning structure material in place, only untreated posts shall be installed.

3. The Contractor Shall:

• Maintain structures in accordance with the standards of practice described in the Low-Tech PBR

Manual (See References). This includes adhering to Ten guiding principles, which are broken into:

(1) riverscape principles and (2) restoration principles.

o Riverscapes Principles – would inform planning and design through an understanding of what constitutes healthy, functioning riverscapes and therefore what are appropriate targets and analogues to aim for. They include:

1. Streams need space. Healthy streams are dynamic, regularly shifting position within their valley bottom, reworking and interacting with their floodplain. Allowing streams to adjust within their valley bottom is essential for maintaining functioning riverscapes.

2. Structure forces complexity and builds resilience. Structural elements, such as beaver dams and large woody debris, force changes in flow patterns that produce physically diverse habitats. Physically diverse habitats are more resilient to disturbances than simplified, homogeneous habitats.

3. The importance of structure varies. The relative importance and abundance of structural elements varies based on reach type, valley setting, flow regime and watershed context. Recognizing what type of stream you are dealing with (i.e., what other streams it is similar to) helps develop realistic expectations about what that stream should or could look (form) and behave (process) like.

4. Inefficient conveyance of water is often healthy. Hydrologic inefficiency is the hallmark of a healthy system. More diverse residence times for water can attenuate potentially damaging floods, fill up valley bottom sponges, and slowly release that water later elevating baseflow and producing critical ecosystem services.

o Restoration Principles – Restoration Principles relate to our specific restoration actions and give us clues as to how to develop designs to promote processes that lead to recovery and resilience. These principles are rooted in the notion that we are not designing and building the solution, but rather we are simply initiating and promoting natural processes with structural additions as efficiently as possible to maximize the miles of riverscape we can improve. The low-tech Restoration Principles elaborated below help place our restoration actions in the right context to maximize our effectiveness in promoting better riverscape health.

5. It’s okay to be messy. When structure is added back to streams, it is meant to mimic and promote the processes of wood accumulation and beaver dam activity.

Structures are fed to the system like a meal and should resemble natural structures (log jams, beaver dams, fallen trees) in naturally ‘messy’ systems. Structures do not have to be perfectly built to yield desirable outcomes. Focus less on the form and more on the processes the structures will promote.

6. There is strength in numbers. A large number of smaller structures working in concert with each other can achieve much more than a few isolated, over-built, highly secured structures. Using a lot of smaller structures provides redundancy and reduces the importance of any one structure. It generally takes many structures, designed in a complex (see Chapter 5: Shahverdian et al., 2019c), to promote the processes of wood accumulation and beaver dam activity that lead to the desired outcomes.

7. Use natural building materials. Natural materials should be used because structures are simply intended to initiate process recovery and go away over time. Locally sourced materials are preferable because they simplify logistics and keep costs down.

8. Let the system do the work. Giving the riverscape and/or beaver the tools (structure) to promote natural processes to heal itself with stream power and ecosystem engineering, as opposed to diesel power, promotes efficiency that allows restoration to scale to the scope of degradation.

9. Defer decision making to the system. Wherever possible, let the system make critical design decisions by simply providing the tools and space it needs to adjust. Deferring decision making to the system downplays the significance of uncertainty due to limited knowledge. For example, choosing a floodplain elevation to grade to based on limited hydrology information can be a complex and uncertain endeavor, but deferring to the hydrology of that system to build its own floodplain grade reduces the importance of uncertainty due to limited knowledge.

10. 10.Self-sustaining systems are the solution. Low-tech restoration actions in and of themselves are not the solution. Rather they are just intended to initiate processes and nudge the system towards the ultimate goal of building a resilient, self-sustaining riverscape.

• Comply with permits & land use authorizations. The awardee shall comply with the terms and conditions of all current and future permits that authorize the treatments associated with this project.

• Only use materials approved by the BLM. All down wood on site can be used. There is currently enough large material (logs) for an estimated 15 structures on site. Material is scattered throughout the eight miles on site. The awardee is responsible for collecting, transporting, staging, and all other aspects of material management. The only fine material on site is living sage brush (can be cut and used after July 15th).

• Furnish all labor, equipment, appropriately trained personnel, crew supervision, transportation, supplies and incidentals, and perform all work necessary to properly maintain structures within each reach to meet the restoration objectives of the project. All work will be in accordance with the enclosed terms and conditions (Requirements section 2 of this document), scope of work, and Low-Tech PBR manual. Crew supervisor must have expert knowledge, training, and formal experience applying the Principles of Riverscape Health and Restoration to the design and implementation of riverscape restoration projects.

• Comply with all Federal and Montana state permits for working in stream beds and banks.

• Adhere to the Standard Operating Procedures identified in the Low-Tech PBR Manual. Follow guidelines and specifications for maintaining different structure types which can be found in the Low-Tech PBR manual. Ensure all personnel are familiar with this manual and properly trained in applying these types of restoration treatments.

• Provide BLM “as built” treatment data in Riverscape Studio https://qris.riverscapes.net/, including photos, location of structures maintained, types of structures maintained, objectives, and related metrics associated with the project implementation schema. This shall be submitted at the completion of the project to the BLM COR.

• Provide a Final Report describing your work with photos of maintenance, GPS locations of each structure maintained, type (bank attached, mid-channel, etc.), and the purpose of each structure (what function is the treatment expected to accomplish). The BLM will conduct compliance inspections of contractor treated sites. Provide this information through Riverscape Studio https://qris.riverscapes.net/ and briefly summarize it in a written report.

• Responsible for watching weather and ensuring contract is completed on time.

• Ensure all PPE and OSHA Standards are followed.

• Provide supervision to ensure the project is completed safely and maintenance is implemented according to the Low-Tech PBR manual. Individual(s) responsible for planning, supervising, and overseeing the project shall be onsite at all times during the construction. See Appendix 2 for requirements for qualified individual(s).

• Only use material approved by the BLM. All materials must be native, natural materials that are sourced locally. No noxious weeds or invasive species, including Russian Olive, may be used.

4. BLM Shall provide:

• All posts (untreated, 2-3” diameter, 6 ½’ long to 8’ long) required to maintain 40 structures.

• GPS locations of each structure to be maintained and the type of maintenance to be performed (lateral extension, adding posts, repair breach, build new, etc.)

• The contractor and crew can camp onsite.

https://qris.riverscapes.net/, https://qris.riverscapes.net/,

• Any down trees on the Pumpkin Creek site may be used (no standing trees will be disturbed). Sage brush within proximity to the site may be used for fine material, but only after July 15th as digging up sage brush is considered to be a surface disturbing activity. Other materials can be sourced from the County landfill (Contractor must contact them to set it up) in Miles City (~25 miles from project site) where materials have been cut and piled, no fee for collecting materials from the county landfill. However, not all materials at the county site are approved materials, the Contractor will be responsible for sorting through materials and only collecting native materials (Russian Olive is not allowed). There are other nearby (~30 miles) project sites with large material and fine material cut and piled that may be used (awardee responsible for collecting and hauling material to project site).

• A site tour.

• All permits and land use authorizations required to implement the treatments.

5. Communications and Invoicing:

• A pre-work conference will be held prior to work. Contractor will be notified in advance of meeting time, date, and location.

• The contractor, subcontractors, and/or persons responsible for coordination of the work shall be present during all meetings and project inspections.

• Progress meetings will be held at the project site, or as determined by the BLM COR.

• Upon completion of field work and submission of all required data/application records, contractor shall give WRITTEN notice to both the COR and the CO via email. The BLM COR will complete a final inspection after written notification that the work has been completed and all deliverables have been submitted. The final inspection meeting will be held at the project site.

• GIS data (meta data) shall be accurate and include appropriate points, lines, and polygons and attributes associated with projects in Riverscape Studio. Final Report shall be completed properly and include all required information. Failure to give written notice of completion to both the COR and the CO may result in delay of inspection.

• Contractor shall submit an invoice electronically in IPP only upon notification that inspection has been completed, and the work has been accepted. Invoices submitted prior to inspection shall be rejected. Payment shall be made in accordance with the contract requirements. Measurement for payment will be based on completed, reviewed, and accepted products by the COR or for the percentage of work completed based on completed structures.

6. References:

Wheaton J.M., Bennett S.N., Bouwes, N., Maestas J.D., and Shahverdian S.M. (Eidtors) 2019. Low-Tech

Process-Based Restoration of Riverscapes: Design Manual. Version 1.0. Utah State University Restoration Consortium. Logan, UT. Available at: http://lowtechpbr.restoration.usu.edu/manual

Cluer B. and C. Thorne. 2014. A Stream Evolution Model Integrating Habitat and Ecosystem Benefits. River Research Applications, 30: 135-154 (2014).

http://lowtechpbr.restoration.usu.edu/manual

7. Appendix 1: PALS and BDA Construction Methods and Schematics

Schematic of a bank attached PALS.

Schematic of a mid-channel PALS.

Schematic of a channel-spanning PALS.

Schematic of frames for securing wood pieces in PALS.

Schematic of post placement for single row and staggered, double row placements.

Schematic illustrating proper dam crest orientation.

Schematic of a postless BDA.

Illustrations and schematics for building a postless BDA.

Schematic of a BDA supported by a single row of posts.

Schematic of a BDA supported by staggered, double rows of posts.

Schematic with instructions on building a post-supported BDA.

8. Appendix 2: Qualifications for Key Personnel The contractor must provide the name(s) of any individual(s) proposed to be responsible for planning, supervising, and overseeing the project. Throughout the life of the contract if there are any changes in the proposed individuals the Contracting Officer and COR must informed to approve replacing individual.

Proposed information must be included to demonstrate that each individual has achieved all of the following:

a) Formal education that gives the individual competency to carry out the scope of work. This may be obtained in either of the following ways:

a. Formal education resulting in a graduate degree in hydrology or similar discipline (e.g., geomorphology, ecology, environmental management) plus at least 12 months of professional experience including similar duties as proposed in this contract, or

b. Formal education resulting in a bachelor's degree in hydrology or similar discipline (e.g., ecology, geomorphology, environmental management) plus at least 24 months of professional experience including similar duties as proposed in this contract.

b) Competency in the theory and methods of low-tech, process-based restoration. This includes understanding stream evolution, the dominant processes and attributes associated with each state in the stream evolution sequence, and how to account for those factors in structure, complex, and project-scale decisions.

c) Experience applying the Principles of Riverscape Health and Restoration to the design and implementation of projects that have achieved objectives at the structure, complex, and project scales.

d) Ability to plan, equip, organize, and supervise activity of the type and scope proposed.

9. Appendix 3: Staging Areas and Access Points

10. ATTACHMENTS:

ATTACHMENT 2: Pumpkin Creek As-Built 2022-2024