The Upper Lochsa and The Upper Lochsa and Progress Toward Progress Toward

RestorationRestoration

Rebecca A. Lloyd, NPT Watershed Rebecca A. Lloyd, NPT Watershed DivisionDivision

Lochsa is 1 of 7 NPTLochsa is 1 of 7 NPTProject Management AreasProject Management Areas

Characteristics of the Upper Characteristics of the Upper LochsaLochsa

346,000 acres (all land above Warm 346,000 acres (all land above Warm Springs)Springs)

80% Federally Managed80% Federally Managed 12% Privately Owned by TWJ Holdings12% Privately Owned by TWJ Holdings

40,640 acres40,640 acres 19 Miles of Mainstem Habitat in Lochsa19 Miles of Mainstem Habitat in Lochsa Over 500 miles Spawning and Rearing Over 500 miles Spawning and Rearing

Habitat to Anadromous and Resident Habitat to Anadromous and Resident FishFish

Aquatic Indicator SpeciesAquatic Indicator Species

B-Run Steelhead (ESA listed)B-Run Steelhead (ESA listed) Bull trout (ESA listed)Bull trout (ESA listed) Spring ChinookSpring Chinook Westslope cutthroat trout (species of Westslope cutthroat trout (species of

concern)concern)

Terrestrial Species of Concern Terrestrial Species of Concern Present in Upper LochsaPresent in Upper Lochsa

Northern GoshawkNorthern Goshawk Western Toad Western Toad Gray WolfGray Wolf Wolverine Wolverine Bald EagleBald Eagle Harlequin Duck Harlequin Duck Lynx Lynx Coeur d’Alene SalamanderCoeur d’Alene Salamander

Restoration Progress since Restoration Progress since 19971997

Importance of the habitat in the Importance of the habitat in the Upper Lochsa results in making it Upper Lochsa results in making it an early focus of restoration work an early focus of restoration work by the Nez Perce Tribeby the Nez Perce Tribe

Legacies of Logging on the Legacies of Logging on the LochsaLochsa

Partnership History with the Partnership History with the Clearwater National Forest Clearwater National Forest

Perfect TimingPerfect Timing Beginnings of NPT-Watershed Division Beginnings of NPT-Watershed Division

coincided with the acceleration of the CNF-coincided with the acceleration of the CNF-Watershed Restoration-Road Obliteration Watershed Restoration-Road Obliteration programprogram

Implementation in Upper Lochsa and Implementation in Upper Lochsa and Lolo Creek in 1997Lolo Creek in 1997

On the Lochsa, our focus started on On the Lochsa, our focus started on roadsroads

Rain on Snow Events 1995-Rain on Snow Events 1995-19961996

Over 900 slides Over 900 slides identified on the identified on the ForestForest

58% of slides 58% of slides associated with roadsassociated with roads

Many slides off Many slides off overgrown overgrown abandoned roadsabandoned roads

Road Decommissioning Road Decommissioning GoalsGoals

Reduce risk of mass failureReduce risk of mass failure Reduce erosion and sedimentationReduce erosion and sedimentation Restore slope hydrologyRestore slope hydrology Restore land to productionRestore land to production Eliminate unnecessary roadsEliminate unnecessary roads Protect fisheries habitatProtect fisheries habitat

Lochsa Road RemovalLochsa Road Removal

300 miles 300 miles decommissioneddecommissioned Opened over 40 Opened over 40

miles of tributary miles of tributary habitat by removing habitat by removing failing culvertsfailing culverts

Restoration Program Expands Restoration Program Expands to Ridgetop to Ridgetop to Ridgetop to Ridgetop

ApproachApproach Barrier CulvertsBarrier Culverts Road Improvements/UpgradesRoad Improvements/Upgrades WeedsWeeds MonitoringMonitoring

Goals For Culvert Goals For Culvert ReplacementReplacement

Provide Passage for All Aquatic Provide Passage for All Aquatic SpeciesSpecies

Follow Stream Simulation CriteriaFollow Stream Simulation Criteria Reduce Risk of Road Failure and Cost Reduce Risk of Road Failure and Cost

of Road Maintenanceof Road Maintenance

Culvert ReplacementsCulvert Replacements

Culvert Replacement Culvert Replacement AccomplishmentsAccomplishments

13 Culvert 13 Culvert ReplacementsReplacements

Returned over 24 Returned over 24 miles of spawning miles of spawning and rearing habitatand rearing habitat

Weed Awareness and Weed Awareness and Incorporating Weed TreatmentIncorporating Weed Treatment

Accomplishments for Weed Accomplishments for Weed Inventory and treatmentInventory and treatment

1000 miles Inventory on System 1000 miles Inventory on System Roads and Decommissioned RoadsRoads and Decommissioned Roads

Treatment of Administrative Sites in Treatment of Administrative Sites in 20062006

120 acres Prescription Grazing in 120 acres Prescription Grazing in 20052005

Accomplishments in Accomplishments in PartnershipPartnership

Project NameProject Name Funding AgencyFunding Agency NPT Watershed NPT Watershed InvestmentInvestment PeriodPeriod FutureFuture PartnersPartners

Contribution Contribution from from

PartnersPartnersAccomplishmentsAccomplishments

                       

Protect and Protect and Restore Restore Waw'aalWaw'aalamnime amnime

to to 'Imnama'Imnama

tnoon tnoon Creek Creek

Analysis Analysis AreaArea

Bonneville Power Bonneville Power AdministratAdministration, Idaho ion, Idaho County RACCounty RAC

$3,068,605$3,068,6051997-1997-

20200606

$350,000$350,000

ClearwateClearwater r

NatiNational onal ForeFore

stst

$2,607,762$2,607,762

265 miles road 265 miles road decommissioning, decommissioning, road restoration, road restoration,

14 culvert 14 culvert replacements, 120 replacements, 120

acres weed acres weed treatmenttreatment

Protect and Protect and Restore Restore Crooked Crooked

Fork Fork Creek to Creek to

Colt Colt Killed Killed

Analysis Analysis AreaArea

Bonneville Power Bonneville Power AdministratAdministration, Idaho ion, Idaho

Pacific Pacific Coastal Coastal Salmon Salmon

Recovery Recovery Funds, Funds,

National National Forest Forest

FoundationFoundation

$1,257,506$1,257,5062002-2002-

20200606

$225,000$225,000

ClearwateClearwater r

NatiNational onal ForeFore

stst

$166,000$166,000

Inventoried noxious Inventoried noxious weeds over weeds over

200,000 acres, 200,000 acres, 350 miles of road 350 miles of road

and culvert and culvert inventory, 8 miles inventory, 8 miles

road road decommissioning, decommissioning,

2 culvert 2 culvert replacements, 1 replacements, 1 ford to provide ford to provide

fish passagefish passage

                       

TOTALSTOTALS    $4,326,111$4,326,111          $2,773,762$2,773,762   

Future Plans 2007-2009Future Plans 2007-2009

Northwest Power Conservation Council and Northwest Power Conservation Council and BPA Funds per Year BPA Funds per Year Waw’aalamnime to ‘Imnaamatnoon: $367,843Waw’aalamnime to ‘Imnaamatnoon: $367,843 Crooked Fork to Colt Killed: $228,122Crooked Fork to Colt Killed: $228,122

Other Possible FundsOther Possible Funds EPA, Idaho PCSRF, RACEPA, Idaho PCSRF, RAC

Roll Project Areas Together and Include Roll Project Areas Together and Include Middle LochsaMiddle Lochsa

Restoration on Private LandsRestoration on Private Lands

Now for the Bad NewsNow for the Bad News

All of the All of the Remarkable Work Remarkable Work the USFS and NPT the USFS and NPT have Completed have Completed will be Undermined will be Undermined if We Fail to if We Fail to Acquire the Private Acquire the Private LandsLands

Timeline for Private LandsTimeline for Private Lands

1855: Nez Perce Tribe cedes these 1855: Nez Perce Tribe cedes these lands to Federal Government; but, lands to Federal Government; but, reserves rights to these landsreserves rights to these lands

Land Grant of 1864Land Grant of 1864 1980: Burlington Northern segregates1980: Burlington Northern segregates 1989: Plum Creek Timber 1989: Plum Creek Timber 2003: PCTC CEO Focuses on Real Estate2003: PCTC CEO Focuses on Real Estate 2005: PCTC Sells Lochsa to TWJ 2005: PCTC Sells Lochsa to TWJ

HoldingsHoldings

However…in Good NewsHowever…in Good News

The Private Land Owner does NOT The Private Land Owner does NOT want the Lochsa Landswant the Lochsa Lands

Lands he prefers for Legislative Lands he prefers for Legislative Exchange within the USFS are in the Exchange within the USFS are in the McCall areaMcCall area

Current Issues with the Current Issues with the ExchangeExchange

USFS USFS Identified Idaho County buy-in to Identified Idaho County buy-in to

exchange as the critical issue and prefer exchange as the critical issue and prefer to keep the exchange within Idaho to keep the exchange within Idaho CountyCounty

Concerned about Restoration Costs on Concerned about Restoration Costs on Acquired Land in Lochsa and Want Some Acquired Land in Lochsa and Want Some Work Prior to ExchangeWork Prior to Exchange

Region 4 may Not Support the ExchangeRegion 4 may Not Support the Exchange

Current Issues with the Current Issues with the ExchangeExchange

Idaho County Wants Revenue Idaho County Wants Revenue ReplacementReplacement Plum Creek at a high in 2002 provided Plum Creek at a high in 2002 provided

$286,063 in taxes$286,063 in taxes Also want some guarantee of timberAlso want some guarantee of timber

Becca’s QuestionsBecca’s Questions

What is the role of Idaho County in this What is the role of Idaho County in this exchange? Why does it supercede exchange? Why does it supercede resource concerns and rights of the Nez resource concerns and rights of the Nez Perce Tribe?Perce Tribe?

What will the role of Treaty Rights play in What will the role of Treaty Rights play in the exchange?the exchange?

What are the pros and cons of a What are the pros and cons of a Legislative vs. Administrative Exchange?Legislative vs. Administrative Exchange?

Becca’s IdeasBecca’s Ideas

Results of $11 million law suit USFS vs. Results of $11 million law suit USFS vs. PCTC? Those funds would go to General PCTC? Those funds would go to General Treasury…could be used for purchase of Treasury…could be used for purchase of land, restoration bond, grant to the land, restoration bond, grant to the counties????counties????

Raise conservations funds for grant to Raise conservations funds for grant to Idaho County for education and economic Idaho County for education and economic development (Clearwater Economic development (Clearwater Economic Development Agency-CEDA)Development Agency-CEDA)