Salmon and steelhead need good spawning grounds. Once hatched, the young fish need habitat with plenty of protection and food until they are strong enough to make the journey to the sea.

To support the returning fish, PGE and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs have set aside $21.5 million to restore habitat in areas ranging from the Metolius and Crooked Rivers above the dams to Trout Creek and the Warm Springs Reservation below the dams. Local watershed and conservation groups are also providing funding.

The return of salmon and steelhead above Pelton and Round Butte dams has inspired extensive collaboration between conservationists, fishermen and state and federal agencies. Here are a few of the most visible projects.

Logs and trail work on the upper Metolius River
In summer 2008, the U.S. Forest Service and Upper Deschutes Watershed Council started placing logs and trees along 9.8 miles of the Metolius River to provide pool-like habitat for juvenile steelhead and salmon. With volunteers and excavation contractors, they placed 154 whole trees and logs at 16 sites between Wizard Fall Fish Hatchery and Lower Bridge. PGE and the Tribes are contributing over $300,000 to the effort.

Consulting with local fishermen, boaters and others who know the river well, the Forest Service has carefully chosen these sites, focusing on areas of fast, shallow water and avoiding hazards for boaters. The logs are placed to mimic natural conditions and create slower, deeper pools where juvenile fish can hold their position in the current, find plenty to eat and avoid predators. To secure the logs, they are anchored in place by digging a slot in the bank and covering the root wads with dirt.

The project also includes rehabilitating the river bank. Youth Conservation Corps crews raked out access trails and scattered pine needles and woody debris to protect the soil from intense rain storms. Two middle school groups were trained and planted 380 native shrubs and trees on the sites, as well as native grasses.

The project is expected to continue through 2011 and include a total of 173 sites. Some sites are in areas so delicate, or inaccessible by road, the logs will be placed by helicopter.

Whychus Creek restoration at Camp Polk (Sisters, Oregon)
Whychus Creek is important spawning and rearing ground for summer steelhead and Chinook salmon. Originally the creek meandered through the meadow near Camp Polk, providing plenty of habitat for spawning fish. In the 1960’s, however, the creek was moved to a straighter, deeper channel along the edge of the canyon as part of a flood control effort. While this did address the flooding issue, it also meant a loss of wetlands and fish habitat, and the creek itself was shortened by half a mile. Now, with salmon and steelhead returning to the rivers above Round Butte Dam, Whychus Creek will be restored to its original, longer, meandering path.

With collaboration from a wide range of organizations and individuals, the project is well underway:

• The Deschutes Basin Land Trust, the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council and the U.S. Forest Service have developed a plan for restoring the creek.
• PGE and the Tribes have contributed over $450,000 to the project.
• Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board and the Department of Environmental Quality have provided an additional $1 million in grants.

The entire project will be completed in three phases:

Summer 2009   Construct the new channel and plant it with native vegetation. To ensure the stability of the streambed, these plants will be allowed to grow for several years to become firmly established. 2011   Once the streambed is ready, the existing channel will be plugged, and Whychus Creek will flow through the meadow again. 2011+   Long-term monitoring and maintenance will be necessary to control weeds and document the improvements to fish and wildlife habitat.

The Watershed Council will manage and oversee the project implementation, using contract construction teams to dig the new channel, volunteers for planting and other activities and a network of agency partners for technical assistance and project support.