Little Canyon Creek Subwatershed Steelhead Trout Habitat Improvement Project Sponsored by: Lewis Soil Conservation District

Project Goal Improve steelhead trout habitat in Little Canyon Creek by implementing best management practices to upland agricultural lands.

Little Canyon Creek Watershed Big Canyon Creek Watershed

Little Canyon Creek 100% within Nez Perce Reservation 93% privately owned 68% agricultural land use

Little Canyon Creek Wild A-run steelhead trout occur

Lower Little Canyon Creek Subwatershed

Problems The only remaining steelhead trout runs in the Clearwater River subbasin, with limited or no hatchery influence, occur in the lower Clearwater River tributaries

Problems Limiting factors to steelhead habitat within Little Canyon Creek are associated with climate and land use patterns, including: –excess sediment delivery –flashy storm events –low sustained summer base flows Limiting factors to steelhead habitat within Little Canyon Creek are associated with climate and land use patterns, including: –excess sediment delivery –flashy storm events –low sustained summer base flows

Surface soil erosion is the dominant type of erosion from most cultivated lands in the watershed Source of sediment and water quality problems Sediment contributes to increased stream temperature and reduced stream productivity Surface soil erosion is the dominant type of erosion from most cultivated lands in the watershed Source of sediment and water quality problems Sediment contributes to increased stream temperature and reduced stream productivity Problems

Solutions To protect, enhance and/or restore fish habitat, best management practices should be developed and implemented on agricultural lands. To protect, enhance and/or restore fish habitat, best management practices should be developed and implemented on agricultural lands.

Solutions Best Management Practices Dryland Agriculture Best Management Practices Dryland Agriculture

Solutions Best Management Practices –Combination of practices that effectively and practicably prevent or reduce the amount of sediment delivery to receiving streams –Techniques that will begin restoration and protection of aquatic habitat impacted by land management Best Management Practices –Combination of practices that effectively and practicably prevent or reduce the amount of sediment delivery to receiving streams –Techniques that will begin restoration and protection of aquatic habitat impacted by land management

Solutions Best Management Practices –Control and reduce erosion and subsequent sedimentation: conservation tillage (no-till) sediment basins gully plugs culvert outlets grade stabilization grassed waterways permanent vegetation Best Management Practices –Control and reduce erosion and subsequent sedimentation: conservation tillage (no-till) sediment basins gully plugs culvert outlets grade stabilization grassed waterways permanent vegetation

Solutions Best Management Practices –Promote upland water storage: conservation tillage (no-till) ponds sediment basins riparian habitat improvements and protection Best Management Practices –Promote upland water storage: conservation tillage (no-till) ponds sediment basins riparian habitat improvements and protection

No-Till (Conservation Tillage)

Gully Erosion Control

Upland Water Storage

Little Canyon Creek BMPs currently being implemented in uppermost portions of the watershed (Long Hollow and Holes Creeks) through State Agricultural Water Quality Program

Little Canyon Creek BMPs currently being implemented in Lower Little Canyon Creek through BPA funded effort (ongoing for the past 27 months)

Little Canyon Creek Nearly 1/2 of the watershed will have received enhanced level of conservation efforts (Dec. 2001) BMPs implemented to date 4,100 acres of no-till 12 sediment basins and 3 ponds 9 gully plugs and 3 grade stabilization structures 7 grassed waterways 8 culvert outlets 2 off-site watering facilities Nearly 1/2 of the watershed will have received enhanced level of conservation efforts (Dec. 2001) BMPs implemented to date 4,100 acres of no-till 12 sediment basins and 3 ponds 9 gully plugs and 3 grade stabilization structures 7 grassed waterways 8 culvert outlets 2 off-site watering facilities

Little Canyon Creek Soil savings over the practices life expectancy totals over 225,000 TONS

Implement BMPs on agricultural uplands and adjacent riparian areas (~20,000 acres) Survey fish density and riparian habitat quality index in Little Canyon Creek Communicate with cooperating agencies on coordinate monitoring efforts (Nez Perce Tribe and DEQ) Little Canyon Creek Project

Continued implementation of Best Management Practices to agricultural uplands should improve steelhead trout habitat in Little Canyon Creek, Big Canyon Creek and the Lower Clearwater River

Little Canyon Creek Subwatershed Steelhead Trout Habitat Improvement Project Sponsored by: Lewis Soil Conservation District