Willamette Special Investment Partnership PRE-APPLICATION Funds Requested $199, Total Project Cost $ $250,000.00

Transcription

1 Willamette Special Investment Partnership I. GENERAL INFORMATION PRE-APPLICATION Funds Requested $199, Total Project Cost $ $250, Round to nearest dollar Round to nearest dollar Name of Project (five words or fewer) Cox Creek Confluence Other Funding Partners MMT/Albany Project Location (Identify the location using the information that follows) Linn Willamette Slices (100 meter) County or counties At , Longitude, Latitude (e.g., , ) Subbasin(s) Please note the 10-digit hydrological unit code. see Willamette River Mile Have you previously submitted an application to OWEB, either through the regular or small grant program, for this project, or one similar to it on the same property? Yes Grant # No X If yes, explain II. CONTACT INFORMATION Applicant Org.: Calapooia Watershed Council Contact: Tara Davis Mailing Address: PO Box 844 Zip: Phone: calapooia@peak.org Landowner(s): City of Albany (ATI-Wah Chang dam structure) Landowner Address: 333 Broadalbin SW, Albany Zip: Phone: ed.hodney@cityofalbany.net Technical Contact: Denise Hoffert-Hay, Contracted Project Manager Phone: hofferthay@peak.org

2 III. PROJECT INFORMATION 1. SIP Objective: The project will address: X Channel Complexity X Floodplain Connectivity 2. Type of Project: The project is to: Protect a parcel of land through acquisition (conservation easement or fee simple purchase) Conduct pre-implementation development or design of a project to restore floodplain connection or channel complexity. X Implement on-the-ground activities to restore channel or floodplain function through active management (such as removal of berms or barriers). 3. Targeted Fish Populations: Select one or more of the salmon ESUs (Evolutionary Significant Unit) or steelhead DPSs (Distinct Population Segment) that the project will address/benefit. Additional information on the designation and location of the salmon/steelhead populations can be found at Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Upper Willamette River ESU Oregon chub (Oregonichthys crameri) Steelhead (O. mykiss) Upper Willamette River DPS Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) Willamette River DPS 4. Project Description: In approximately one page, describe specifically what you are proposing to do. Include the following: a. Description of current site conditions, including size of site, current land ownership, use and management, and upland, riparian and aquatic habitat conditions. Include a brief, general description of land uses, stream and habitat conditions for two meander bends above and below the site (on both sides of the river). Phase 1 work: Total site encompasses 33 acres acres at Cox Creek-Willamette River confluence 5.4 acres of riparian restoration along Cox Creek Less than 1 acre for dam removal footprint Land ownership and use: The riparian and confluence sites are owned by City of Albany, ATI-Wah Chang (ATI), and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and are managed for light recreational use by hikers. Site management consists of parking lot and sidewalk maintenance for public access. The dam site is owned by ATI and City of Albany. The dam was originally built to impound water for a meatpacking plant that formerly occupied the site. ATI now manages the property and the dam is no longer used. ATI and City of Albany support dam removal to reduce liability and improve fish passage on Cox Creek. These dam removal, riparian restoration, and confluences sites are adjacent to the City of Albany s Talking Water Gardens, an innovative, integrated wetlands system designed to provide an additional level of natural treatment for combined municipal and industrial treated wastewater effluent.

3 Infrastructure on the terrace adjacent to the project area includes the City of Albany wastewater treatment facility, ATI, and transportation corridors including the railroad and road systems. These facilities are located on the eastern perimeter of the sites, but influence Cox Creek. The facilities directly affect channel morphology, aquatic and riparian habitats, and water quality. However, relative to past interactions between these properties and the adjacent waterbodies, contemporary impacts are undoubtedly a fraction of the historical disturbance. Upland, riparian and aquatic habitat conditions: The Cox Creek-Willamette River confluence area has an active floodplain including mature riparian forest, riffle-pool stream morphology, and an off-channel pond. The site is characterized by seasonal inundation, diverse microhabitats, and transitional vegetation cover. Currently, non-native species such as reed canary grass, Himalayan blackberry and English ivy cover roughly 70 percent of an area that also supports remnant native plant communities including cottonwood-dominated floodplain forest, mixed riparian forest and willow dominated shrub-scrub wetland. Although degraded to varying extents, these plant communities continue to provide important habitat, water quality and recreational functions. General description of the land uses, stream and habitat conditions for two meander bends above and below the site (on both sides of the river). The proposed project will complement two significant council-led restoration planning efforts at anchor habitats in the Albany Reach of the Willamette River. The council-led effort has also involved project partners including the City of Albany, Benton County SWCD, Greenbelt Land Trust, and private landowners. Important anchor habitats in the Albany Reach include the Calapooia River confluence and the Thornton Lake backwater system each of which are located within two miles of Cox Creek and can be viewed in the enclosed project map. The Oxbow Lakes area, a series of four lakes and two tributary junctions located on the east side of the Willamette River, is located immediately north of the Cox Creek confluence. b. Describe how the proposed project will change current conditions. The project has two components: 1. Remove Cox Creek dam and restore the channel, and 2. Restore native plant communities at the Cox Creek confluence and adjacent to Cox Creek. The limiting factors identified in the NMFS Willamette BiOP (2008) that these projects address include: riparian vegetation loss due to riparian conversion for industrial development and fish passage on tributary streams. Once Cox Creek dam is removed, an additional 1200 feet of off-channel habitat to the Willamette River will be restored. Over 30 acres of riparian and floodplain forest will be revegetated, restoring diminished floodplain functions. c. Description of the expected ecological outcomes including the anticipated benefits to listed fish species and/or other fish and wildlife species The removal of Cox Creek dam is expected to benefit a wide variety of aquatic species. Fish use in Cox Creek is diverse and includes: Chinook salmon, winter steelhead, lamprey, dace, sand roller, largescale sucker, northern pikeminnow, redside shiners, and sculpin. Off-channel habitat is a key limiting factor for salmonids in the Willamette River. Cox Creek is unique in that it remains well-connected to its floodplain, providing a large area for fish seeking slower moving water during winter storm events. ODFW fish surveys conducted in Albany area tributaries in 2002, found a greater diversity of native species in the lower reaches of the tributary streams, compared to sampled areas higher in the respective watersheds. These results suggest the importance of tributary confluence areas to juvenile fish of native species inhabiting the Willamette River in the study area. The removal of Cox Creek dam would therefore increase the length of stream available to fish seeking lower water velocities relative to the Willamette River.

4 Restoring and expanding native vegetation in the project area will provide excellent forage and cover for birds and other wildlife. Conversion of the reed canary grass field to native willow thickets will also provide better habitat for a diversity of terrestrial species. Additional native vegetation along Cox Creek will provide aerial cover and will help maintain cooler water temperatures for fish and other aquatic species. d. Description of how your project will be affected by river processes, both high flows and regulated summer flows. The location of Cox Creek dam is far enough upstream, 1,200 feet from its confluence with the Willamette River, that it is minimally affected by winter high flows and regulated summer flows. However, during high flows, fish inhabiting the Willamette River are expected to use the Cox Creek dam project area for refugia. During low flows, native fish would more likely be located at the confluence of Cox Creek and the Willamette River and may not inhabit the dam reach due to low tributary flows and elevated water temperatures. Willamette River impacts to the Cox Creek floodplain forest and riparian plant restoration due to Willamette River processes will be minimal. The proposed plant species selection and target stem densities account for both low level (e.g., weed introduction) and high level (e.g., scour, aggradation, tree falls) disturbances associated with river processes during high flows. Summer flows are expected to have little or no effect on the vegetation re-establishment component of the project. 5. Federal Fiscal Year Work: Explain what portions of the project can be completed during the 2013 federal fiscal year (October 1, through September 31, 2013). The Calapooia Watershed Council, City of Albany and ATI are confident that work proposed in Phase I of this project will all be completed before September 31 st, Phase II of the project, namely oxbow lake system/floodplain connectivity, water quality improvement in the oxbow lakes, and channel complexity would be completed in Project Map: Please attach a map or aerial photo of your project location. Show major structural and biological features of the project site in its context with both sides of the Willamette River and two meander bends above and below the project site. 7. Project Readiness: Please provide the proposed project timeline, including any steps that have already been completed. Table 1. Timeline for Cox Creek Dam Removal and Channel Restoration* Timeframe Task Lead Entity November 2011 Field visit to site with construction contractor to look at feasibility of dam removal and project footprint Confluence Consulting/River Design Group November 2011 Site visit with project landowners (ATI and City of Albany) to discuss history of the dam, gage whether there is support for dam s removal Meeting with ODFW to discuss fish usage in Cox Creek, how the dam ranks with ODFW fish passage priorities Secure City of Albany existing data on survey and water quality. Additional site survey completed December 2011 /Calapooia WSC February River Design Group/Confluence Consulting March Site visit with City of Eugene to share project lessons learned Confluence

5 from their implementation of Delta Ponds project. Consulting/City of Albany/Calapooia WC March Communication with ATI on their existing data for water quality and sediment in the area as well as previous archaeological investigations. March March April April April June June June June July Communicate with ATI and potential contractors on cost estimates for project implementation (vegetation design and implementation, dam removal design and permitting, construction) Develop conceptual alternatives for dam removal and channel restoration Present design alternatives to landowners and technical team for input and selection of preferred alternative Secure landowner agreements for construction Submit construction footprint and project description to SHPO for determination on what level of archaeology investigation required Submit sediment data and watershed conditions summary to USACE for SEF determination Finalize engineered drawings for dam removal and water diversion design Determination that project fits SLOPES criteria and will not require preparation of BA Develop fish salvage plan and temporary fish passage plan to submit to ODFW for review Prepare joint permit applications (JPA) for submission to USACE, DSL, County, ODFW Receive permits August August Develop construction bid book August Solicit construction bids August Review bids, select preferred contractor, award construction contract September Project construction 3 week window between July 1 and October 15 September Construction oversight and final project inspection *Italics indicates project components already completed. /Calapooia WSC NOAA Fisheries / Calapooia WSC Calapooia WSC Construction Contractor / Table 2. Floodplain and Riparian Revegetation Timeline Year Season Activity Phase Lead Entity Spring Contractor negotiation and Kick-off Calapooia WSC orientation Spring Confluence ATV boom spray RCG, plant orders Site prep Contracted services

6 Summer Partial HBB cut for access, cut tree ivy Site prep Contracted services Summer Flail mow RCG Site prep Contracted services Fall ATV boom spray RCG Site prep Contracted services Fall Backpack spray HBB Site prep Contracted services Fall Cut HBB Site prep Contracted services 2013 Winter Spot spray for ivy control Site prep Contracted services 2013 Winter Revise plant orders, plants and planting Planting Calapooia WSC/Contracted services 2013 Spring Spot spray Maintenance Contracted services 2013 Summer Spot Spray Maintenance Contracted services 2013 Summer Quantitative monitoring and Adaptive Calapooia WSC reporting management 2013 Fall Spot spray Maintenance Contracted services

7 Proposed Work Areas Area (ac) Plants (no.) Intitial Plant Cost Inter-Plant Plant Cost Confluence Intensive Reveg ,700 $15, $3, Confluence Light Reveg ,000 $8, $2, Upper Cox Reveg ,680 $5, $1, Total ,380 $30, $7, Preliminary Species List and Distribution Species Name Common Name Confluence Intensive Reveg Confluence Light Reveg Upper Cox Reveg Acer circinatum Vine Maple Acer macrophyllum Bigleaf Maple Alnus rubra Red Alder Amelanchier alnifolia Serviceberry Cornus sericea Red Osier Dogwood Corylus cornuta Hazelnut Fraxinus latifolia Oregon Ash Mahonia aquifolium Tall Oregon Grape Malus fusca Western Crabapple Oemleria cerasiformis Indian Plum Physocarpus capitatus Ninebark Populus trichocarpa Black Cottonwood Prunus emarginata Bittercherry Psuedotsuga menziesii Douglas Fir Quercus garryana Oregon Oak Rhamnus purshiana Cascara Rosa pisocarpa Swamp Rose Rubus parviflorus Thimbleberry Sambucus racemosa Red Elderberry Spiraea douglasii Spiraea Symphoriocarpus albus Snowberry

8 rd Mu er C rk North Albany x ua Tr Oxbow System Cr k Thornton Lake Cox Creek m te R ill am W Li ttl e v City of Albany Crk Cox OR State Parks Bowers Rock R oia o p a Cal v Periwinkle Crk et te Rv t ame Will Lower Cox Creek Restoration Streams 2 Year Inundation Boundary-RDG Cox Creek Project Area Wah Chang Dam Map created by T.Davis, Calapooia Watershed Council, Feb. for the purpose of OWEB SIP Pre-Proposal Data Sources: DOGAMI LiDAR, Linn County,, 2009 OR Imagery 0 1,250 2,500 5,000 Feet ±

9 Proposed Work Areas Area (ac) Plants (no.) Intitial Plant Cost Inter-Plant Plant Cost Confluence Intensive Reveg ,700 $15, $3, Confluence Light Reveg ,000 $8, $2, Upper Cox Reveg ,680 $5, $1, Total ,380 $30, $7, Preliminary Species List and Distribution Species Name Common Name Confluence Intensive Reveg Confluence Light Reveg Upper Cox Reveg Acer circinatum Vine Maple Acer macrophyllum Bigleaf Maple Alnus rubra Red Alder Amelanchier alnifolia Serviceberry Cornus sericea Red Osier Dogwood Corylus cornuta Hazelnut Fraxinus latifolia Oregon Ash Mahonia aquifolium Tall Oregon Grape Malus fusca Western Crabapple Oemleria cerasiformis Indian Plum Physocarpus capitatus Ninebark Populus trichocarpa Black Cottonwood Prunus emarginata Bittercherry Psuedotsuga menziesii Douglas Fir Quercus garryana Oregon Oak Rhamnus purshiana Cascara Rosa pisocarpa Swamp Rose Rubus parviflorus Thimbleberry Sambucus racemosa Red Elderberry Spiraea douglasii Spiraea Symphoriocarpus albus Snowberry

10 Cox Creek Dam Removal, Channel Restoration and Floodplain Restoration Project Budget Hours Rate Total Notes Project Management: Site visits; project communication with Technical Team, landowners, project engineers; prepare permit applications, develop and maintain project schedule; review project bid book; solicit bids, review and rank bids; and construction oversight 110 $50.00 $ 5, Council Staff 70 $40.00 $ 2, Council Dam Removal Design/Construction Oversight: Construct hydraulic model, evaluate structural stability of retaining wall adjacent to dam, develop 50% design, meet with technical team, develop 100% design; develop bid book; field visits with contractors; fish salvage; construction oversight. Vegetation: site prep, plants, installation, maintenance Construction Contracted Services (for dam removal and channel restoration) 380 $85-$110 $ 30, RDG $ 40, Estimates from Peter Guillozet $100, Contractor Archaeology Report for SHPO: evaluate dam removal site and floodplain forest, investigate existing reports at SHPO $6, Contractor Travel (miles) 600 $0.51 $ All Supplies $ $ All PROJECT TOTAL $ 184, Fiscal 8% $ 14, Calapooia Watershed Council GRANT TOTAL $ 199,590.48