[ODFW-News] Grant supports habitat improvements in Deschutes River Basin

[ODFW News]

For Immediate Release Friday, April 28, 2006
 
Grant supports habitat improvements in Deschutes River Basin 
 
SISTERS - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Fish Restoration and
Enhancement Program recently announced a $42,720 grant to the
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs for habitat improvements on Whychus
Creek near Sisters. 
 
The work planned for the area will benefit resident fish and sets the
stage for the eventual reintroduction of chinook salmon and steelhead to
the upper Deschutes River basin.
 
Whychus Creek, formerly Squaw Creek, is a tributary of the upper
Deschutes River that boasts redband trout, bull trout, brown trout and
mountain whitefish. The creek historically had spawning runs of spring
chinook salmon and summer steelhead before construction of the
Pelton-Round Butte dams on the Deschutes River blocked the fish from
ascending into the upper river basin. 
 
The long-term plan will allow fish passage over the Deschutes River dams
and improve habitat on various streams in the basin important for fish
spawning and rearing. Whychus Creek will be an important spawning and
rearing stream when anadromous fish populations are returned to the
upper basin.
 
"The creek has good potential now, but this project will result in much
better habitat for the fish in all of their life stages," said Ted Wise,
ODFW assistant district fish biologist for the Deschutes Watershed
District. "ODFW is highly supportive of this project and very involved
in the entire plan to reintroduce anadromous fish to the upper Deschutes
River Basin."

Planned projects include channel restoration, normalizing water flows,
stabilizing stream banks and creating better spawning, rearing and
foraging habitat on 1.5 miles of Whychus Creek in Camp Polk Meadow
Preserve. The preserve is a 145-acre wetland and meadow near Sisters.
The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2007.
 
Created by the Oregon Legislature in 1989, the Fish Restoration and
Enhancement Program is funded by a surcharge on sport and commercial
fishing licenses and commercial poundage fees. The program's
seven-member citizen board reviews fish restoration and enhancement
project proposals and makes funding recommendations to the Oregon Fish
and Wildlife Commission.
 
For more information on the Fish Restoration and Enhancement Program, or
to view information regarding current R&E Program applications, visit
www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/RE or contact program coordinator Laura Tesler
at 503-947-6259.
 
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