Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 9, 2017)
News Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, August 9, 2017 A7 Fish habitat restoration underway on East Fork Beech Creek Blue Mountain Eagle Work on East Fork Beech Creek is intended to improve fish habitat and riparian system health. Forest Service biologists have joined forces with the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, Oregon Natu- ral Desert Association, Grant Soil and Water Conservation District, private landowners and livestock permittees to restore riparian systems, and the natural processes and func- tions which keep them healthy long into the future, accord- ing to a press release from the Malheur National Forest. Permittees have been work- ing hard to manage livestock on the low-gradient areas of East Fork Beech Creek, as ev- idenced by the steady recovery of riparian areas along this creek. However, inadequate water in these stream reaches (a length of a stream or river) continues to limit Endangered Species Act listed fish recov- ery. As Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife retired fish biologist Jeff Neal described it, a lot of fish spawn in the gravels of the upper reaches, but as the water dries up in the summer, the little fish born in this creek congregate in one large pool, often dying as the pool shrinks. To accelerate fish habitat recovery efforts and eventual- BEFORE: East Fork Beech Creek showing a single-thread channel with only large, embedded cobbles visible. Contributed photos Contractors install posts that will form the backbone of porous beaver dam analogues, which will store water and cause deposition of gravels in East Fork Beech Creek. ly get these fish de-listed, the Forest Service and partners are targeting streams that provide critical habitat on the Malheur National Forest, starting with the low-gradient (wide-valley) and connected reaches. These areas provide the greatest return in terms of direct beneficial impacts, such as raising water tables, storing water across the adja- cent floodplain and promoting stream meandering, which slows water velocity along bends and deposits gravels adult fish need for spawning. Complementary work, such as tree-thinning in upland forests within the Magone planning area, is expected to have beneficial influences upon snowmelt volume and timing, adding this and other water sources to the system. When this extra water reaches the log jams and other struc- tures being placed along East Fork Beech Creek this sum- mer, the water will be slowed, dispersed across the newly functioning floodplain — with berms removed and historical side channels reconnected — and stored there for late-sea- son use. Based on the success of previous work, such as the Camp Creek Headwaters project last summer, biolo- gists predict juvenile fish will have access to more water for much longer into the season, increasing their survival rates. The Forest Service ac- knowledges the work may look “messy and destructive” in the short term. It may take a few years before all portions of the disturbed ground have been revegetated, although other portions of the reach may see more rapid and vig- orous vegetation response due to higher water levels, wider water distribution and the deposition of sediment and gravels that build up nutri- ent-rich soils. Full restoration may also be enhanced by making the area more attractive to bea- vers. If beavers join East Fork Beech Creek restoration ef- forts, their dams would create new pools, and help spread and store water over new ar- eas of the floodplain, further stimulating riparian ecosys- tem health and vigor. Culvert replacement to close forest road 2402 periodically Grants benefit Grant County elk habitat Blue Mountain Eagle Blue Mountain Eagle Contributed photo A small portion of Olive Lake will be closed for dam and spillway work from Aug. 7 to Oct. 1. The half-acre closure represents less than 1 percent of the 149-acre lake. Small portion of Olive Lake closed for dam work Blue Mountain Eagle Forest officials have closed a small portion of Ol- ive Lake on the North Fork John Day Ranger District to complete maintenance work on the dam and spillway. The closure went into ef- fect Aug. 7 and will prohibit boating and swimming with- in the closure area, accord- ing to a Forest Service press release. Work will be inter- mittent and is anticipated to last until Oct. 1. The area closed to public entry is approximately one- half acre and will be signed, fenced and defined by a string of buoys extending from the dam into the wa- ter about 200 feet to notify swimmers and boaters of the closure. The closure area is located on the northeast side of Olive Lake. The camp- ground will remain open, but sites near the dam should be avoided. The hiking trail in the vicinity of the dam and spillway will be closed during construction, but boating and swimming are still allowed outside the re- stricted area. Currently less than one percent of the 149- acre lake surface area will be affected by the closure. For more information, contact the North Fork John Day Ranger District at 541- 427-3231. Construction work on a portion of Forest Service Road 2402 at South Fork Big Wall Creek will begin this week. The construction proj- ect, which is located 25 miles northeast of Spray, is a continuation of ongoing aquatic restoration work in the Wall Creek area. South Fork Big Wall Creek is a perennial cold-wa- ter stream that is home to Mid-Columbia River steel- head and redband trout. Henderson Logging will replace the stream crossing culvert at this location with a new 14-foot wide bot- tomless arch culvert that will allow for improved fish and aquatic organism passage and larger stream flow events to pass under the road without causing infrastructure damage. This bottomless arch cul- vert is anticipated to last 40-50 years. The construc- tion work will require that a section FSR 2402 be- tween FSR 2300 and FSR 2402060 will be period- ically closed from Aug. 7-31 and will reopen once work is completed. Closure signs will be posted on FSR 2402 at the junction with FSR 2300 and on the FSR 2402 at the junction with FSR 2402060. Henderson Logging will begin hauling heavy equipment and supplies in to FSR 2402 this week, and construction activities will be ongoing for several weeks. For more informa- tion, contact the Heppner Ranger District at 541- 676-9187. For more infor- mation on the Umatilla Na- tional Forest, visit fs.usda. gov/umatilla. RED WHITE AND BLUE THIS FAIR IS FOR YOU • Laparoscopic Hysterectomies • Hernia, Gallbladder and Breast Surgeries • Infrared Office Laser Treatment for Hemorrhoids • Removal of Moles and Skin Lesions • Upper Endoscopy and Colonoscopy 05957 The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation awarded $269,750 in grant funding to assist with habitat stew- ardship projects and elk re- search in the state of Oregon. The grants benefit 9,106 acres across Baker, Crook, Douglas, Grant, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Morrow, Tillamook, Union, Wallowa and Yamhill coun- ties. In Grant County, the grants will provide fund- ing to place radio collars on five elk on the Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area so researchers can better un- derstand elk migration from winter to summer range in order to guide future collar- ing projects and management decisions including harvest timing and allocation; thin encroaching conifers to im- prove the health and vigor of 240 acres of aspen habitat bordering the southern edge of Bear Valley south of John Day on the Malheur Nation- al Forest to benefit elk and mule deer calving and fawn- ing habitat as well as habitat for an array of other species; and prescribe burn 3,000 acres, followed by noxious weed treatment on 100 acres, of the project area in the Heppner Game Management Unit on the Umatilla Nation- al Forest to improve forage on late winter and spring elk range. Since 1986, RMEF and its partners completed 856 conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects in Oregon with a combined value of more than $56.9 million. These projects con- served or enhanced 792,276 acres of habitat and opened or improved public access to 90,703 acres. Volunteers in Oregon raised the funding by hosting chapter banquets, member- ship drives and other events. AFTER: East Fork Beech Creek after a large wood log jam was installed. The log jam will disperse water over the floodplain and reduce water velocity. Keith J. Thomas, MD, FACS Board-Certified General Surgeon (541) 575-1311 The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. eomediagroup.com • Veteran Owned • Competitive Pricing • Serving Central & Eastern Oregon 541-620-1405 Burklevi@yahoo.com 05879 05952
