Lawyer Creek Steelhead Trout Habitat

Improvement Project

presented by:

Lewis Soil Conservation District

Project Goal:

Improve steelhead trout habitat in Lawyer Creek by implementing best

management practices to upland agricultural lands.

Lawyer Creek Watershed

Clearwater River Watershed

Lower Clearwater Assessment Unit

Clearwater River

Lawyer Creek

Watershed Specifics

• 137,400 acres

• 90% privately owned

• 80% within Nez Perce Reservation

• 60% agricultural land use

Watershed Specifics

• narrow watershed

• approximately 35 miles long

• 3 to 4 miles stream/mile drainage area

• tributaries tend to be straight & steep

PROBLEMS

• Limiting factors to steelhead habitat within

Lawyer Creek are associated with climate

and land use patterns, including:

– excess sediment delivery

– flashy storm events

– low sustained summer base flows

PROBLEMS

• Listed on State §303(d) list for:– habitat alteration– flow alteration– dissolved oxygen– bacteria– ammonia– nutrients

PROBLEMS

• Water moves quicker through the watershed

today due to:

– change of vegetation in uplands

– alteration/removal of ground cover in uplands

PROBLEMS

• Less water is retained or stored in the

watershed for base flow after runoff events

• Higher peak flows impact stream channel

by widening and scouring channels, moving

large substrate downstream

PROBLEMS

• 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

SOLUTIONS

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

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

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

SOLUTIONS

• Best Management Practices– Promote upland water storage:

• conservation tillage (no-till)

• ponds

• sediment basins

• riparian habitat improvements and protection

Best Management Practices

No-Till(Conservation Tillage)

Gully ErosionControl

Upland Water Storage

Lawyer Creek Project

• Predominant land use is cropland

• Cropland and grazing activities take place on each

side of and adjacent to Lawyer Creek

• Soils have a high erosivity rating and low

permeability rating

• Drainageway lengths are short within each of the

subwatersheds (higher potential for immediate

sediment delivery)

Upper Lawyer Creek

Craigmont

• Implement BMPs on agricultural uplands and adjacent riparian areas

• Survey baseline instream and riparian habitat conditions in Lawyer Creek

• Monitor water quality parameters

• Coordinate monitoring efforts with DEQ and Nez Perce Tribe

Lawyer Creek Project

Lawyer Creek SubwatershedSteelhead Trout

Habitat Improvement Project

Sponsored by:Lewis Soil Conservation District