Western Native Trout Initiative

Proposed Accomplishment Summary
Protect redband trout and Warner sucker from entrainment and improve access to 1.25 miles of Honey Creek by installing a fish screen on each of two ditches at a diversion, modifying the diversion, and monitoring physical conditions for two years. This is the second comprehensive fish screen-passage project conducted in Honey Creek, and will contribute to outreach efforts to encourage landowners to participate in fish conservation, recovery, and habitat restoration projects.

The importance to the Resource
Irrigation diversions may degrade aquatic habitats, create passage barriers, and be direct sources of fish mortality through entrainment. Modifications and construction of new structures can alleviate these problems and provide outreach opportunities to encourage landowners to replace old structures with those designed to protect fish.

The problem
Irrigation diversions in Honey Creek have degraded habitat, inhibited fish movement, and caused entrainment. Ranchers are becoming open to PFW and ODFW fish conservation efforts. Expedient construction of this comprehensive screening-passage project will provide conservation benefits and likely forge stronger relationships with local ranchers.

The method
PFW has contracted surveys and engineering designs for structures incorporating site conditions, fish passage and protection considerations, and concurrent irrigation diversion. WNTI funds are primarily intended as cost share for two screens, and diversion modification and follow up surveys and potential adjustments that may be necessary.

Further description
Honey Creek is a key stream for redband trout restoration and Warner sucker recovery. The first comprehensive fish screen-passage project in Honey Creek was conducted at the Taylor Ranch during summer-fall 2008. This project addresses a second diversion at the Taylor Ranch that supplies two irrigation ditches, one leading from the right bank and the other from the left. The PFW program will be overseeing partner coordination, project and contract implementation, and will fund a portion for the installation of two fish screens. Service Recovery funds have contributed to survey, modeling, and design. The ODFW Screen Shop will design, fabricate, and install the two fish screens. After modifying the diversion structure in summer 2009, screen installation would likely occur in 2010 unless scheduling necessitates it in 2011. Funding from WNTI would contribute to modifying the diversion, cost-share for the screens, and allow follow-up oversight and monitoring to make any necessary adjustments. The project also will expand outreach opportunities to encourage local ranchers to participate in fish conservation efforts that are compatible with ranch operations.