Little Klickitat River Project

Resource Challenge

The Little Klickitat River has a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for elevated temperatures.

Project Summary and Results

A stream bank restoration project was installed along 135 feet of the Little Klickitat River just downstream from a previous project at Singing Bridge.

The project was designed by District Cluster Engineers with components for stream bank repair, fish habitat and stream shading. Vertical banks were sloped and planted with grasses and native shrubs. Toe-logs and root-wads were installed to provide bank stability and fish habitat. Severe stream meanders were stabilized and improved, with log vanes installed to direct stream flow away from the banks.

Severely-eroding six foot vertical bank prior to construction

The Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) for the TMDL states that all of these Best Management Practices are required elements for implementation of the plan to lower the stream temperature in the Little Klickitat River.  The target for shading in this reach, according to the DIP for the TMDL is 77% to 82%, with actual shading estimated at 12%. The shading provided by this project is estimated at 55% or more once the native plants mature. This project also address actions identified in the recently completed WRIA 30 Watershed Management Plan.

Key Project Partners

This projects was completed with the cooperation of Department of Ecology, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife,  Army Corps of Engineers and one private land owner.

Stream flow is re-directed to the center of the the channel and the bank area is protected. Planting of native riparian vegetation was completed in the spring of 2010

CCPI

Central Klickitat Conservation District received a Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) grant from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation District.  The original amount was $326,000.00, but it was subsequently increased to $371,735.00.  100% of this money was used to provide technical and cost share assistance for irrigation efficiencies upgrades like mainline replacement and conversion from wheel lines to center-pivot systems.  The District was able to fund six contracts covering 1,154 acres.

Other Accomplishments

Central Klickitat Conservation District also helped local landowners by providing cost share assistance for permanent cover, livestock water improvements, livestock exclusion fencing, livestock heavy use protection areas, and spring developments.

The District’s No-Till Drill  (purchased with grant funds from the Yakama Nation) was rented to producers for seeding of over 300 acres of grasses, legumes, and spring grains.

More Work To Do

The TMDL for the Little Klickitat River and its tributaries has been a major focus for the District since the Detailed Implementation Plan was finalized in March 2005. The District has been working in conjunction with the WRIA 30 Planning Unit and DOE to mitigate the temperature TMDL. Currently there are four similar projects identified. The trend toward smaller acreages has increased the workload for the District by requests for Technical Assistance and cost share.

For more information on current projects and programs please contact the District Office.