The Conservation Registry

Trout Creek provides critical spawning habitat for Summer Steelhead and resident Redband Trout. Project is focusing on conserving water from four miles of open ditch irrigation water that travels through excess porous and erosive soil, thereby causing water loss to seepage in a watershed that has overallocated and conflicting water rights for agriculture and recreational values. Water quality concerns at the end of this irrigation ditch system have also been identified in Trout Creek.

Funding

Project design complete and bids for excavation and pipe are ready to go. After funding is received, the project work will begin.

Primary motivations:

Public Benefit

Primary goals:

Improve instream habitat reaches in Trout Creek degraded by past management actions and practices.

Progress:

In progress.

Targeted habitats:

• Wetlands and Riparian Habitats
  • Montane Riparian Forests and Shrublands

Targeted species:

• Redband Trout - Oregon Great Basin Oncorhynchus mykiss pop. 18
• Steelhead - Middle Columbia River Oncorhynchus mykiss pop. 17

Is the success of this project's actions being monitored?   Yes

Please describe your monitoring activity.

Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District, in a partnership with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon Water Resources and private landowners have been monitoring the water quality and quantity in this project area for the last 3 years and plan to continue monitoring.

What lessons have been learned and/or what suggestions do you have for similar activities?

Erosion and water loss from existing open delivery ditch system is extreme in this soil type and the water and energy savings is significant to the growing central Oregon community.

What additional information would you like to share?

All of the planning, NEPA and Historical Preservation Cultural Survey work on this project site is complete.