OpportunityTitle: Development, Coordination, and Monitoring of Fish Habitat Projects in the Methow Sub-basin
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications.  This announcement is to provide public notice of the Bureau of Reclamation&#8217;s intention to fund the following project activities without full and open competition.
Description: On June 1, 2015, Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) entered into a cooperative agreement, R15AC00027, Cascade Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group (CCFEG) to act as a &#8220;Project Sponsor&#8221; for project efforts to improve fish habitat in the Methow Sub-basin. The objectives of this agreement are for CCFEG to work in close coordination with Reclamation on habitat improvement actions that can be undertaken to address the limiting factors of habitat quality, and floodplain function in key reaches of the Methow River, located in the Methow Sub-basin. The Methow River Draft Final Assessment for Twisp to Carlton Reach report was submitted in March 2015. Subsequent to that submittal, comments were received in April and May 2015 from the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board (UCSRB) Regional Technical Team (RTT) and others regarding the draft final report. Overall, the reviewers believe that the document provides good information about human impacts on the current condition of the study area, including informative narrative of each sub-reach. However, the RTT requested improvements to the organization and the level of detail in the assessment to provide greater support for restoration by giving sponsors more quantitative analyses of the physical conditions of potential project sites, including additional interpretation of existing data sets and field surveys. Reclamation&#8217;s funding would allow the Reach Assessment to be completed on a rapid timeline so that identified projects can be included in evaluation and planning efforts currently under way. CCFEG has requested additional funding to cover the contractor costs, and additional staff time for coordinating and overseeing the completion of the Assessment and the extended contract work. In addition, CCFEG has identified the need to increase staff members for data collection on potential future projects and existing projects that have already been completed.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: mritacco@usbr.gov
GrantorContactText: Melinda Ritacco &lt;br/&gt;Financial Assistance Specialist &lt;br/&gt;Phone 208-378-5103