OpportunityTitle: Rogue River Basin Habitat Restoration Program, Bear Creek Above Oak (BCAO) 5 &amp; 6, Large Woody Material (LWM) Project
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.  This funding opportunity is a continuation of an existing agreement.
Description: Background: In 2012, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) released a Biological Opinion (BiOp) for the Rogue River Basin that identifies increasing the weighted useable area (WUA) as a reasonable and prudent alternative to reduce the risk of jeopardy to threatened Southern Oregon and Northern California Coast (SONCC) Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). An increase to the WUA may be met through instream placement of large woody material (LWM) structures, providing more water in the commitment reaches of Emigrant/Neil Creek, Bear Creek, Ashland Creek, Little Butte Creek, and South Fork Little Butte Creek during critical flow periods; or, through a combination of LWM and flow. Reclamation has a prior cooperative agreement award with The Freshwater Trust (The Trust) for the Rogue River Basin Habitat Restoration Program in Bear Creek above Oak (BCAO) Phase 1 &amp; 4, LWM Project. The Trust is proposing to continue to complete and identify projects within the Rogue River Basin that could improve threatened SONCC Coho Salmon and their habitat. Statement of Work: With this financial assistance, The Trust will implement and steward the actions necessary to complete Phase 5 &amp; 6. This will include efforts to plan, design, provide baseline monitoring, and implementation of two LWM habitat improvement projects within the Bear Creek drainage. Large Wood Material Non-Construction 1. Assessment and Recording of Initial Site Conditions: Photo-point establishment and baseline photos. LWM baseline surveys will require field data and processing, existing conditions hydraulics and hydrology, and preliminary design criteria 2. Recruitment: Identify willing landowners to participate in voluntary programs for land leasing for LWM projects. 3. Signed Contracts and/or Agreements: Ensure signed landowner contracts or agency access agreements for each private or public site. These agreements will include the right to access the project site for the purposes of project implementation, maintenance, and monitoring. 4. Project Design: The Trust and its contractors will design and prioritize project sites based on uplift potential and the likelihood of project completion. 5. Permitting: The Trust will coordinate federal, state and local level permitting of all LWM project sites with Reclamation, contractors, landowners, and resource agencies. Large Wood Material Construction 1. Site Work: Contracting oversight, mobilization of equipment, work area isolation, large wood delivery, construction, fish salvage, re-vegetation, demobilization and site cleanup. 2. Stewardship: Monitoring and maintenance of the sites for at least five years to ensure project success. 3. Baseline Monitoring: Eligible sites for all restoration actions require a site visit to develop baseline credit estimates and a restoration plan appropriate for the current site conditions. A site assessment and baseline report will include the following elements: Map of restoration site; Assessment and recording of initial site conditions, photo point establishment and baseline photos, field data and data processing; existing conditions for hydraulics and hydrology. RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT The Trust will implement and steward the actions necessary to complete a portion of the Rogue River Basin restoration requirements for the future Operation and Maintenance of the Rogue River Basin Project and the steps necessary to implement large woody material projects. This will include efforts to plan, design, provide baseline monitoring, and implementation of LWM habitat improvement projects within the Bear Creek and South Fork Little Butte Creek drainages. RECLAMATION INVOLVEMENT Substantial involvement on the part of Reclamation is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. In particular, Reclamation will: 1. Provide a plan that details project management efforts. This includes identification of the weighted usable area uplift commitments through the placement of LWM structures. 2. Provide conceptual design input, existing and as-built weighted usable area determination (via modeling), and, on-site construction observation over what is being provided by the Trust. The capacity of Reclamation staff will be utilized where possible, but the responsibility for the majority of these tasks will rest with The Trust. 3. Provide assistance with fish salvaging efforts prior to LWM construction.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: mritacco@usbr.gov
GrantorContactText: Melinda Ritacco &lt;br/&gt;Lead Grants Management Specialist &lt;br/&gt;Phone 208-378-5103