Watershed Restoration & Protection Cowiche Case Study

PowerPoint Presentation

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Watershed Visions & Planning

• Restoration (general and specific)
  • Planning units (stream, geologic, land use characteristics)
    • Headwaters (WQ & habitat protection)
    • Upper basin (passage and screening, flow, riparian)
    • Canyon (passage)
    • Lower basin (irrigation consolidation, passage, diking, riparian, WQ)
• Protection (fish and wildlife)
  • Habitat – Specific habitat values and specific threats
  • Key migration corridors & ecological connectivity

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Develop Partnerships

• YTAHP = Yakima Tributary Access & Habitat Program
  • Resource & Community Development (RC&D)
  • Conservation Districts
  • Water Purveyors & Irrigation Districts
  • WDFW & Ecology
• Cowiche Canyon Conservancy
• The Nature Conservancy
• The Yakama Nation
• Landowners

Cowiche Creek Stream Restoration Story

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Schneider Habitat Project on Cowiche Creek

Habitat Protection Story

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Habitat Diversity & Quality

• Riparian (good to excellent) PHS
• Instream (good to excellent) PHS
• Wetlands (good to excellent) PHS
• Aspen stands (good to excellent) PHS
• Oak Woodland (good to excellent) PHS
• Shrub-steppe (fair to excellent) PHS
• Cliffs and talus (good to excellent) PHS
• Ponderosa Pine (fair to good)
• Deer and elk winter range (fair to good)

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Steelhead

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Game Species

Habitat and Species Risks

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Cowiche Project immediacy of threat to habitat

Subdivision Impacts

Parasite Threat

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Political Support

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Changing Landscape

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Summary For Success

• Vision
• Detailed Plan
• Develop Partnerships
• Have a Compelling Story
  • Grantors = $$$
  • Gain Political Support
• Be Patient, Persistent, and Flexible
• Develop a Good Team

Thank You. Questions?