CTWS

Side Channel Reconnection, Large Wood, & Riparian Restoration 
Lat-long: 45.0216, -122.0126

Expected Outcomes

The Clackamas River Basin Council is working with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation Oregon (CTWSRO) to improve rearing potential for Chinook and Coho salmon, and winter steelhead juveniles in early life stages on property owned by the tribe. Located a few miles downstream of the Clackamas Big Bottoms reach, the most important spawning area in the upper Clackamas, this project will use process based restoration to improve conditions in the long term and recover native fish populations by: removing and grading unauthorized user created concrete lined “soaking” pools and water control structures along an existing 1200’ side channel, as well as, creating a new 1,360’ channel through the former camping area and another 400’ side channel through a low floodplain. The project will also enhance over 800’ of side/off channel areas adjacent to the mainstem. Large wood will be strategically added to the mainstem (1 mile) and side/off channel areas and ~ 7 acres of riparian area heavily impacted by unauthorized dispersed camping will be revegetated. See Project Designs section for 30% designs and cost estimates.

Left to right: Location for large wood habitat structure; Campground side channel inlet, looking downstream; Lower side channel outlet looking upstream with river to right.

Target Completion – September 2024

The project will directly benefit the CTWSRO by restoring and enhancing tribal owned land experiencing cultural and natural resources damage by unauthorized users. Through the creation of a side channel through the camping area, site grading, placement of logs, boulders and replanting the areas used for parking and loitering, as well as, working with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s office and Mt Hood NF law enforcement officers for increased patrols, we are confident we will greatly reduce the impacts from unauthorized users at this site.

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