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The Lower Nehalem Watershed Council (LNWC) seeks cost-share funds to design, implement and monitor a cooperative demonstration project of riparian restoration along the banks of Foley Creek. Foley Creek drains from the headwaters in the coast range through forested lands and into the Nehalem basin flood plain, which includes several active dairy farms. Flows continue into the mainstem Nehalem River and shortly thereafter into the Nehalem Bay Estuary.
The LNWC will use the NMFS funding mechanism to actively restore a 2-mile reach by installing 4 miles of fencing and 14 acres of riparian planting as part of this demonstration project. The money supplied by the 5-Star Restoration Grant will be applied to the acquisition of trees and supplies; volunteer services; contracted services; education and outreach strategies for farming, academic and other public communities; and a long-term management structure.
The project site is used primarily for the grazing of dairy cows. Over the years, due to human and natural causes, the streambank has become unstable and the vegetation has been degraded. This project will reverse those effects by promoting streamside reforestation, riparian fencing and streambank stabilization using bioengineering techniques. Because of its location along Foss Road, this would be a highly visible project demonstrating how the installation of sound riparian practices increases values, restores function and improves aquatic habitat.
The LNWC Assessment has determined that riparian conditions along Foley Creek are inadequate. The mainstem Nehalem appears on the Department of Environmental Quality's 303(d) List as a requirement of the 1972 Federal Clean Water Act as water quality limited due to high stream temperatures. LNWC volunteer water quality monitoring results have indicated that Foley Creek has been experiencing high stream temperatures known to be detrimental to juvenile Coho salmonid populations. Sedimentation from eroding stream banks is also a concern due to its potential harm to salmonid Redds. Results also indicate that conductivity and ecoli are concerns as well.
The objective of this grant and action implementation process is to provide the landowner along Foley Creek with the means to restore his riparian area. As a dual goal, this demonstration project seeks to promote the resources and partnership of the Lower Nehalem Watershed Council to area farmers who may have similar riparian restoration needs. In addition, the utilization of local volunteers, schools and regional contractors will provide a keener sense of partnership and unity within the community.
Historically, the Foley Creek area has supported a very strong Coho salmon run. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has designated Foley Creek's upper reaches as "Core" Coho habitat. Over the years, the decline of native Coho populations has led to their "threatened" listing under the Endangered Species Act. The Foley Creek area falls under the Coastal Zone Management Act.
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5-Star Funds |
| Bureau of Land Management | 5,000 trees @ $0.30/tree | $1,500 | 0 |
| Lower Nehalem WS Council | Shovels, gloves, extra trees, buckets, bags, raingear, transportation | 0 | 600 |
| Contracted Services | Hydraulic tree spade $275/day @ 10 days | 0 | 2,750 |
| Leon Schwarz (landowner) | Land preparation, implementation; 3 hours + supplies | 1,500 | 0 |
| Upper Nehalem WS Council | 3 fencers/planters = 10 days @ $300/day | 3,000 | 0 |
| Lower Nehalem WS Council | 10 planters = 3 days @ | 3,240 | 0 |
| Nehalem High School/Middle School Volunteers | 20 planters, 1 supervisor @ 4 hrs./day for 1 day = 83 hours @ $8.43/hr | 700 | 0 |
| Kurt Heckeroth, BLM | 20 hours@ $21/hr. | 420 | 0 |
| Natural Resource Conservation Service | 20 hours @ $21/hr. | 420 | 0 |
| Maggie Peyton, NWC | 20 hours @ $15/hr. | 300 | 0 |
| Contracted Services | Fence building, professional tree planters | 0 | 14,500 |
| LNWC | Education, outreach; photo point monitoring | 0 | 170 |
| LNWC | 10% of $19,830 | 0 | 1,980 |
| Total | $11,080 | $20,000 |
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