At the Council’s January 4 request, the ISRP reviewed the Idaho Office of Species Conservation’s Columbia River Fish Accord proposal, Upper Lemhi River – Acquisition (#2008-601-00). The project intends to permanently protect in-stream and riparian habitat, improve river flow in the Lemhi River, and assist in reconnecting tributary streams to the Lemhi River to benefit all life stages of Snake River spring/summer-run Chinook and Snake River steelhead. Conservation easement and fee simple acquisitions are being pursued on approximately 9,086 acres of the Tyler Ranch, 1,354 acres of the Cottom Ranch, the 1,000 acre Beyeler Ranch, and the 608 acre Kenney Creek Ranch in the Lemhi River watershed.
ISRP Recommendation and Review Summary: Response Requested (in the form of a revised proposal)
There seems to be a high probability that the acquisitions/easements proposed for this project will benefit anadromous fish populations in the Lemhi River. Increasing flow in tributaries and reconnecting them with the mainstem Lemhi River alone may confer very substantial benefits. However, there was not enough detail provided in the proposal to conduct a thorough technical assessment. In addition, the closely linked nature of this proposal for acquisitions and conservation easements with the project that will implement restoration actions at these sites (Upper Lemhi River Restoration Project #2008-602-00) suggests that the two projects should be reviewed in tandem or combined into a single project. In addition, the following items should be included in a revised proposal:
- A set of maps that clearly indicates the location of the project properties and the location of the restoration projects to be implemented on the properties
- More detail on the guidance given to those who participated in prioritizing acquisition/easement projects
- A list of scores for all properties assessed and an explanation why the selected properties were considered the best options
- More detail on how improvements in Chinook and steelhead egg-smolt survival rates were estimated
- A description of how the proportion of a limiting factor within the watershed addressed with the application of each restoration action was estimated and how these improvements are translated into benefits for the fish
- A better description of the linkage between this project and ISEMP and other ongoing M&E efforts in the Lemhi watershed
- A clear description of the role each participating organization plays in this project
