Follow-up report....results on passage

ODFW and ODOT have a plan to approach immediate need road repairs that involve culverts and fish passage. The TVTU blog posted the request for comments - here's the follow-up [hopefully your voice was heard...]

October 21, 2014

SALEM, Ore. – Oregon taxpayers and native fish will both benefit under a new culvert repair pilot program agreed upon by the Oregon departments of Transportation and Fish and Wildlife, and recently approved by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The three-year pilot program will make it easier for ODOT to make short-term repairs to culverts within its highway system. In return for including site-specific improvements in fish passage at each site, ODOT will receive a temporary reprieve from the state’s fish passage requirements that often involve more extensive repairs to provide full passage to native migratory fish.

“Typically meeting passage requirements has meant replacing a deteriorating culvert with a bridge,” said John Raasch, ODOT Environmental Resources Unit manager. “This program will allow ODOT to spend $20,000 to repair a culvert instead of $4 million to replace it with a bridge or larger culvert to match the natural stream width.”

The costs savings realized under this program will allow ODOT to stretch limited transportation dollars to temporarily repair more culverts in poor or critical condition, Raasch added.

Under the agreement, fish passage at all culvert repair sites must be improved. In addition, ODOT will pay $1.8 million into an ODFW-managed account to fund statewide high-priority fish passage projects, according to Greg Apke, ODFW Fish Passage Program leader.

ODOT will also fund a new transportation liaison within ODFW who will help administer and evaluate the repair program and identify which culvert sites can be covered by the agreement. The liaison will be on-site to help identify what upgrades can be included to help improve fish passage and watershed health.

According to Ed Bowles, ODFW Fish Division administrator, the agreement is a testament to what can happen when two agencies share a commitment to watershed health, fish passage, infrastructure maintenance and public safety.

ODFW News Release

Reminder for a good cause [and HELP!]

Looking to fill your weekend on November 8 - visit the FFACS folks for their 2014 Pacific Northwest Fly Tyers Rendezvous!

WHAT: 2014 FFACS PNW Fly Tyer Rendezvous

WHEN: Saturday, November 8 - 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

WHERE: Jackson Armory [near the PDX Airport]

THE POOP: the annual FFACS Pacific Northwest Fly Tyer Rendezvous is right around the corner - if you are not familiar with this program it is a non-profit coalition for fishing conservation and education. The rendezvous is their big fundraiser for the year and with the help of several local clubs – Tualatin Valley Chapter included – they assemble some of the finest tyers from the area to demonstrate flies and techniques. Along with that are silent auctions and some other fundraisers for your participation – food is also available.

The funds are equally divided among the participating clubs for distribution to education or conservation groups chosen by the club [in March of 2014 TVTU directed their available $700 portion to the World Salmon Council].

Please plan on attending!

ALSO: if you will be there anyways - would you help out a bit - the Chapter can use your assistance facilitating some of the activities. Please contact MIKE GENTRY you can add some manpower – he will have details [pretty minor stuff folks!].

Fancy yourself a writer???

For the kick-off of their new Wild Steelhead Initiative and Wild Steelhead United programs Trout Unlimited is running a contest....an essay contest....similar to writing those 500 word tomes for English class back in the day but you get a reward beyond exhibition on the refrigerator by mom.....$1000, a public reading and being published in TROUT magazine.

So get out that wide-ruled paper, double space those words and add all the extra adjectives you can mine from the thesaurus and submit your best effort [include the photo and other required elements per the Official Rules] by NOVEMBER 11.

>> INFO at TU <<

From the TU website:

As part of the launch celebration, we are inviting writers to submit essays about their connection to steelhead, the storied fish of coastal streams and major river systems up and down the West Coast. The specific subject is up to you.

Bottom line: We're looking for good stories—tales, thoughts and anecdotes that celebrate our history with such a special fish and inspire the community of wild steelhead anglers to do whatever it takes to ensure that future generations will have the same, or better, opportunities to fish for wild steelhead as we do today.

Oil Trains UPDATE & ACTION

Photo: Friends of the Gorge

In a PREVIOUS POST, we mentioned a few TVTU members [and their friends] had reached out to express concern for the increased oil train traffic traveling along the Oregon waterways – particularly the Deschutes canyon [read OPB article HERE]. Though, the trains have been there and crude needs to be moved westward, the excess has raised concerns for many – especially relative to emergency response and clean-up. OCTU has continued to monitor this and Tom Wolf continues to review the topic with several Oregon Representatives.

Though this is a federal transportation issue with little state control, an on-line petition was generated by several representatives to show concern for Oregon residents. Please consider reviewing and signing – the current approach, is meant to close a loophole in the transportation law to require information and notification of the material transport to be made to first responders. Though the overall aspect of handling spills, funding clean-up and properly training and equipping local responders is not addressed, those issues will continue to be monitored.

Petition:

< CLICKIE HERE >

THANKS

[and THANK YOU Tom and OCTU for the effort!]

Derry Dell Update & PROJECT...

Mark Rogers compiled and forwarded this update and photos as well as a reminder for a WORK PARTY [October 26] on Derry Dell in Tigard.......its CLOSE and could use a few hours of your time!
 

New Derry Dell flood plan.....Mark Rogers

DESCHUTES OUTING UPDATE......

UPDATE: Andy just mentioned he's down and out with a lingering illness and therefore will not be on the Deschutes this weekend; we have no official replacement lined up so it looks like anyone attending will be on their own. Take the opportunity to poke around and see who else may be there from TVTU! [oh and pack your own barbecued bacon wrapped shrimp and quiche...cuz the Road Kill Grille will not be there]. Let us know how it goes!

Get better ANDY!

LAST OUTING for 2014!

Miller Lake 2014

Our intrepid man of the Oregon wild filled in for Andy at Miller Lake this year - Mark and Crew [comprising of course - Janet, Mollie, Dawson and the Tin Boat] headed up the lonely TVTU team [of themselves] managing to scare up a good time and some fish to boot! Why they were alone is a bit disconcerting and we may have to look into scaling back the schedule for 2015 but regardless Mark filed a report [coming in the newsletter] with PHOTOS!

Here are a few for your viewing pleasure.....

Comment on Passage Waiver...

City of Sherwood has a request in for a Fish Passage waiver...with mitigation plan....ODFW wants to hear from you.

....The City of Sherwood has requested the waiver and has proposed to mitigate for the loss of fish passage at Wildlife Haven Court by replacing a nearby culvert that is a barrier to native migratory fish, with a new culvert that once completed will meet all ODFW fish passage criteria.

The Fish Passage Task Force will be asked to consider the waiver and provide a recommendation to the Department at its Oct. 17, 2014 meeting. In the meantime, members of the public will have until Oct. 23, 2014 to submit written comments on the proposed fish passage waiver.

The applicant’s plan to extend the existing culvert at Wildlife Haven Court has triggered State fish passage requirements. Currently, the existing culvert at Wildlife Haven Court on the unnamed tributary to Cedar Creek is a complete barrier to native migratory fish.....

< READ MORE FROM ODFW > 

Comment to the folks noted in the linked ODFW release.

Mitigation is good but most of Sherwood is not that old a development. The mitigation site is at least on the same system and contains existing habitat as noted.

Recall your Summer 2014 Trout Magazine - The Culvert Challenge.

 

Restoration work at Derry Dell Creek, Tigard, Oregon, October 26th

Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited is continuing to help out with the restoration efforts on Derry Dell Creek in Tigard. This summer the culvert at Walnut Street was replaced with a fish friendly one. On Sunday, October 26, we will be furthering the restoration effort by hanging wood duck boxes, planting native wetland vegetation, and caging trees at the culvert replacement site. 

We will be working from 9 AM til 1 PM or thereabouts. It should be a fun day and a chance to see the work that the City of Tigard has been doing. 

We can park along SW Johnson street. It starts on 99W and runs West past Woodard park and ends right at the worksite. Here is a google map:

Reply by e mail ( TVTURestoration@gmail.com ) and let me know if you are coming so we have an idea of how big a crew we will have. 

I look forward to seeing you all there!

Thanks for volunteering.

Siincerely,

-- 

Michael Ellis

Conservation Director

Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited

TVTURestoration@gmail.com

A history lesson for the month....

An interesting post found on another popular forum this month....nice to not forget that good efforts and projects reward the many not just the few. Perhaps this was before your time in Oregon - a story about how the Oregon Wildlife Heritage Foundation procured access on the lower portion of the Deschutes River - land once privately owned. Some big names many will recall as well.....

OWHF

[still working today]

October at TVTU?

Well, here it is - the 'annual' What's What and Who's What of the TVTU blog....and the good word this month is all of the LINKS and "click here's" will work! The TVTU WEBSITE is up and running again. That being said - here is what TVTU has on tap for October:

NEWSLETTER [recycled info]!

In case you missed it last month due to our technical difficulties we'll rehash this one:
The TVTU Website has the September / October issue of The Trout Line for your reading pleasure!

GENERAL MEETING!

WHEN: Wednesday, October 10, 2014
WHERE: Lucky Lab Public House [Multnomah] [Note the scenery change!!]
WHAT TIME: 6:30 p.m. Socializing; meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.
WHAT to EXPECT: Brian Marz, Flyfishing for Pacific Salmon
Brian Marz has an extensive fishing and guiding background and will speak about fly fishing techniques for Chinook, Coho, and Chum salmon on Oregon Rivers. Brian is a fishing guide as well as the fishing manager for Orvis' Portland Store at Bridgeport Village in Tigard.
WHAT to BRING: a friend, a story, an appetite - meetings are rather informal, so put out your hand and offer a smile! Food and beverages are available for purchase - second floor banquet room.

UPDATE [10.15.14]: Andy just mentioned he's down and out with a lingering illness and therefore will not be on the Deschutes this weekend; we have no official replacement lined up so it looks like anyone attending will be on their own. Take the opportunity to poke around and see who else may be there from TVTU! [oh and pack your own barbecued bacon wrapped shrimp and quiche...cuz the Rod Kill Grille will not be there]. Let us know how it goes!

OUTING - last of 2014!

WHEN: October 17-20, 2014
WHERE: Deschutes River [Harpham Flats Campground]
WHAT TIME: late afternoon - Friday
WHAT to EXPECT: October Deschutes means fishing for trout or steelhead - be prepared! Saturday night there will be a barbecue with TU supplying the meat. Those attending are encouraged to help by providing a salad, dessert or some other food item for the group. Cookout cancelled - "cookey" and the grille will not be there - ON YER OWN!

WHAT to BRING: it's a Campouting - bring your camp gear; some grub, your trout and/or steelhead gear; waders and all that other gear you've accumulated over the years that seems to fill all the crevices of your vehicle! Oh and it gets cold this time of year - so warm clothes and sleeping bag - some firewood would be awesome to add to the group fires!
DIRECTIONS: Head over Mt. Hood on highway 26 to the intersection of highway 216. Take 216 past Pine Grove to the intersection of highway 197. Turn right and go through the town of Maupin, cross over the Deschutes River and turn right, and in 0.2 miles take the right fork to River Road. Drive about 5 miles to the Harpham Flats Campground on your right

CONTACT & Specific info/directions:
ANDY ANDREWS

 
CONSERVATION!

WHEN: !!!! TBD - Weekend of October 25/26 -  TBD!!!!
WHERE: Derry Dell Creek - Tigard, Oregon
WHAT TIME: TBD
WHAT to EXPECT: This will hopefully be a planting effort to fill in the new culvert/habitat installation near Walnut Creek. MORE INFORMATION TO COME!!! But get it on your calendar!