The next six years of restoration work in the Hood River Basin

HRBP hopes to implement 14 stream habitat projects concentrated in the Upper West Fork, Upper East Fork, Lower East Fork and mainstem Hood Rivers. Altogether, these projects will reconnect 3 miles of side channels and 25 acres of floodplain, bring large pieces of wood into 7 miles of streams and restore 1 mile of riparian habitat, the land right next to rivers.

“There’s pros and cons to every site, so we looked at the different things that made certain areas favorable and limitations we also had to consider,” said Thieman, including land ownership and cost-effectiveness.

Projects on the mainstem and Lower East Fork will likely benefit fish populations the most, according to Thieman, but each is important. A greater amount of native plants along riverbanks will help reduce water temperatures and provide protection from predatory birds. Large wood similarly offers a place for fish to shelter, but it also reduces the velocity of rivers and allows crucial gravels to settle and create fertile spawning beds. A more interwoven floodplain allows fish to reach spawning grounds previously cut off.

Heather Hendrixson, district manager of the Hood River Soil and Water Conservation District, walked through the final three strategies: increasing and protecting summer streamflow, enhancing water quality and community engagement. 

Currently, the district is mapping all irrigated orchard land in the valley and assessing whether higher-efficiency sprinklers are needed. HRBP will then work with growers to implement those upgrades and provide educational materials on irrigation scheduling, soil moisture monitoring, and water conservation.

Hendrixson said they also plan to convert 6.5 miles of open irrigation canals to high-pressure pipes, lessening the possibility of seepage. She estimated that an extra 18.6 cubic feet per second of water would flow in the basin by upgrading infrastructure and educating growers, and their approach to water quality, which focuses on reducing pesticide use in streams, blends the same components.

“Mostly what we’re doing here is workshops and trainings on pest management practices for pesticide use,” said Hendrixson, fit for both English and Spanish speakers. “We had 11 training days last year with over 300 people.”

To determine whether these programs are successful, the district annually tests for pesticides in Lenz, Indian and other creeks. HRBP will also install livestock exclusion fences and continue planting along riparian areas to further prevent chemicals from infiltrating waterways.

Tying everything together, Ian Tattum, interim program manager of eastern Oregon fish research for Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, explained how they will monitor fish migrating in and out of the basin. It involves placing four rotary screw traps, essentially deconstructed pontoon boats with a spinning cone that sucks in fish, across different sections of Hood River.

“By staggering those across the landscape, that can help us track changes and responses of fish to habitat change and flow savings through time, and then also help us understand what’s going on — why we do or don’t see changes at the larger population scale,” said Tattum. Tagging fish will also help them track specific survival and growth rates.

Other HRBP partners include the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, United States Forest Service Hood River Ranger District, East Fork Irrigation District, Farmers Irrigation District and Middle Fork Irrigation District.