543 NE E ST Suite 201
GRANTS PASS, OR  97526   Coordinator: Dan Delany
 e-mail Dan@SRAmiddlerogue.org
phone: (541) 474-6799

Website: http://www.sramiddlerogue.org/

The Stream Restoration Alliance of the Middle Rogue is currently involved in the Limby Creek Restoration Project. Limpy Creek is located in a HUC-5 watershed which supports several healthy populations of summer and winter steelhead and coho. It is a perennial stream that supports 3.0 mi of coho spawning and rearing habitat and 3.2 miles of summer and winter steelhead spawning and rearing habitat. The project area is 0.95 miles of key the spawning and rearing habitat. The hardwood overstory provides adequate shade. Currently there are no barriers to fish passage.

In 2009, the Stream Restoration Alliance of the Middle Rogue developed a comprehensive Stream Restoration Strategy (copy available upon request) to assist them and their partners in selecting and implementing stream restoration work that is both ecologically sound and cost effective. The Strategy identified 1 1 Target Stream Reaches. Limpy Creek is a target stream because: 1) its ecological conditions are suitable to support recovery at this time; 2) it lies adjacent to population strongholds which will quickly populate this improved habitat; 3) it is used by two anadromous fish species, including federally Threatened coho; 4) the landowner is willing to participate in restoration; 5) it will serve as a valuable "demonstration area" for other nearby landowners to visit; 6) it is relatively unaffected by infrastructure, channel straightening or water withdrawals; 7) it can be restored in a cost effective manner; and 8) is fully supported by our partners (see attached Project Assessment and Ranking Form).

The specific problems being are addressed are the lack of riparian conifers and the lack of large wood within the stream channel and the resulting loss of channel complexity, particularly large pools needed by coho and steelhead summer parr. This problem was caused by riparian timber harvest about 1960 which removed conifers which were the source of large wood to the stream. The project would place 115 large logs, approximately 30 with root wads, into the stream channel and active floodplain. The large wood would form large pools; increase primary productivity through retention of instream sediments such as gravels and small organic matter; and provide habitat for fish and other aquatic biota as well as a variety of riparian-dependant wildlife. All disturbed sites will be planted with conifer seedlings to ensure a future source of large wood. Riparian hardwoods will not be removed so that conifers can be planted.

The Brighton Planting Group.