February 14, 2017
Rogue Basin Partnership
P.O. Box 1214
Medford, Oregon 97501
RE: Final Report for $1500 Fish Passage Project Development Grant
The $1500 grant provided to the Applegate Partnership & Watershed Council (APWC) for fish
passage improvement project development has been used to investigate and develop these projects
toward an implementation phase.
FISCAL
Grantee Name: Applegate Partnership & Watershed Council
Actual Expenditure Tracking Sheet for RBP Laird Norton Fish Passage Development Grant
Grant Dates
4/27/16 - 11/30/16
The APWC was able to use the funds to assist in the project development of five fish passage barrier
sites in the Applegate watershed. The following is a description of activities this funding assisted in,
but was also supported by Council Support and a Technical Assistance grant.
The Applegate Watershed has over 15 fish passage barriers listed in ODFW’s 2013 Statewide Fish
Passage Priority List. There are over 300 Applegate Watershed fish passage barriers listed in
ODFW’s Rogue Basin Fish Passage Database and additional barriers have been found recently. The
APWC has completed fish passage assessments on Thompson Creek, Slate Creek and Humbug Creek
which included site surveys, new photos, GPS locations and database updates. We have been
working to develop fish passage projects and this funding has been instrumental in helping with the
above listed projects.
Little Applegate Falls
This fish passage barrier is located within the first mile of the Little Applegate River. It essentially
blocks all passage for Chinook and Coho into the Little Applegate Watershed. We have wanted to
improve passage at this location. However, ODFW has been under the belief that this bedrock falls
is a natural feature of the river system we prevents any modification to improve fish passage. The
APWC and many local residents have argued that the falls were created by hydraulic mining in the
1800’s by Gin Lin. There are remnant mining tailings and photos that show changes in elevations in
the area. We hired a local historian and worked with information provided by BLM and USFS to
help inform us about the bedrock falls. The historian and geologists could not state conclusively
that the Little Applegate Falls were formed by the hydraulic mining. Therefore, we are not able to
complete any fish passage for Coho or Chinook in this sub-watershed.
Palmer Creek Dam
Palmer Creek is a small concrete dam located on USFS property in the lower reaches of Palmer
Creek. This is a coho stream. We have developed a barrier removal project that has been funded
through the OWEB Small Grant Team and Title II funds. We will implement the project in 2017, in
partnership with the USFS.
Forest Creek Dam
Forest Creek Dam is a 5+ foot concrete barrier to Coho, Chinook and Steelhead. During high water
events all adult species can move upstream but juvenile migration is impeded. We prepared an
OWEB Technical Assistance Grant which this funding helped match. We have applied for a
restoration grant based on the developed designs and hope to begin implementation of a bypass
channel in 2017.
Little Applegate/Upper Phillips Dam
Upper Phillips Dam is an irrigation dam on Little Applegate that the water users requested
assistance to determine if fish passage and irrigation diversion improvements could be made. This
funding helped support the OWEB Technical Assistance grant we received to create technical
design options. We have developed the technical designs but have yet to determine if the final ideas
meet the criteria of the water users. We will continue to work on this project. The Little Applegate
Watershed is a highly productive steelhead system. Coho have been known to pass the Little
Applegate Falls during high water events.
Lovelace Dam/Slate Creek
The APWC has been working on communications and outreach with the landowner of Lovelace
Dam on Slate Creek. This dam is an abandoned concrete structure that appeals to the landowner’s
sense of whimsy. The APWC has been and will continue to conduct outreach with the 80 year old
landowner. This funding assisted in the outreach.
Applegate Partnership & WC Coordinator
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