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Malheur River Subbasin Summary Burns Paiute Fish and Wildlife Department January 23, 2002. The Malheur Subbasin. Key Subbasin Facts. 40 + Irrigation Dams – Impoundments & Irrigation Projects Primary Land Uses – Agricultural Production and Processing
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Malheur River Subbasin Summary Burns Paiute Fish and Wildlife Department January 23, 2002
Key Subbasin Facts • 40 + Irrigation Dams – Impoundments & Irrigation Projects • Primary Land Uses – Agricultural Production and Processing • 95% of Watershed is listed under 303d list • Existing Plans Pertaining to Subbasin - Oregon Plan - Malheur River Management Plan (ODFW 1990) - ICBEMP (BLM/USFS) - Vale/Burns District Resource Management Plan (Draft 2002) - Malheur River Wild & Scenic Management Plan - North Fork Malheur River Wild and Scenic Management Plan - Malheur Basin Action Plan (MOWC) - Bull Trout Recovery Plan (USFWS, Draft) - Logan Valley Wildlife Mitigation Plan (BPT, Draft out for review) - Malheur River Wildlife Mitigation Plan (BPT, Draft April 2002)
Fish and Wildlife Needs Within the Malheur Subbasin • Critical limiting factors for fish include: - anadromous and resident fish habitat, - migration routes and connectivity of isolated populations of bull trout and redband trout, - water quality, - minimum winter flows below reservoirs.
Critical limiting factors for wildlife include: - the lack of natural disturbance in riparian, meadow, and upland communities, - excessive grazing of certain sensitive areas by livestock, - limited bighorn sheep range, - reduction of native shrub and grass cover in deer and elk winter range, - expansion of noxious weeds.
Mitigation History within the Subbasin • Pre-mitigation - lack of coordination between agencies and private interests. • Current successes resulting from mitigation efforts - cooperative relationships established or enhanced.
Partnership Developments • MOU with BLM and USFS – Natural Resource & Cultural Management • MOU with USDA ARS – Mitigation Sites • Advisory Panel for Logan and Malheur River Wildlife Mitigation Projects • Malheur River Bull Trout Working Group • Cooperative Management Partnerships – TNC, DU & OWT • Pending MOU with OSU – Research and Development • Partnership with Center for Invasive Plant Management • Local Coordination with Watershed Groups, NRCS and SWCD
Strategic Plan for Ongoing and Future Mitigation Projects • All projects are working together to promote habitat enhancement throughout the subbasin by: - setting the stage for long-term fisheries recovery, - addressing noxious weed issues directly, - forming advisory groups and ensuring public participation and involvement, - coordinating efforts with other subbasins.