BACKGROUND
Bridge Creek, a tributary to the John Day River, is a major spawning area for Mid-Columbia River steelhead trout, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The creek is the focus of a collaborative restoration program involving the National Park Service (NPS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Bureau of Land Management and local landowners.  The restoration program includes planting, steelhead population monitoring, and the installation of in-stream structures to provide support for beaver dam construction. Planting native vegetation along Bridge Creek serves multiple purposes: it provides bank stability to reduce erosion, shades the creek to maintain cooler temperatures critical for native fish, and provides building materials and anchor-points for beaver dams which are critical to the efforts of decreasing long-term erosion, absorbing flood energy and helping return the creek to a more natural channel. 

Beginning in 2008, live stakes of cottonwood, willow, and red osier dogwood have been planted along Bridge Creek on the lower-main valley of the watershed within the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Painted Hills Unit. Throughout the lower valley posts have been embedded in the stream channel to provide solid anchor-points for beaver to build dams against.  These posts are a short term solution to the current problem of the lack of large trees in the stream channel.  Under normal conditions beaver would use these large trees to help support their dams against large spring floods.  Without these solid anchors, the dams are destroyed each spring, and the stream channel is eroded deeper and deeper.  Until our planted trees grow large enough to provide support the posts will have to do. One advantage of posts is the ability to channel flood flows in desired directions, to help create meanders in channelized sections.  Although this may create erosion in some areas in the short term, the additional meanders will help reduce erosion in the long-term, and sediment created by directed flows will be captured by downstream dams allowing the water table to rise.
Trees planted on the bench just above Bridge Creek.

THE WORK
We will be working with NOAA and NPS crews to continue our planting efforts at the Painted Hills Unit. Volunteers duties may include planting cottonwood and willow stakes, installing browse protection on planted stakes and helping use a gas-powered hand augur to drill holes for plantings.

TIMELINE:
Participants should arrive at the car-camping location the night of Friday April 2nd.  Saturday we will plant trees and protect them with some cages and tubes.  Depending on the weather, on Sunday folks can either head home in the morning, explore the painted hills at their own pace, or tour some more of the work and conditions along Bridge Creek.

WHAT TO BRING:
Participants will be responsible for their own camping gear, cooking and food. Please be sure to bring work gloves, work boots, at least 2 liter-sized water bottles and proper gear for a day in the field: A thermos is also nice this time of year if the weather is sour. We will be car-camping, so no need to skimp on the luxuries!  

When you register (below), you will receive a confirmation e-mail, and as the trip gets nearer, you will receive an e-mail containing:

• Driving directions/time/map
• Additional suggested gear items to bring
• Car-pool information
• Any last-minute info or detail changes
  

This trip is limited to 8 volunteer participants.

REGISTRATION:
When you register (CLICK HERE TO REGISTER) you will receive a confirmation e-mail, and a couple of weeks before the hike you will receive an additional e-mail with more details and carpooling options.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
This trip will be led by ONDA's Restoration Coordinator, Alexa Bontrager