Beginning with a strategic prioritization process initiated in 2017 by the Western Native Trout Initiative’s (WNTI) Steering Committee, WNTI has worked with the Interagency Interior Redband Trout Conservation Agreement team partners to elevate and accelerate conservation to increase the resilience of Interior Redband Trout populations through habitat enhancement, and by improving habitat connectivity, particularly in drainages that span jurisdictions and have significant private ownership. One of the places WNTI has successfully focused our efforts is in the Warner Basin in Southeastern Oregon, where we have worked with the Warner Basin Aquatic Habitat Partnership.
The goal of the Warner Basin Aquatic Habitat Partnership is to carry out a seven-year, watershed-scale restoration program that supports the recovery and de-listing of Warner Lakes Redband Trout (state sensitive, federal species of concern) and Warner Sucker (ESA Threatened) populations in the Warner Basin of Southeast Oregon. The program opens three creeks to fish passage, restoring access to historic native fish habitat and cold-water refuges.
Led by two local organizations—the Lake County Umbrella Watershed Council and the Lakeview Soil and Water Conservation District—the Warner Basin Aquatic Habitat Partnership is focusing on several key objectives. These include improving fish passage at 10 high-priority irrigation diversions, screening irrigation diversion intakes, improving stream habitat in Deep Creek and Honey Creek, and developing a watershed-scale restoration approach with landowners in the Adel and Plush communities and other local partners. The project will directly benefit 25 water users and landowners along Deep Creek alone!
Upgrading irrigation diversions will also help improve water quality and water supply reliability, reduce landowner maintenance costs, and benefit the local community by using local contractors for project construction.
VIEW WHERE WATER FLOWS, A FUTURE FOR FISH AND PEOPLE – WNTI’S NEW STORYMAP ABOUT THIS PARTNERSHIP
The projects that are included in this portfolio are listed below and can be viewed in more detail in the Storymap and the WNTI Projects map.
Deep Creek
- Deep Creek Canyon Diversions: O’Keeffe Diversion, Middle Diversion, Givan’s Diversion
- Town Diversion
- Starveout Diversion
- Relict Diversion
Honey Creek
- JJ Diversion
- Town Diversion
- Hidden Diversion
- Middle Ditch Diversion
- East Field Diversion
- Fish Hatchery Diversion