Description

Camp Creek is the main drainage in the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve. The Preserve is owned by The Nature Conservancy. The aquatic ecosystem of the up-stream section of Camp Creek has been severely impacted by small man-made push-up dams and ponds as well as heavy livestock grazing. These push-up dams are an impediment to migrating anadromous fish and, in some cases, cause severe erosion and down cutting that impact water quality. A recent survey identified that Endangered Species Act listed Snake River steelhead spawn and rear just downstream of the last push-up dam on Camp Creek. The creek has channel deterioration and lack of riparian zone native vegetation due to years of poor livestock management.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District agreed to fund the design of 13 options listed in the "Camp Creek Restoration Options Analysis and Restoration Design Package" report prepared by GeoEngineers, Inc. The stream restoration elements generally consist of removing the dams from the stream channel and/or floodplain and using the removed material to regrade the immediate vicinity of the pond/dam site. After regrading, the areas will be replanted with the appropriate vegetation.

In 2006, the Walla Walla District issued a task order to Thomas/Wright, Inc. for the design of the 13 options. T/WI is managing the project, performing the Independent Technical Review (ITR) of the design, preparing the specifications using Specs Intact, drafting the plans, and calculating earth moving quantities and surface areas. T/WI is working with GeoEngineers to prepare a Directed Work Equipment Rental type construction contract.