Umatilla County SWCD

Soil & Water Conservation District - Protecting Natural Resources

McKay Creek Projects and Initiatives
McKay Creek Habitat Restoration Phase I

Project Timeline Q4 2021 Q1 2022 Q2 2022 Q3 2022 Q4 2022
Outreach and Engagement X X X
Site Visits and Data Gathering X X X X
10% Designs and Final Site Visits X
Restoration Report X
Apply for Phase II: 100% Designs and Permitting X

Granting Agency: Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board
Award Amount: $62,749
Project Start Date: April 2021
Projected End Date: September 2022
Primary Entity: Umatilla County Soil and Water Conservation District

Project Description: This project proposes to identify and begin gathering design data on project sites along McKay Creek from the base of the dam to the mouth of the creek. The majority of funds used in this grant will go towards contracting an engineer to begin the process of site selection, working with individual landowners on their property to begin designing restoration efforts. 

Next Steps: The grant will be completed late summer 2022 and Phase II will be applied for October 2022. Phase II will pay for the 100% designs of the identified project sites and the permitting necessary. Funding for Phase II is expected at the earliest to be awarded in April 2023, with the work occurring through December of 2023. Phase III will be the construction of the identified projects and will be applied for in Spring 2024, with an expected funding date of late summer of 2024. Construction then would finally begin in late 2024. 

McKay Creek FEMA Grant

Project Timeline Q4 2022 Q1 2023 Q2 2023 Q3 2023 Q4 2023 Q1 2024
Expected Award Date X
Designs and Permitting X X X X
RFP for Construction Contractor X
Construction Implementation X X

Granting Agency: FEMA
Award Amount: $2,500,000
Project Start Date: Fall 2022
Projected End Date: Winter 2024
Primary Entity: City of Pendleton

Project Description: The purpose of the proposed project is to stabilize the bank along various points of 4.75 miles of McKay Creek with hard and soft armoring and provide 100-year level of protection. Upon the award of the grant, the City of Pendleton will engage with their “on-call” contractor. 

The contractor will use a combination of bio-engineering and traditional riprap for bank stabilization. The 4.75 miles along McKay Creek primarily lend itself to bioengineering with native plant material. Using the bio-engineering method by design should minimize future erosion, filter pollutants from surface runoff as well trapping wood debris lending to rebuilding the banks. There are 7-10 areas along McKay Creek where the only solution is riprap due to the location such as around the base of a bridge or section that is a 30ft high exposed bank. Due to the nature of hard riprap where water is deflected with increased strength and speed down river, this project will be engineered by a consultant with experience combining bio-engineering and traditional riprap techniques. Additionally, key bridges on McKay will be re-footed and protected. 


Next Steps: The City is awaiting award status, currently in the pre-award phase. 

McKay Creek Basin Study

Project Timeline Q2 2022 Q3 2022 Q4 2023 Q1 2023 Q2 2023 Q3 2023
RFP and Contractor Selection X
Data Gathering and Research X X X X
Compilation of Findings into Study X X

Granting Agency: FEMA
Award Amount: $400,000
Project Start Date: June 2022
Projected End Date: 2023
Primary Entity: City of Pendleton

Project Description: This project proposes to identify and begin exploring potential long-term solutions for McKay Creek to avoid the potential flood hazard every spring for the community. A contractor will be hired by the City of Pendleton to analyze the basin and all of the many natural, organizational, and regulatory components. The contractor will then come up with a report that will answer needed questions about the basin with feasible solutions attached to each. This report will allow the City and County and Water Control District to begin working in implementing a long term solution. 

Next Steps: Contractor has been selected and has started work on the project. The contractor will begin gathering data for solutions. 

Umatilla River Projects and Initiatives
City of Echo Bank Stabilization

Project Timeline Q4 2021 Q1 2022 Q2 2022 Q3 2022 Q4 2022 Q1 2023 Q2 2023 Q3 2023
Engineer Site Visits and Data Gathering X X X
Drone Flights and LiDAR Data Collection X X X
*Emergency Event* X X
Mitigation Meetings X X
Mitigation Designs and Permitting X X X X
Construction Funding Search X X X X
Project Construction X

Funding Agency: Umatilla County
Award Amount: $75,000 + $400,000 in Emergency Funds
Project Start Date: November 2021
Projected End Date: 2024
Primary Entity: City of Echo

Project Description: The County gave the City of Echo funding to develop a design for bank stabilization immediately upstream and through the City of Echo. The City hired the engineering firm A&P to take the exisiting 10% NRCS designs to 100% and obtain the necesarry permitting. In June of 2022, an emergency erosion event took place and emergency rip-rap had to be installed to protect houses from going into the river. The funding for this project will be used to work on the mitigation stabilization design that will be required by the regulatory agencies now that the river has been fundamentally changed, and will also include two addotional location on the river outside the City of Echo. 

Next Steps: While the design is being created and the permitting obtained, the City of Echo is seeking for construction funding for the project. 

Business Oregon Echo Levy Project

Business Oregon (@BusinessOregon) / Twitter
Project Timeline Q3 2022 Q4 2022 Q1 2023 Q2 2024 Q3 2023
SOW and Budget Development X
SOW and Budget Submission X
Application Submission X
If Awarded - Study, Design, and Permits X X X X
Funding Search for Implementation X X X
Implementation X

Granting Agency: Business Oregon
Award Amount: TBD
Project Start Date: TBD
Projected End Date: TBD
Primary Entity: City of Echo

Project Description: A project scope is currently being developed for a levy system that will protect the city of Echo from flooding events. Anderson and Perry will be completing the scope and budget estimate for the levy design. 

Next Steps: Once developed, a scope of work and budget will be submitted to Business Oregon. Once eligibility is confirmed, the City of Echo will apply with the full application provided by Business Oregon. 

FEMA Hazard Grant Mitigation Program 
Middle Umatilla River Coalition Project

Project Timeline Q3 2022 Q4 2022 Q1 2023
Grant Writing X X
Grant Submission X X

Granting Agency: FEMA and OEM
Award Amount: $TBD
Project Start Date: 2023
Projected End Date: TBD
Primary Entity: Umatilla County, grant written by Greater Eastern Oregon Development Corp

Project Description: Project scope is currently being built - more information to follow. 

Next Steps: GEODC will work on building an application for Lower Umatilla River, and will submit when the next HGMP grant cycle opens.

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