News Release Archive

Ken Delano Receives Interior Conservation Award

Media Contact: John Redding, (208) 378-5212, 07/25/2006 16:40
Mark Croghan, mcroghan@pn.usbr.gov

For Release: July 25, 2006

Ken Delano, manager of the Grant Soil and Water Conservation District in Oregon, received the U.S. Department of the Interior's Cooperative Conservation Award on May 4, in recognition of his significant contributions and leadership in conservation efforts in Oregon.

Mr. Delano has played a major role in coordinating with local landowners, state and federal resource agencies, and Tribes in an ongoing effort to enact stream restoration and conservation measures in the John Day River Basin.

His leadership since 1988, helped to ensure the completion of restoration projects on some 6,000 acres of private land on the upper South Fork of the John Day River.

"The projects completed under his leadership have resulted in healthier upland conditions that has and will continue to contribute to better water quantity and quality in the South Fork," said Mark Croghan, Bureau of Reclamation sub-basin liaison.

Projects included removal of invasive Juniper stands, noxious weed control, and reseeding of uplands, all geared toward healthier upland conditions in the South Fork.

Mr. Delano used the partnership team to replace and/or remove six private gravel pushup dams on the South Fork that were limiting access to over 120 miles of spawning and rearing habitat for listed steelhead.

Funding from Reclamation was used by the conservation district to design and plan for these and four other pushup dam replacement projects, directly assisting Reclamation in meeting its off-site habitat restoration obligations under the 2000 and 2004 Biological Opinions for the continued operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System.

Also, from 1988 to 2004, Mr. Delano coordinated $6.9 million in projects including the installation of 160 miles of riparian fencing, nine return-flow cooling systems, conversion of eight irrigation systems from flood to sprinkler, and removal or replacement of 60 push up dams. In addition, 2,545 acres were treated for invasive Juniper and 4,165 acres were treated for invasive weeds.

I contribute the success of the projects to the District staff, the board of directors, and the many partners, including the landowners, who participated in these projects, said Mr. Delano.

Acting Secretary of the Interior, Lynn Scarlet, commented on Mr. Delano's active role in the basin in a letter citing his many accomplishments.

"Mr. Delano has set a great example of how conservation can be accomplished in a non-threatening cooperative manner resulting in great benefits to fish and wildlife resources and protecting the ranching and rural lifestyle of the John Day River Basin," wrote Acting Secretary Scarlet.

NOTE: Photographs can be accessed at: http://www.usbr.gov/pn/images/photos/delano.jpg

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Relevant Link:

http://www.usbr.gov/pn/images/photos/delano.jpg