1

Effects of channel and riparian restoration on Effects of channel and riparian restoration on salmonidsalmonid populations and habitat in the Little Hoko populations and habitat in the Little Hoko

River, WashingtonRiver, Washington

(How much restoration is enoughHow much restoration is enough?)

Michael McHenryMel Elofson

Martin Liermann

Location SlideLocation Slide

2

Land Use HistoryLand Use History

HomesteadsHomesteadsLoggingLoggingChannelizationChannelization/Wood /Wood Removal Removal Unrestricted Grazing Unrestricted Grazing Washington State Washington State Parks PurchaseParks Purchase (1993)

Limiting Factors DeterminationLimiting Factors Determination

Habitat SurveysHabitat Surveys--19921992TemperatureTemperaturePool HabitatPool HabitatLWDLWDChannel IncisionChannel IncisionEroding BanksEroding BanksRiparian ForestRiparian ForestSpawning HabitatSpawning Habitat

3

Restoration Plan GoalRestoration Plan Goal

Use restoration to Use restoration to accelerate natural accelerate natural recovery so that recovery so that habitat forming habitat forming processes are processes are maintainedmaintained

Restoration Treatments (1994Restoration Treatments (1994--1998)1998)

Control/Remove Control/Remove CattleCattleRiparian ReforestationRiparian ReforestationRestructure ChannelRestructure ChannelRoad AbandonmentRoad AbandonmentOffOff--Channel Channel DevelopmentDevelopment

4

Developing a Monitoring Strategy Developing a Monitoring Strategy

Fish ResponseFish ResponseBiologicalBiological

Increase LWD LevelsIncrease LWD LevelsChannel ComplexityChannel Complexity

Treat Incision/Bank ErosionTreat Incision/Bank ErosionReconnect FloodplainReconnect Floodplain

Grow Mature ForestGrow Mature ForestRiparian ForestRiparian Forest

Grazing/TemperatureGrazing/TemperatureRemove StressorsRemove Stressors

What/HowWhat/HowObjectivesObjectives

Monitoring ParametersMonitoring Parameters

AnnuallyAnnuallyFence WeirFence WeirSmoltsSmolts

AnnuallyAnnuallyEscapementEscapementAdultsAdults

5 year intervals5 year intervalsPlotsPlotsRiparianRiparian

2 year intervals2 year intervalsWolmanWolmanPebblesPebbles

2 year intervals2 year intervalsSurveySurveyCrossCross--SectionsSections

2 year intervals2 year intervalsAmbient Ambient MonitoringMonitoring

HabitatHabitat

AnnuallyAnnuallyThermographsThermographsTemperatureTemperatureWhenHowWhat

5

Monitoring ChallengesMonitoring Challenges

Limited PreLimited Pre--project project Data Data Monitoring Monitoring ““ChasesChases””RestorationRestorationBeforeBefore--After DesignAfter Design$$

Removing Stressors Removing Stressors ––Part 1Part 1

Cattle Restricted Cattle Restricted (1994(1994--1998) & 1998) & Removed (1998)Removed (1998)

6

Riparian MonitoringRiparian Monitoring

Fixed Radius PlotsFixed Radius Plots0.2 acre0.2 acre17 Plots (RM 0.217 Plots (RM 0.2--2.5)2.5)7 years following 7 years following initial plantingsinitial plantings

Riparian ResponseRiparian Response

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Plot Number

Tree

s/A

cre

7

Riparian ResponseRiparian Response

Conifers free to Conifers free to grow in 5 yearsgrow in 5 years~20~20--3030’’ in 12 yearsin 12 yearsMinor damageMinor damagePasture exotics Pasture exotics prevalentprevalentFunctional?Functional?

GeomorphologyGeomorphology

8

Increasing Channel ComplexityIncreasing Channel Complexity

LWD/CW

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Reach 1 Reach 2 Reach 3

Num

ber o

f Pie

ces

1994199619992000

Bank ErosionBank Erosion

9

Channel Complexity Channel Complexity -- Habitat ResponseHabitat Response

Changes in Pool Area

0102030405060708090

Reach 1 Reach 2 Reach 3

Perc

ent P

ool H

abita

t

1994199619992000

Channel ComplexityChannel Complexity--Habitat ResponseHabitat Response

6363250250205205193193153153TotalTotal

--7070339911111010>1.5>1.5

8686131315151616771.251.25--1.501.50

535323232020131315151.01.0--1.251.25

12712750503131313122220.750.75--1.01.0

838386867171525247470.50.5--.75.75

54547373595970705050.25.25--0.50.5

0022000022<0.25<0.25

% Change% Change20002000199919991996199619941994Residual Pool Depth Residual Pool Depth

(m)(m)

10

Channel ComplexityChannel Complexity--Habitat ResponseHabitat Response

Width to Depth Ratio

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Reach 1 Reach 2 Reach 3

1994199619992000

Removing Stressor Removing Stressor –– Part 2Part 2

y = -4.8973x + 50.303R 2 = 0.738

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1992

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

Perc

ent C

anop

y

05101520253035404550

Day

s <1

6 C

Canopy Days> Linear (Canopy) Linear (Days>)

11

Habitat ResponseHabitat Response--Segment 1Segment 1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Mar-9

7

Jul-9

8

Dec-99

Apr-0

1

Sep-02

Par

ticle

Siz

e (m

m) X-Sec #4

X-Sec #3X-Sec #2X-Sec #1

Habitat ResponseHabitat Response--Segment 3Segment 3

%Change%Change2004200420002000199919991998199819961996

--65.465.455.255.249.349.362.062.066.766.785.285.2MeanMean

--35.135.177776060101101104104XX--Sec 19Sec 19

--115.6115.6454525259797XX--Sec 18Sec 18

--85.285.254546363100100XX--Sec 17Sec 17--38.338.360606969383818188383XX--Sec 16Sec 16

--31.931.94747505053536262XX--Sec 15Sec 15

--25.025.0606058581201207575XX--Sec 14Sec 14--126.5126.534343232404060607777XX--Sec 13Sec 13

12

Habitat Response SummaryHabitat Response Summary

Response Rapid Response Rapid ~2~2--5 years5 yearsResponse Variable Response Variable by Geomorphologyby GeomorphologyTreatments Treatments Functional over Functional over TimeTime1999 Flood of 1999 Flood of RecordRecord

Flood of RecordFlood of Record

13

Floodplain ReconnectionFloodplain Reconnection

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

0 20 40 60 80

Horizontal Distance (Feet)

Elev

atio

n (F

eet)

1997199819992001

0

1

2

3

4

5

NC <0.3 <.61 <.92 <1.22 >1.22

Bed Elevation (m)

Freq

uenc

y

Floodplain ReconnectionFloodplain Reconnection

14

Floodplain Reconnection

Biological Monitoring Biological Monitoring -- CohoCoho

R 2 = 0.3713

0

1020

30

40

50

6070

80

1986

1988

1990

1992

199419

9619

9820

0020

0220

04

Red

ds/M

ile

15

Biological MonitoringBiological Monitoring-- ChumChum

R2 = 0.5659

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Red

ds/M

ile

Biological Monitoring Biological Monitoring -- ChinookChinook

R2 = 0.0137

0

5

10

15

20

25

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Red

ds/M

ile

16

Biological Monitoring Biological Monitoring -- SteelheadSteelhead

R2 = 0.0009

010

2030

4050

6070

8090

100

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

Estim

ated

Esc

apem

ent

Biological Monitoring Biological Monitoring -- SmoltsSmolts

R2 = 0.4132

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

1987 1988 1989 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Num

ber

of S

mol

ts

Coho 1+ Steelhead Cutthroat Linear (Coho 1+ )

17

Restoration ScorecardRestoration Scorecard

??Biological ResponseBiological Response

YesYesChannel ComplexityChannel Complexity

NoNoReconnect FloodplainReconnect Floodplain

Established but not Established but not FunctionalFunctional

Riparian ForestRiparian Forest

YesYesRemove StressorsRemove Stressors

OutcomeOutcomeObjectiveObjective

ConclusionsConclusionsHabitat restoration efforts in combination with Habitat restoration efforts in combination with natural recovery can rapidly improve stream natural recovery can rapidly improve stream habitat conditions.habitat conditions.Restoration efforts focused on treating channel Restoration efforts focused on treating channel incision must be dramatically scaled up.incision must be dramatically scaled up.Fish population responses are difficult to Fish population responses are difficult to measure, expensive and require patience.measure, expensive and require patience.–– Limitations in study design!Limitations in study design!–– Other limiting factors?Other limiting factors?–– Lag in response?Lag in response?–– Restoration incomplete?Restoration incomplete?

18

Acknowledgments

Washington Washington Department of ParksDepartment of ParksWDNRWDNR--Jobs for the Jobs for the Environment ProgramEnvironment ProgramBIABIA--Watershed Watershed Restoration ProgramRestoration ProgramDr. Jack Dr. Jack OrsborneOrsborne