Response for project 199901300: Ahtanum Creek Watershed Assess
Comment on proposed FY 2006 budget
The budget amount is consistant with the BPA approved FY2005 budget, however increasing fuel and material cost will necessitate a 6% budget increase totaling $234,592. We feel this is very conservative amount; without the increase Project productivity may well suffer.
Accomplishments since the last review
| Produce Environmental Compliance Documentation | Project completes all environmental complinace documentation prior to implementing restoration projects. | |
| # of people reached in each of 3 classes (T/S/G): Teachers, Students, General public | Staff have taught several hour long classes at a local high school, conducted numerous field trips to educate students on methods used to capture, identify and mark fish. | |
| Produce Annual Report | Project staff will report annualy as per our contract with BPA. | |
| Produce Status Report | Project staff will report quarterly as per our contract with BPA. | |
| Develop Alternative Water Source | Created approximately 8 water gaps in our riparian fence. | |
| Enhance Nutrients Instream | Distributed approximately 100 fall chinook carcasses throughout the Ahtanum Watershed. | |
| # of acres of vegetation planted (0.1 ac.) | 20 acres treated. | |
| # of riparian miles treated (0.01 mi.; count each bank separately) | 1.4 miles | |
| # of acres treated (0.1 ac) | 30 acres treated. | |
| Enhance Floodplain | Constructed 3 straw bale structures that provide floodplain roughness. Also installed straw bale structures to guide flood flows over appropriate areas of the floodplain. These strucures forced flood water to re-enter teh stream at appropriate sites. | |
| Maintain Terrestrial Structure | Project maintains 8 miles of riparian fence. | |
| Operate/Maintain Facility | Project maintains 9 stream gages throught the Ahtanum; these are used to measure and manage instream minimum flows. | |
| # of miles of habitat accessed (0.1 mi.) | Project has both notched and piped beaver dams to allow passage and relieve unwanted overbank flow. Staff monitor two irrigation dams for fish passage and modify flow over these with sandbags as necessary. | |
| If installing a ladder, does the ladder meet NOAA specifications for attraction flow, pool dimensions, jump height, etc? (Y/N) | N/A | |
| Does the structure remove or replace a fish passage barrier? (Y/N) | N | |
| # of miles of habitat accessed (0.1 mi.) | Approximately 16 | |
| Was barrier Full or Partial? (F/P) | The beaver dam was a full barrier to upmigrating coho adults, due to low fall flows. | |
| Install Fish Trap/Monitoring Weir | Project operates a 5ft screw trap from November to early June. | |
| Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data | Project staff engage in data collection and creation on a daily basis. | |
| Submit/Acquire Data | Project staff continualy transfer data from field sheets and data collectors into established databases. | |
| Manage/Maintain Database | Project staff maintain and improve Project databases on a regular basis. | |
| Disseminate Raw & Summary Data | Project data is often distributed to federal, state and local agencies in the form of GIS derived maps, and informal reports and summary emails. | |
| Analyze/Interpret Data | Project staff often refer to spatial and envoronmental databases to make natural resource management decisions. | |
| Is the measuring device portable or fixed (P/F)? | Project staff have installed staff gages and automated stream gages with telemetry throughout the watershed. |
2002- Implemented minimum instream flow requirement of 10 cfs throughout Ahtanum Creek. Performed weekly wading streamflow measurements to understand stream hydrology and monitor minimum flow compliance. Operated rotary screw trap to monitor juvenile salmonid outmigration. Conducted steelhead, coho and bull trout spawning surveys. Deployed thermographs to monitor water quality. Made initial contact with several riparian landowners in the watershed. Collected watershed data including all salmonid redds found, with GPS for entry into the Ahtanum Project GIS 2003- Built 6 miles of riparian fence. Maintained beaver dams for fish passage and floodplain connection Worked with 2 landowners to install straw bale structures for floodplain roughness and energy dissipation. Monitored stream as in 2002, but added TFW habitat surveys, spring chinook spawning surveys, cataloged size and disposition of LWD using GPS. Collected watershed data including all salmonid redds found, with GPS for entry into the Ahtanum Project GIS 2004- Built 2 miles of riparian fence. Completed scoping and engineering phase of the Herke Side Channel Reconnection Project, began on the permitting. Completed scoping for Ahtanum Stock Pump No.1 (solar powered stock pump.) Installed 1 stream gage with cellular telemetry. Planted 1500 stems of riparian species for restoration at 4 sites. Monitored stream as in 2003. Collected watershed data including all salmonid redds found, with GPS for entry into the Ahtanum Project GIS. Participated in and provided data to multi-agency Ahtanum Watershed EIS. 2005- Planted 1000 riparian plants at 2 sites. Monitored stream as in 2004. Install 1 stream gage with cellular telemetry. Complete Herke Side Channel Reconnection Project. Complete Ahtanum Stock Pump No. 1 Project. Collected watershed data including all salmonid redds found, with GPS for entry into the Ahtanum Project GIS. Complete scoping and engineering for Allotment 960 Side Channel Reconnection Project.
FY 2006 goals and anticipated accomplishments
| Produce Environmental Compliance Documentation | Produce all Environmental Compliance documentation necessary to proceed with restoration projects. | |
| # of people reached in each of 3 classes (T/S/G): Teachers, Students, General public | Project staff will continue to conduct classes and field seminars for high school and elementry school children. | |
| Produce Annual Report | Will produce annual report as per out contract with BPA | |
| Produce Status Report | Will produce quarterly reports as per our contract with BPA | |
| # of stream miles treated (0.01 mi.) | .7 | |
| # of structures installed | Approximately 7, project is not engineered at this time. | |
| Start and end lat/long of treated reach (0.1") | Start:46.5239°N, 120.8492°W End:46.5258°N, 120.8386°W | |
| # of stream miles treated before realignment (0.1 mi.) | 0 | |
| # of stream miles treated, including off-channels, after realignment (0.1 mi.) | .7 | |
| Start and end lat/long of treated reach (0.1") | 46.5273°N, 120.8135°W 46.5279°N, 120.7989°W | |
| Develop Alternative Water Source | Project Staff will augmetn Ahtanum Sotck Pump No.1 with pipelines and additional storage as needed. | |
| # of miles of fence (0.01 mi.) | Project staff plan to build at least 1 mile of riparina fence. | |
| Enhance Nutrients Instream | Project staff will plant approximately 100 fall chinook carcasses throughout Ahtanum Creek. | |
| # of acres of vegetation planted (0.1 ac.) | Projects staff plan to revegetate at least 25 acers of riparian area. | |
| # of riparian miles treated (0.01 mi.; count each bank separately) | Staff plan to revegatat at least 1 mile of riparian area. | |
| Enhance Floodplain | Staff plan to install straw bale structures for floodplain roughness at 2 locations, and maintain 2 structures already installed. | |
| Create, Restore, and/or Enhance Wetland | The reomoval of a dike at LaSalle High School may create a small amount of wetland. If this does happen, staff will work to enhance that wetland. | |
| Maintain Terrestrial Structure | Project staff will maintain approximately 8 miles of riparian fence. | |
| Operate/Maintain Facility | Projecct staff will operate and maintain 9 staff gages and 1 automated stream gage. | |
| # of miles of habitat accessed (0.1 mi.) | Project staff will modify beaver dams as needed to allow upstream passage to adult coho. Coho are often hampered by low fall flows. | |
| Install Fish Trap/Monitoring Weir | Project staff will operate our 5ft screw trap. | |
| Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data | Project staff will continue to collect all manner of stream related data. | |
| Submit/Acquire Data | Data will be transfered from field sheets and data loggers to the Projects various databases. | |
| Manage/Maintain Database | Project staff will continue to maintain the various Project databases. | |
| Disseminate Raw & Summary Data | Project staff will continue to disseminate data in the form of GIS derived maps, informal reports and email summaries. This data is usually provided to federal, state and local agencies. | |
| Analyze/Interpret Data | Project staff will continue to analyze data in order to make various resource management decisions such as instream flow amount. | |
| Is the measuring device portable or fixed (P/F)? | Project staff plan on installing 1 automated stream gage with cellular telemetry. |
2005- Scope, engineer and permit water pipeline for use in conjunction with Ahtanum Stock Pump No.1. 2006- Complete environmental compliance and construction of Allotment 960 Side Channel Reconnection. Complete environmental compliance and construction of Ahtanum Stock Pump No.1 Water Pipeline Project (2 miles of pipeline.) Work with landowners to build at least 1 mile of riparian fence. Scope, and begin engineering of Allotment 914 Side Channel Reconnection Project. Monitor Herke Side Channel Reconnection Project, making inlet adjustments as needed. Continue to monitor stream and collect watershed data with GPS for entry into the Ahtanum Project’s GIS.
Subbasin planning
How is this project consistent with subbasin plans?
This project is consistent with and implements Tier 1 (top priority) habitat limiting factors as described in the Yakima Subbasin Plan Supplement http://www.nwcouncil.org/fw/subbasinplanning/yakima/plan/Supplement.pdf The strategies below, all within the “implementable” category, address Tier 1 limiting factors (see list of factors in Table 2, p. 11), and each strategy is directed at one or more Assessment Units (AUs). The Ahtanum Creek watershed is part of AU #3 (low elevation tributaries). Table 8, p. 26 (population performance), strategy 2 (monitoring). Ahtanum Creek is currently recognized as a major spawning area for steelhead, and Ahtanum Creek steelhead may be a genetically distinct population. This project has provided most of what is known about performance of this steelhead population. Table 9, p. 26 (flow), strategies 1, 3, 4 and 5 (flow increases, floodplain protection and restoration). ). Project staff, in conjunction with YN Tribal Council, have implemented instream minimum flows throughout Ahtanum Creek. The project’s ongoing efforts to reconnect side channels and bring the stream into better connection with the floodplain are consistent with the strategies in Table 9. Table 10, p. 27 (obstructions), strategy 1 (reconnect side channels) Table 11, p. 28 (key habitat quantity), strategies 1 (side channels), 3 (floodplains), 4 (forest roads) Table 12, p. 29 (habitat diversity), strategies 1 (side channels), 3 (floodplains), 8 (easements), 9 (riparian restoration) Table 13, p. 30 (temperature), strategies 1 (riparian restoration), 2 (side channels) Table 14, p. 30 (fine sediment), strategies 2 (road improvements), 4 (tech assistance), 5 (revegetation) Table 15, p. 31 (channel stability), strategies 2 (channel constrictions), 4 (riparian restoration), 7 (revegetation)
How do goals match subbasin plan priorities?
A subbasin plan supplement was submitted November 26, 2004 in response to the Council’s request for clearer linkages among limiting factors, objectives and strategies. The long list of key findings, objectives and strategies in Chapter 4 of the original Subbasin Plan breaks down into three broad categories of limiting factors: (1) Habitat limiting factors, (2) Population performance and response limiting factors, and (3) Institutional limiting factors. The first and second categories of limiting factors are discussed here. Objectives and strategies under Category 2, the population performance and response limiting factors are listed in Table 8 of the supplement. The Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment (EDT) model provided the necessary framework to categorize, summarize, and prioritize habitat limiting factors. Level 3 EDT environmental parameters were selected because the level 3 categories of limiting factors succinctly summarize the key habitat factors limiting the biological potential of focal species. At the level 3 scale, the EDT model defines sixteen environmental parameters that impede the biological performance and response potential of salmonids. Utilizing the results of the EDT model, local expert knowledge, the Subbasin Plan Assessment (Chapter 2), and other tools and resources, the limiting factors were divided into three tiers based on severity of impact to focal species, number of focal species affected, and on geographic extent of the factors. Within each tier the limiting factors are also listed in general priority. The seven Tier 1 limiting factors (Tables 9-15 of the Supplement) have the most impact on aquatic species production potential within the subbasin and should be addressed first. Only Tier 1 limiting factors, objectives and strategies, and only those strategies shown as “implementable” (i.e. capable of being carried out without first resolving a key uncertainty or other contingency) are discussed here. This project is consistent with and implements Tier 1 (top priority) habitat limiting factors as described in the Yakima Subbasin Plan Supplement