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Stream Flow Analysis for Select Salmon Habitats in the Puget Sound Area

Stream Flow Analysis for Select Salmon Habitats in the Puget Sound Area. ENV REG CP110 A June 6, 2012. Project Purpose. Analyze factors affecting salmon health in select habitats Analyze instream flows in those habitats

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Stream Flow Analysis for Select Salmon Habitats in the Puget Sound Area

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  1. Stream Flow Analysis for Select Salmon Habitats in the Puget Sound Area ENV REG CP110 A June 6, 2012

  2. Project Purpose • Analyze factors affecting salmon health in select habitats • Analyze instream flows in those habitats • Establish link, if any, between variations in stream flows and salmon health

  3. Why? • Are instream flows a significant factor of salmon health? • Watershed Management Plans are defined heavily by instream flow values and needs • Watershed Management Act applied in tandem with Washington Salmon Recovery Act • Salmon Recovery Act drives a broad based effort toward long-term salmon restoration efforts

  4. Factors Analyzed

  5. Takeaways • Salmon preservation and restoration is a continuing process • Data collection and analysis are starting points for formulating solutions • No “one size fits all” set of characteristics apply to all streams. Each is unique.

  6. Life Cycle/Pilchuck River

  7. Salmon Life Cycle

  8. Save Our Salmon

  9. River Analyzed: Pilchuck River • Covers 17.59 acres of area – 3,594 of shoreline • Zoning rural residential with 2.3 acres of dwelling • Land Use: 3.4% impervious surface, 15 acres of forest, 1.4 acres of forest vegetation • Home to Bull trout, Chum, Coho & Pink Salmon

  10. Water Quality • 303d impaired water body list for temperature & for fecal coliform • High water temperatures and low DO values have been recorded in a number of areas during the warm weather months • Poor pasture management, on-site sewage disposal systems, and improper fertilizer application

  11. Water Quantity • Flow greater than suggested WA DOE instream flow requirements (85-300 cfs) • Culverts block the passage or create partial barriers in the smaller tributaries • The City of Snohomish withdraws water at a diversion dam at RM 26.4

  12. Conclusion • Correlation between stream flow and fish count not as conclusive as should be • Quality of stream also influential on fish count • More concern needed over pasture management, on-site sewage disposal systems, and improper fertilizer application

  13. Samish River

  14. Samish River in WRIA 3

  15. Goals • Are there stream gauges in Samish river? Is flow regulated under any instream rule? • Research fish count • Status of Fall Chinook and Steelhead in the Samish river • Is there a correlation between stream flow and fish count? • Recommendations, if any

  16. Migration route for Fall Chinook Salmon

  17. Migration route for Samish Steelhead

  18. Flow data from USGS gauge at Samish river near Burlington

  19. Pearson's correlation coefficient,r = 0.0864

  20. Water Quality? Listed in WA list of polluted waters since 1993 Increased temperature, nitrogen, phosphorus and turbidity - loss of temperature - inputs from agriculture - failing septic systems Rain induced fecal coliformcontamination Land use near the Samish river

  21. Lack of estuary habitat? Changes in estuary habitat over time

  22. Samish Hatchery

  23. Hatchery Runs -Spawned under controlled conditions Longer stocking period Less smoltification time Native Runs - Spawn in river beds Juveniles migrate within weeks of spawning Longer smoltification time needed Differences between hatchery and native runs

  24. Over harvesting? View of the Samish river during the fishing season

  25. Conclusions • No correlation between streamflow and fish count • Other factors like lack of estuarine habitat, poor water quality likely causes for low numbers • Regulations and enforcement needed to protect stream quality • Study on effect of removal of hatchery on native Salmon runs

  26. Research Process/Church Creek

  27. Research Process • Raised consciousness of issue and resources • Wealth of available data • Helpful analysis tools

  28. Groups Supporting Restoration • Alaska Trollers Association • American Whitewater • Boulder-White Clouds Council • Coalition for Salmon and Steelhead Habitat • Coast Range Association • Defenders of Wildlife • Federation of Fly Fishers • Idaho Steelhead and Salmon Unlimited • Institute for Fisheries Resources

  29. Some More • Izaak Walton League - Greater Seattle Chapter • Lands Council • Mountaineers • North Cascades Conservation Council • Northwest Environmental Defense Center • Orca Network • Oregon Guides and Packers • Oregon Wild

  30. Some More • Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations • Sierra Club • Trout Unlimited • Water Watch of Oregon • Wild Angels • Wilderness Society • Wild Fish Conservancy • Wild Steelhead Coalition

  31. http://wdfw.wa.gov/mapping/salmonscape/index.html

  32. http://wdfw.wa.gov/mapping/salmonscape/index.html

  33. http://wdfw.wa.gov/mapping/salmonscape/index.html

  34. http://wdfw.wa.gov/mapping/salmonscape/index.html

  35. http://wdfw.wa.gov/mapping/salmonscape/index.html

  36. ftp://ftp.snoco.org/Planning_and_Development_Services/Water/

  37. ftp://ftp.snoco.org/Planning_and_Development_Services/Water/Adopted_CWSP_Map.pdfftp://ftp.snoco.org/Planning_and_Development_Services/Water/Adopted_CWSP_Map.pdf

  38. Software Tools • Irfanview

  39. Software Tools • PDF Password Remover • PDF Repair Tool

  40. Takeaways • Salmon preservation and restoration is a continuing process • Data collection and analysis are starting points for formulating solutions • No “one size fits all” set of characteristics apply to all streams. Each is unique.

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