Fish Passage Barriers & Salmon Recovery Fish Passage Oversight Committee Training January 15, 2015 Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board Developed a recovery plan to restore salmon, steelhead and bull trout to healthy harvestable levels Facilitates recovery plan implementation through federal, state and local partnerships Builds public awareness and support Guides recovery investments Monitors progress Is one of 7 regional salmon recovery organization in Washington Recovery Plan was adopted by NMFS Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Lower Columbia Salmon Recovery Facts 2,280 miles anadromous streams, 268 miles of marine shoreline 89 of the 224 distinct populations reside in our 18 major subbasins. 7% of the state 5 Counties, 21 Cities, 3 Tribes 8 Dams, 4 Hydro-electric Operators Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Passage Barriers: A Salmon Recovery Priority Passage Limiting Factors Barriers due to culverts Other passage barriers: Dikes, Levees, Flow Alterations Water Quality or Channel Morphology Direct Mortality through injury or stranding Blockage from off-channel due to flow alteration, dikes, and levees Blockage due to water quality or channel morphology Direct mortality due to structures Direct mortality due to stranding in diversion channels Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Prioritizing Passage Barriers: Strategically getting work done Priorities: Primary Populations Prioritized streams Density of barriers Why Prioritize Number of Primary Populations benefited Number of barriers on the Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment (EDT) model (Mobrand, 2007) Prioritized streams Density of barriers in the watershed Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Prioritizing Passage Barriers: Strategically getting work done Primary Populations 17 of the 18 subbasins support 1 or more Primary populations Priorities: Number of Primary Populations benefited Primary = Must be restored to a High Level of Viability (<5% chance of extinction over next 100 years) Contributing = Must be restored to a Medium Level of Viability (<25% chance of extinction) Stabilizing = Must be maintained at current status, typically at low viability Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Prioritizing Passage Barriers: Strategically getting work done Prioritized Streams Of the 2280 anadromous miles in the region, 675 are considered high priority Priorities: Number of barriers on the Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment (EDT) model (Mobrand, 2007) Prioritized streams Tier 1 Through 4 Tier 1 supports the highest productivity in each basin Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Lower Columbia Regional Stats Culvert Density Strata Subbasin Name # Barriers on Tiered Reaches Primary Stocks Culvert Density* Coast Chinook** 3 0.00 Grays 21 7.52 Eloch/Skam 31 4.16 MAG 41 2.56 Cascade Lower Cowlitz 85 1 4.19 Tilton Upper Cowlitz 4 30.75 Cispus Toutle 99 5 3.11 Coweeman 32 2.88 Kalama 9 2 13.56 NF Lewis 4.67 EF Lewis 28 6.25 Salmon 60.50 Washougal 14.89 Gorge Lower Gorge Tribs 46.00 Wind Upper Gorge Tribs** Passage is the top priority in the Recovery Plan 5000 culverts ID’d 380 on tiered reaches Culvert density is based on the average number of anadromous stream miles between barriers. Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Other Priority Considerations Populations, Prioritized habitat, and Culvert Density prioritize to the subbasin level Other considerations needed to prioritize within subbasins Sequencing % passability Coordination with other barrier programs Coordination with restoration efforts Landowner willingness Habitat quality/quantity Watershed processes Cost Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Lower Columbia Regional Project Stats 1999 WDOT funded the SW WA counties to complete an inventory of county-owned culverts Since 2001 Washington Dept of Natural Resources has completed 1754 projects as part of their Road Maintenance and Abandonment Plans Since 2004, FFFPP has funded $3.8 million for 31 projects 2007 a regional culvert inventory was completed for private roads and crossings 2010 tidegates were added to the database and habitat surveys were completed 2011 USFS removal of Hemlock Dam opening passage to 12 miles of high quality habitat 2012 removal of Condit Dam opening passage to 48 miles of spawning and rearing habitat Regional Cooperative Effort to Meet Recovery Goals for Fish Passage 47 projects funded by 13 organizations USFS WDNR WDFW WDOT SRFB FFFPP PacifiCorp NFWF 5 counties Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board Project Stats 24 fish passage projects including inventories and dam removals $7,051,316 used to restore passage $4,221,014 in PCSRF Grant Funds Culverts, Dam Removals, Relic Splash Dam removal Trending toward replacing culverts with bridges. Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Project Sponsor: Cowlitz Conservation District Removing passage barriers opens habitat and restoration opportunities Case Study: Monahan Creek Project Sponsor: Cowlitz Conservation District

Case Study: Monahan Creek Two 10’ wide concrete box culverts 5’ drop on outlet, depth, and velocity led to passage issues Coho is a Primary Population for recovery Fall Chinook, winter steelhead, Chum spawning Collaborated on design with WDFW Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Case Study: Monahan Creek 32’ wide arch culvert 450’ of reconstructed channel to control velocities through the culvert and downstream Opens 4.8 miles of anadromous habitat Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Case Study: Monahan Creek Subsequent Restoration in the Area Japanese Knotweed Removal from 2.3 miles of stream bank, 150 acres Large wood structures to provide stability and habitat. Knotweed and other invasive riparian plants decimate the riparian zone contributing to reduced large wood inputs, reduced shade, higher water temperatures and simplified stream habitat. Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Case Study: Monahan Creek Subsequent Restoration Established native trees and shrubs to provide cover, competition, shade/temperature control 2 year management plan, landowner continues to spot-treat Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Case Study: Monahan Creek Subsequent Restoration Stream channel continued to respond downstream over the next decade Sediment that deposited upstream of culvert was moving Stream channel continued to respond downstream 10+ years after Sediment that deposited upstream of culvert was moving Lateral migration was negatively impacting farmland and riparian vegetation planted during knotweed project LWD Project to protect property by routing sediment, slowing lateral migration, protect riparian vegetation, and provide habitat Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Case Study: Monahan Creek Subsequent Restoration Lateral migration was negatively impacting farmland and riparian vegetation planted during knotweed project Large wood to protect property by routing sediment, slowing lateral migration, protect riparian vegetation, and provide habitat Stream channel continued to respond downstream 10+ years after Sediment that deposited upstream of culvert was moving Lateral migration was negatively impacting farmland and riparian vegetation planted during knotweed project LWD Project to protect property by routing sediment, slowing lateral migration, protect riparian vegetation, and provide habitat Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Logistical Issues Funding Period Permitting and Access - 2 months to 1 year (or longer) WDFW USACE DNR Cultural Resources Ecology NMFS – Section 7 consultation Match Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Biological Benefits Make it Worth it. Opening habitat Strategically allows further work to be done Upstream AND downstream benefits Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

How Can We Help? Available to provide priorities for barrier removal Interested in partnering with you ensure recovery goals and priorities are a part of your decision making Offer a link to local governments, organizations, and landowners Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Jeff Breckel, Executive Director jbreckel@lcfrb.gen.wa.us 360-425-1553 Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board Jeff Breckel, Executive Director jbreckel@lcfrb.gen.wa.us 360-425-1553 Karen Adams – Habitat Coordinator kadams@lcfrb.gen.wa.us 360-425-3274 The End