Jennifer Lee, B.S. Harvey Mudd College Kristen Shearer, Wittenberg University John Vivio, University of California, San Diego Advisors: Matt Cox, M.S. Oregon State University Desiree Tullos, Ph.D. Oregon State University Ecology Informatics Summer Institute 2011 Relating Juvenile Salmonid Use and Channel Hydraulics to Full-Channel Engineered Log Jam Structures

Background Spawning salmonid species in the Northwest use wood in streams for: Obtaining food Cover from predators Favorable hydraulic features Engineered Log Jams (ELJs) used to supplement natural fish habitat and livelihood in streams, and increase habitat complexity

Overview 1. History 2. Purpose & Objectives 3. Questions 4. Hypotheses 5. Site Description 6. Materials & Methods 7. Results & Discussion 8. Conclusion

History Logging Since 1800s Decreased quantity of natural wood falling into streams Splash dams created to transport logged wood to sawmills by raising water levels in streams Widened channels Scoured away accumulated sediment to expose bedrock Eliminated natural log jams to create clear path for logs Reduced natural habitat

Splash dam at Mill Creek, Oregon, 1905

History Removal of woody debris for habitat 1950s to 60s Large wood thought to impede fish migration in streams Later realized to play an important role in fish habitat and livelihood Development of Engineered Log Jams Endangered Species Act (1973) Replenish lost wood back into streams

Purpose Study the effect of ELJs on Fish behavior Stream hydraulics Pools and eddies Bathymetry and channel width Provide information for future plans to install ELJs in streams

Objectives 1. Take velocity measurements of the stream along transects 2. Take bathymetry data of stream beds 3. Survey sites using coordinate measurements 4. Observe fish placement and behavior during 24- hour snorkel surveys 5. Combine and correlate velocity, bathymetry, and fish placement data

Questions 1. How do streams flow near ELJs? 2. What kind of flow do fish prefer? 3. How do fish use ELJs to their advantage? 4. How do ELJs affect channel morphology in different systems?

Hypotheses Fish Prefer lower flow to expend less energy Prefer covered, deeper channels Use log jams for shelter Stream hydraulics Add complexities to flow Increase mixing of water column Increase amount of organic material in the stream Channel Morphology Increased bathymetric complexity Smaller particles accumulate near the jams

Site Description: Quartz Creek Upstream Downstream

Site Description: Fall Creek River Left River Right View from upstream of the log jam

River Left from downstream of the log jam River Left from downstream of the log jam on the gravel bar Site Description: Fall Creek

Total Station and prism reflector Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) Materials & Methods: Total Station and ADCP

Materials & Methods: 24-hour Fish Snorkel Surveys

Root Wad Logs Results: Bathymetry of Quartz Creek

Gravel Bar River Right River Left Quartz Creek Results: Bathymetry of Fall Creek Log Jam

AveragedBottom Results: Velocity Magnitudes of Quartz Creek

Root Wad Logs Results: Bathymetry and Fish of Quartz Creek

Results: Velocity Magnitudes and Fish of Quartz Creek

River Right River Left Gravel Bar Results: Bathymetry and Fish of Fall Creek Log Jam

River Right River Left Gravel Bar Results: Bottom Velocity Magnitudes and Fish of Fall Creek Log Jam

River Right River Left Gravel Bar Quartz Creek Log Jam Results: Velocity Magnitudes and Fish of Fall Creek

Conclusions 1. How do streams flow near ELJs? Turbidity of water 2. What kind of flow do fish prefer? Slower flow adjacent to fast flow 3. How do fish use ELJs to their advantage? Increased flow complexity Channel complexity Cover Spawning

Conclusion 4. How do ELJs compare and contrast in different systems? Quartz Key piece log Flow goes through or under jam Cutthroat was dominant Fall Smaller pieces of wood Flow splits to go either through and under or around jam Coho was dominant

Thank you to… Desiree Tullos Matt Cox Chris Gabrielli Cara Walter David Hill Roy Rivera Kate Meyer Jorge Ramirez David Noakes Ryan Couture Joseph O’Neil National Science Foundation Oregon State University US Department of Agriculture and Forestry

Questions?