1. Habitat Assessment Modeling: Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment

2. Environment and Habitat
Environment: broad description of conditions at a location
Not species specific
Sets the metrics
Defines appropriate scale, hierarchy, extent and grain
Habitat: species specific description of conditions at a location
Species specific subset of environment
Relates to biological performance of focal species

3. Habitat Rehabilitation Process
--Hydrology
--Sediment mechanics
--Channel dynamics
--Riparian function
--Appropriate scale and hierarchy
--Metrics
--Extent
--Grain
Appraisal for a species
Habitat Assessment
Habitat Description
Environmental
Processes
Environmental Pattern
Geology and Climate
Environment
Actions
Recovery

4. Assessment: Species-focused rating of habitat
How much habitat is there?
Quantity: Biological capacity
How good is it?
Quality: Productivity
Connectivity: Life history trajectories
Breadth: Trajectory diversity

5. Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment (EDT)
EDT rates the quality and quantity of habitat with respect to one or more focal species.
EDT identifies restoration and protection priorities and limiting conditions
Where do we start?
What needs to be fixed?
EDT is NOT a dynamic population dynamics model.
It rates a static depiction of habitat conditions.
EDT does NOT PROVE ANYTHING.
It creates a testable working hypothesis as a basis for action.

6. Habitat and population models: essential tools for recovery planning

7. Assessment provides restoration and protection priorities
Current
Restoration Template
Environmental Conditions
Space (stream mile)
Degradation Template
Protection
Restoration

8. EDT prioritizes habitat based on biological performance

9. Habitat Assessment Process I. Prepare EDT Input Table
Monthly shaping of flow, temperature and width
EDT Environmental Description
= Snap-shot of conditions
Hydrography: HUC-6/Reaches
Environmental Attributes (45)

10. Habitat Assessment Process II. Rate the Habitat
Habitat Descriptors
Life stage-survival rules
Environmental
Description
Biological
Capacity &
Productivity
Descriptors
Reaches
Life Stage

11. Habitat Assessment Process III. Rate the Watershed
Life history/Population structure
Population Capacity and Productivity

12. Validation of a habitat assessment model
Does the biological rating metric comport with reality?
Does it accurately predict distribution of the rating species?
It it useful?

13. Validation of EDT for Spring Chinook in the Yakima River
Validation of EDT for Spring Chinook in the Yakima River broods.
Validation of EDT for Spring Chinook in the Yakima River broods.
Source: Bruce Watson, YIN

14. Case Study: Johnson Creek, Portland, OR

15. Johnson Study Area Map

16. EDT Population Estimates

17. Combined priorities for rehabilitation of Johnson Creek habitat for coho salmon

18. Reach 15 Attributes

19. Prioritize and restore
Example of how EDT can relate to watershed actions
EDT habitat assessment
Restoration Priorities
Protection Priorities
Impervious surfaces impairing processes
Impervious areas not impairing processes
Prioritize and restore
Impervious areas
Modified from Roni et al. (2002): A review of stream restoration techniques and a hierarchical strategy for prioritizing restoration in Pacific Northwest Watersheds. N.Am.J.Fish. Mgmt.22:1-20