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

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

24. 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

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

26. 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

27. Research Process/Church Creek

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

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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

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

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

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

39. 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

40. Software Tools • Irfanview

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

42. 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.