Restoration Ecology 2011

Bradley Buckallew

Salmon Recovery Restoration

SalmonAnadromous

Born and spend juvenile life in freshwater

Venture out into ocean to spend their adult lives

Return to freshwater to spawn

Die after spawningFigure 1. Pacific Salmon species (http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/staff/lackey/pubs/illusion.htm)

AbundanceSevere decline in

numbers over the past century (Gresh et

al 2000)Historic Biomass in

Pacific NW160-226 million kg

Present Biomass in Pacific NW11.8-13.7 million kgFigure 2. Estimated spawning

escapements for the Central Valley spring run of chinook salmon (Yoshiyama et al 1998)

Keystone SpeciesProvide important food source for predators

and scavengersCarcasses provide nutrient boost to aquatic

and terrestrial ecosystemsInteraction between salmon and bear may provide

up to 24% of riparian N budgets (Helfield et al 2006)

Higher juvenile coho salmon densities and body weights in creeks with salmon carcasses (Bilby et al 1998)

Current amount of nitrogen and phosphorus deposited through salmon is 6-7% of historical levels (Gresh et al 2000)

Importance of Salmon

Connect habitats that are blocked by barriers such as roads and damsOut of a variety of techniques, 72% of the

increase in chinook salmon juveniles was due to barrier removal (Scully et al 1990)

Year after the removal of fish barrier, 90% of adult coho salmon spawned above the barrier’s previous location (Beamer et al 1998)

Fish Passages

Often used due to their low cost compared to bridges

Problems associated with culvertsJuvenile fish cannot pass through due to

increased water velocityLimit downstream movement of sediment,

woody debris and organic materialsReduce upstream nutrient levels by restricting

adult movementOf 77 culverts that were new or repaired in the

past thirteen years in Washington, 30% were found to actually be fish barriers (Price et al 2010)

Culverts

Culverts

Table 1. Summary of various stream crossing structures (Roni et al 2002)

Log structures, bolder jams, debris jams, log weirs, etc.Juvenile coho salmon densities were 1.8 to 3.2

times higher in areas were artificial large woody debris was placed (Roni et al 2001)

The placement of rock-filled gabions and boulder structures lead to a 2.5 increase in coho salmon spawners with 50% of the salmon spawning on the newly deposited gravel trapped by gabions (House 1996)

Artificial Habitat Creation

Artificial Habitat CreationNot a long term solution due

to structure degradation Within 10 years, erosion to

gabions caused a reduction in created habitat and loss of accumulated spawning gravel (House 1996)

The median failure rate and median damage rate of 161 artificial structures in Oregon and Washington, with a maximum age of 5 years, were 18.5% and 60% respectively

Figure 3. Failure and impairment rates of structures classified by design (Frissell and Nawa 1992)

Restoration of Natural ProcessFocus on restoring

hydrologic, geologic and riparian processes Flood regimeFloodplain

connectivitySediment deliveryRemoval of adverse

conditions

Figure 4. Linkages between landscape controls, habitat-forming processes and habitat conditions (Roni et al 2002)

Elwha River RestorationConverting 70 miles

of the river back to its natural, free flowing stateRemoving two dams

and draining their respective reservoirs

Reestablishing native salmon and vegetative species Figure 5. Elwha River (Scott

Church http://www.nps.gov/olym/naturescience/elwha-faq.htm)

Beamer, E., T. Beechie, and J. Klochak. 1998. A strategy for implementation, effectiveness, and validation monitoring of habitat restoration projects, with two examples from the Skagit River basin, Washington. Completion report (Cost Share Agreement CCS- 94-04-05-01-050) to U.S. Forest Service, Sedro Woolley, Washington.

Bilby, R., Fransen, B., Bisson, P. and Walter, J. 1998. Response of juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to the addition of salmon carcasses to two streams in southwestern Washington, USA. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 55: 1909-1918

Frissell, C. and Nawa, R. 1992. Incidence and Causes of Physical Failure of Artificial Habitat Structures in Streams of Western Oregon and Washington. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 12: 182-197

Gresh, T., Lichatowich, J. and Schoonmaker, P. 2000. An Estimation of Historic and Current Levels of Salmon Production in the Northeast Pacific Ecosystem: Evidence of a Nutrient Deficit in the Freshwater Systems of the Pacific Northwest. Fisheries 25: 1, 15–21

Helfield, J. and Naiman, R. 2006. Keystone Interactions: Salmon and Bear in Riparian Forests of Alaska. Ecosystems 9: 167-180

House, R. 1996. An Evaluation of Stream Restoration Structures in a Coastal Oregon Stream, 1981-1993. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 16: 2, 272–281

Price, D., Quinn, T. and Barnard, R. 2010. Fish Passage Effectiveness of Recently Constructed Road Crossing Culverts in the Puget Sound Region of Washington State. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 30: 5, 1110—1125

Roni, P., Beechie, T., Bilby, R., Leonetti, F., Pollock, M. and Pess, G. 2002. A Review of Stream Restoration Techniques and a Hierarchical Strategy for Prioritizing Restoration in Pacific Northwest watersheds. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 22: 1, 1–20

Roni, P. and Quinn, T. 2001. Density and size of juvenile salmonids in response to placement of large woody debris in western Oregon and Washington streams. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 58: 282-292

Yoshiyama, R., Fisher, F. and Moyle, P. 1998. Historical Abundance and Decline of Chinook Salmon in the Central Valley Region of California. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 18: 3, 487—521

References