BPA Fish and Wildlife FY 1997 Proposal

Section 1. Administrative
Section 2. Narrative
Section 3. Budget

see CBFWA and BPA funding recommendations

Section 1. Administrative

Title of project
Asotin County Conservation District/Public Power Council Asotin Creek Pool Enhancement Project

BPA project number   5505300

Business name of agency, institution or organization requesting funding
Asotin County Conservation Dist. & Public Power Council

Sponsor type   WA-Model Watershed

Proposal contact person or principal investigator

BPA technical contact   , EWP

Biological opinion ID   None.

NWPPC Program number   

Short description
The Public Power Council (PPC) and the Asotin County Conservation District (ACCD) have formed a partnership to install 4 to 5 log weirs in various stream locations as outlined in the Asotin Creek Model Watershed Plan. ACCD will implement the project. PPC will provide limited supplemental funding and explore the possibility of member utilities providing equipment and labor.

Project start year   1996    End year   1998

Start of operation and/or maintenance   0

Project development phase   Implementation

Section 2. Narrative

Related projects

Project history
Although this is new, cooperatively funded project, construction of log weirs are outlined and clearly defined in the Asotin Creek Model Watershed Plan. This project is part of the implementation phase of the comprehensive plan.

Biological results achieved
N/A

Annual reports and technical papers
Final draft of the Asotin Creek Model Watershed Plan.

Management implications
N/A

Specific measureable objectives
Creation of instream pools and spawning areas that will enhance fish productivity.

Testable hypothesis
That the creation of instream pools and gravel deposition will encourage juvenile and adult resting, rearing and spawning activity.

Underlying assumptions or critical constraints
Log weirs, when properly constructed and positioned, have been successfully used to restore fish habitat in many watersheds throughout the Northwest. It is assumed that log weirs will also be successful in the Asotin Creek watershed.

Methods
1) We plan to use one of several types of log weirs. The design chosen will be dependent on actual stream and flow conditions. Materials and equipment required include conifer logs, riprap, hardware cloth, filter fabric, a backhoe with loader, chain saw, axes, and Pulaski. 3 to 4 individuals will be required to install the weirs, including at least one heavy equipment operator. The general installation procedure would be to key a log into each side of the streambank and rip-rap the ends in place. A notch would be cut into the center of the log to improve fish passage, concentrate flows and maintain a scour pool below the weir. Hardware cloth and filter fabric will be attached to logs and one end buried upstream. Plunge pool will be dug using the backhoe and excavated the material placed on filter fabric to hold it in place. PPC will attempt to provide operators and equipment from its membership for the installation of the weirs.
Log weirs will be monitored periodically throughout the year and checked for positioning and stability. Pools and spawning areas formed by the log weirs will serve as test areas. Comparable stream reaches with and without natural pools will be used as controls. Test and control areas will be sampled for juvenile and adult salmonids using direct counts by divers and/or electrofishing during various times of year. Spawning redds will also be enumerated.
2) Statistical significance of test and control means will be compared using a standard student t-test.
3) Target species of study are spring/summer chinook, steelhead and bulltrout.

Brief schedule of activities
October 1996- Review completed stream inventories, limiting factor analysis and proposed log weir site locations outlined in Asotin Creek Model Watershed Plan.
October/November 1996- Survey candidate sites. Examine adjacent riparian zones and stream channel stability. Document and record existing conditions. Begin photo point history of project.
November 1996- Using collected data, select specific sites for placement of log weirs. Determine the appropriate weir design for each site.
December 1996- Obtain any necessary permits and/or land owner approval.
January 1997- Identify specific labor and material needs.
March 1997- Begin purchasing materials and scheduling equipment and labor.
July/August 1997- Construction of weirs.
September 1997- Final project report.
FY 1998- 2001 Monitoring and evaluation of project success. Annual fish surveys and redd counts to determine response to structural work.

Biological need
The Asotin Creek watershed has been impacted by human activities and catastrophic natural events such as floods and droughts. Only remnant salmon and trout populations use these waters as compared to earlier years. To increase salmonid productivity it will require protection and restoration of the fish habitat and riparian corridor. Two major limiting factors found in the watershed are lack of quality resting and rearing pools and limited spawning areas. The log weirs to be constructed in this proposal will enhance salmonid rearing, resting and spawning areas.

Critical uncertainties
There is some debate on whether the factors limiting salmonid production in streams can be clearly identified. In many cases the determination of limiting factors is considered more of an art than a science. Some individuals doubt that instream structures can substantially increase fish production and if improperly used may cause damage to the stream ecosystem. In order to lessen these risks, it is our intent to concentrate our efforts on areas of the watershed that would most obviously benefit from the creation of pools and treat the project in the context the entire stream ecosystem.

Summary of expected outcome
A successful, cooperative project involving contributions from BPA, ACCD and PPC. The project will enhance fish resting, rearing, and spawning habitat and will materially increase salmonid productivity in the areas rehabilitated. The project will both meet landowner objectives and gain agency acceptance. The project will continue to be monitored and evaluated and used as a model for future watershed projects.

Dependencies/opportunities for cooperation
Dependencies- The project is dependent on adequate funding supplied in a timely manner. Permits for the project must be processed in a timely fashion. Landowner buy-in is also critical to the success of the project.
Opportunities for Cooperation- ACCD formed a landowner based committee know as the Landowner Steering Committee (LSC) to represent the views and needs of the community. They also established a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to assist the LSC in meeting their goals. The TAC consists of personnel from the following agencies: USDA, NRCS, USFS, WDFW, WDOE, WDNR, WSU, CES, BPA, and Clearwater Power Company. ACCD and PPC will jointly work on this project. PPC will provide some supplemental funding, and try to obtain labor and equipment from its members. ACCD will manage the project and coordinate the effort.

Risks
Continued funding of project is necessary to implement monitoring and evaluation phase. Lack of future funding will eliminate benefit analysis.

Monitoring activity
Log weirs will be monitored periodically throughout the year (1998) and checked for positioning and stability. A photographic record of the project will be undertaken. As outlined in the materials and methods section, pools and spawning areas formed by the log weirs will serve as test areas. Comparable stream reaches with and without natural pools will be used as controls. Test and control areas will be examined for the presence of juvenile and adult salmonids during various times of year. Spawning redds, if present, will also be enumerated. Statistical significance between treatment and control stream sections will be calculated. These population estimates and redd counts will be performed at a minimum of 2 and 10 years after project completion. Log weirs will be examined and maintained in all subsequent years.

Section 3. Budget

* For most projects, Authorized is the amount recommended by CBFWA and the Council. Planned is amount currently allocated. Contracted is the amount obligated to date of printout.

Funding recommendations

CBFWA funding review group   Snake River

Recommendation    Tier 2 - fund when funds available

Recommended funding level   $15,000