Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed Protect and Restore Deer Creek Watershed Nez Perce Tribe...
-
Upload
cody-stewart -
Category
Documents
-
view
213 -
download
0
Transcript of Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed Protect and Restore Deer Creek Watershed Nez Perce Tribe...
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Protect and Restore Deer Creek Watershed
Nez Perce Tribe Fisheries/WatershedNez Perce Tribe Fisheries/Watershed
BPA Project #28044BPA Project #28044
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
The Proposal: Protect and Restore Deer Creek Watershed
Overall Project Goal:Overall Project Goal: Restore ecosystem functions in Deer Creek Restore ecosystem functions in Deer Creek
Watershed to increase and stabilize key speciesWatershed to increase and stabilize key species
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
The Proposal: Protect and Restore Deer Creek Watershed
Project Objectives:Project Objectives: Fence cattle out of 9 miles of creekFence cattle out of 9 miles of creek Complete watershed analysis to identify Complete watershed analysis to identify
fine scale, site specific problemsfine scale, site specific problems Recommend restoration actionsRecommend restoration actions..
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Deer Creek Watershed
Elevations range from 1,080 feet at the mouth to 5,000 feet at the headwaters
The watershed is 25,618 acres in size, and extends approximately 17 miles north to the headwater areas within the Craig Mountains .
Drainages in lower portions of the watershed are deeply incised with near vertical canyon walls, while those in upland areas are less confined and bordered by wide floodplains
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Land ownership
12,774 acres (50%) Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG)
7,049 acres (27%) Nez Perce Tribe (NPT), 3,673 acres (14%) private 1, 161 acres (4%) Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) and 961 acres (3%) Idaho Department of Lands
(IDL)
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Current land use impacts
The land use impacts in the watershed include grazing, timber harvest, and roads.
Livestock grazing has been restricted on the majority of the lands in the drainage since 1992.
Livestock grazing in the upper watershed still continues and is contributing to bank instability, riparian damage, soil compaction, and nutrification (Rabe 2001, unpublished data)
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Characterization of the watershed The headwater areas of Deer Creek have been
logged and roaded. In 1967, the Eagle Creek fire burned a majority of
the watershed, which was subsequently salvage logged (USDI-BLM 2000).
Sedimentation from roads is most problematic in the upper portions of the drainage.
Estimated road density throughout the watershed is 1-3 miles/mi2.
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Characterization of the watershed The combined effects of grazing, roading,
and timber harvest have impaired water quality in Deer Creek.
In 1998, Deer Creek was listed by the State of Idaho as impaired under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act for sediment.
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Characterization of the watershed ESA-listed steelhead documented in lower four
miles of Deer Creek Rearing habitat for juvenile spring/summer
chinook salmon in lower reaches Resident redband/rainbow trout (sympatric), upper
limits to distribution are unknown Subadult/adult fluvial forms of bull trout and
westslope cutthroat trout may occupy lower reaches
Brook trout most prolific above stream mile 7.0
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Limiting factors-upper watershed
Habitat surveys near the confluence with the West Fork Deer Creek documented
• low canopy cover,• a low pool to riffle ratio, • poor width:depth ratio, • macroinvertebrate biotic integrity, • and the lowest habitat index scores of the four
streams studied (China Creek, Eagle Creek, and Wapshilla Creek) sampled (Rabe 1994, unpublished data).
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Limiting factors-- upstream from stream mile 7.0 excessive sediment deposition, high summer water temperatures, poor instream cover A lack of high-quality pool habitat (USI-BLM
2000; Rabe 2001, unpublished data; Rabe 1994, unpublished data)::
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Limiting factors in lower watershed Water qualityWater quality
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Early Construction Activities
Exclusion fencing for cattle along approximately 9 Exclusion fencing for cattle along approximately 9 miles miles of mainstem and tributary riparian miles miles of mainstem and tributary riparian area. area.
Most of this area includes lush wetlands currently Most of this area includes lush wetlands currently disturbed by grazing. disturbed by grazing.
Collapsed and unstable streambanks and riparian Collapsed and unstable streambanks and riparian vegetation is either missing or greatly reduced. vegetation is either missing or greatly reduced.
Some recruitment of native vegetation is occurring Some recruitment of native vegetation is occurring is that is notably stunted because of grazing. is that is notably stunted because of grazing.
Build 3 miles of fence each year for three yearsBuild 3 miles of fence each year for three years
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Future activities
Active revegetation of the riparian area will Active revegetation of the riparian area will be delayed until natural recovery can be be delayed until natural recovery can be gauged. gauged.
Several sections of the mainstem in the upper Several sections of the mainstem in the upper watershed may need to be reconfiguredwatershed may need to be reconfigured
These sections will not be included in the These sections will not be included in the first three years of fencing until their first three years of fencing until their hydrology has been analyzed. hydrology has been analyzed.
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Why start with an EAWS? Significant data gaps and missing analyses. Watershed, fish and wildlife habitat databases are now
outdated. Comprehensive temperature data and analyses are
insufficient. Hydrologic, riparian, and channel processes need to be
investigated in some detail.
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Why start with an EAWS? The knowledge of disturbance patterns needs to be
strengthened. Data on sensitive plants, noxious weeds, and vegetative
response units requires updating. Studies and analyses to date have lacked an adequate
ecosystem perspective. Inventories of logging roads and mining claims require
updating.
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Why start with an EAWS?
No consensus on next stepsNo consensus on next steps
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Project Objectives:
Conduct a fine scale analysis to describe past and Conduct a fine scale analysis to describe past and current conditions in the watershedcurrent conditions in the watershed
Prioritize critical areas for restoration and/or Prioritize critical areas for restoration and/or protectionprotection
Provide a means by which the watershed can be Provide a means by which the watershed can be understood as an ecological systemunderstood as an ecological system
Improve resolution of the Salmon subbasin Improve resolution of the Salmon subbasin summary and assessmentsummary and assessment
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Project Strategies:
Spend one year in data collection effortsSpend one year in data collection efforts
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Project Strategies:
Spend one year in data collection effortsSpend one year in data collection efforts Spend one year drafting the EAWSSpend one year drafting the EAWS
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Project Strategies:
Spend one year in data collection effortsSpend one year in data collection efforts Spend one year drafting the EAWSSpend one year drafting the EAWS Work cooperatively with:Work cooperatively with:
Nez Perce TribeNez Perce Tribe IDFGIDFG IDLIDL BLMBLM Private landownersPrivate landowners
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Thank you. May I answer any questions?
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Project Strategies:
EAWS six-step processEAWS six-step processCharacterization of the watershedCharacterization of the watershed
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Project Strategies:
EAWS six-step process-EAWS six-step process-Characterization of the watershedCharacterization of the watershed Identification of issues and key questions Identification of issues and key questions
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Project Strategies:
EAWS six-step process-EAWS six-step process-Characterization of the watershedCharacterization of the watershed Identification of issues and key questionsIdentification of issues and key questionsDescription of current conditions Description of current conditions
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Project Strategies:
EAWS six-step process-EAWS six-step process-Characterization of the watershedCharacterization of the watershed Identification of Issues and key questionsIdentification of Issues and key questionsDescription of current conditionsDescription of current conditionsDescription of reference conditions Description of reference conditions
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Project Strategies:
EAWS six-step process-EAWS six-step process-Characterization of the watershedCharacterization of the watershed Identification of issues and key questionsIdentification of issues and key questionsDescription of current conditionsDescription of current conditionsDescription of reference conditionsDescription of reference conditions Interpretation of information Interpretation of information
Protect and restore Deer Creek watershed
Project Strategies:
EAWS six-step process-EAWS six-step process-Characterization of the watershedCharacterization of the watershed Identification of issues and key questionsIdentification of issues and key questionsDescription of current conditionsDescription of current conditionsDescription of reference conditionsDescription of reference conditions Interpretation of informationInterpretation of informationRecommendations Recommendations