Sitkum Watershed Restoration Action Plan Pacific District, Olympic National Forest

USDA Forest Service Watershed Condition Framework FY2012 TRANSITION WATERSHED RESTORATION ACTION PLAN Olympic National Forest Sitkum Watershed

Sitkum Watershed Restoration Action Plan Pacific District, Olympic National Forest

1. Summary a. Watershed Name and HUC: Sitkum, 171001010401 b. General Location: The Sitkum watershed lies within the larger Calawah Watershed and is located 10 miles east of Forks, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula. The Sitkum watershed drains into the Calawah River, which then travels downstream near Forks and becomes the Quillayute River before flowing into the Pacific Ocean. c. Total Watershed Area: 19,762 acres; NFS area within watershed: 100%.

General Physiography: The 6th field Sitkum River watershed originates in the Olympic Mountains, with elevations ranging from 3000 feet at ridge tops to below 500 feet in the lowlands. It encompasses the mainstem Sitkum River, North Fork Sitkum River and their associated tributaries totaling 279 miles of rivers and streams.

Land Use: Land use within the Sitkum sub-watershed consists of 2,030 acres of AMA, and 17,723 acres of LSR designated habitat. 12,767 acres of riparian reserve overlie all other land allocations. Current vegetation management in the area is focused on commercial thinning of AMA stands to promote habitat diversity and accelerate late-successional forest characteristics. Recent projects within the watershed include a decision notice for the Sitkum Commercial th Thinning project that incorporates the 6 field Sitkum watershed.

General Overview of Concerns: The Sitkum sub-watershed had large scale commercial logging beginning in the 1940’s. During this time period the drainage underwent extensive roading and clearcut timber harvest. Chronological aerial photo analysis of the Sitkum indicates an increased frequency in mass wasting following these activities. Mass wasting has resulted in large amounts of fine and coarse sediment being delivered into the tributaries and the mainstem. The Sitkum and South Fork Calawah Watershed Analysis documents that 36% of mass wasting events were natural, 15% the result of harvest activities, and 49% caused by roads. Clearcut logging and extensive road building continued until the 1990’s when the Northwest Forest Plan was adopted. There are currently 62 miles of system roads within the watershed and countless unclassified roads. Road densities based on system roads average 2.0 miles per square mile. Decommissioning of unstable, high risk roads is needed to decrease fine sediment inputs, and remove the risk of failures due to undersized and deteriorating culverts. Site-specific improvements on some of the remaining roads are also needed to further reduce sediment inputs.

Sitkum Watershed Restoration Action Plan Pacific District, Olympic National Forest

An example of mass wasting in the Sitkum Watershed that removed part of a road crossing and delivered sediment directly to salmonid habitat in the Sitkum River. Event occurred in winter 2012.

Important Ecological Values: The river supports significant runs of native salmon and steelhead including winter and summer run steelhead, fall coho, summer and fall Chinook, river- run sockeye, resident and sea-run cutthroat trout and chum salmon. The watershed also provides habitat for mountain whitefish, pacific lamprey, and sculpins. Salmonid stocks that use the Quillayute River system are unique in that they are not listed as threatened or endangered under ESA. Ensuring quality habitat conditions persist, and improving degraded habitat in the upper watersheds is of utmost priority to retain healthy populations of salmonids.

Current Condition Class: 2 Target Condition Class: 1

Sitkum Watershed Restoration Action Plan Pacific District, Olympic National Forest

Key Watershed Issues

Attributes/Indicators within FS control to affect ATTRIBUTES REASON FOR RATING /INDICATOR 1.0 Water Quality Fine sediment input from roads and deteriorating crossings were identified with field inventory as factors contributing to degraded stream conditions. The lower Sitkum River is a 303d listed waterbody for temperature. 6.0 Roads & Trails Road density, road proximity to water, maintenance needs, and a history of road-related mass wasting are all significant contributors of this watershed functioning at risk. 6.4 Mass Wasting Decommissioning unneeded roads that present high risk to aquatic resources will greatly reduce the potential for future road-related mass wasting events. 7.2 Soil Erosion There are areas of soil erosion related to roads. These areas will be restored to reduce or eliminate erosion potential.

Attributes/Indicators that require other parties to address ATTRIBUTES REASON FOR RATING /INDICATOR None Entire 6th field HUC lies within USFS ownership, watersheds upstream lie within Olympic National Park.

2. Watershed Characteristics and Conditions a. General Context/Overview of the Watershed Variations of weather and climate drive hydrologic response in the watershed. The land base is subject to strong maritime influences that concentrate precipitation events beginning in October with few breaks in wet weather until March or April. Monthly averages range from a low of around two and a half inches in July and August to highs measuring over 16 inches in November, December, and January. Mean total precipitation is around 130 inches per year in the watershed. The Sitkum watershed lies within the combined rain-on-snow, rain- dominant and snow-dominant zones. Based on this, the watershed is sensitive to rain-on- snow events that drive peak flow conditions in the winter months. Floods have been a historic occurrence in the watershed. Increased timing and magnitude of peak flows are likely exacerbated by road network development and past timber harvest. Drainage density is very high in the watershed and many of these areas exhibit dendritic drainage patterns with irregular branching in all directions, and all valleys have narrow V-shaped valleys. Within the north-facing slopes, south of the Sitkum River, several first and second order streams drain this ridge. Drainages on the south-facing slopes are much more developed. Stream channel morphologies of the Sitkum River mainstems primarily reflect the glacial activity that occurred here. Channels are cutting down through glacial deposits of silts, sands, and gravels, and meander down valleys shaped by the glaciations. These valleys are generally U- Sitkum Watershed Restoration Action Plan Pacific District, Olympic National Forest

shaped with flat bottoms and steep slopes, sometimes with tributaries dropping out of hanging valleys into the mainstem. Numerous 1st order streams flow straight down the steep slopes, either dropping out of hanging valleys or flattening out on the main-valley bottom before entering the mainstems. The smaller tributaries sometimes become intermittent as they infiltrate the permeable glacial gravels at the base of the hillslopes. Fish distribution in the Sitkum watershed is restricted to the Sitkum River mainstem and the North Fork Sitkum River. The North Fork Sitkum River contains only resident coastal cutthroat trout and sculpins (unknown spp.). In the mainstem Sitkum River an anadromous migration barrier downstream of the North Fork Sitkum confluence restricts coho and Chinook salmon above this point. The barrier is passable to winter and summer steelhead. Winter steelhead spawning in the Sitkum River is heaviest in the lower 2 miles, though sporadic pocket spawning occurs up to RM 9.0. Habitat surveys identified juvenile steelhead in at least 7 miles of the mainstem Sitkum River. The Washington Department of Fish and Game Salmonid Stock Inventory classifies the larger Calawah Watershed winter steelhead stock as healthy. This area encompasses the Sitkum subwatershed, which is essentially the headwaters of the Calawah 6th field HUC.

b. Watershed Conditions The portion of the watershed north of the Sitkum River mainstem is heavily influenced by past clear cut logging and an existing dense road network. The area south of the Sitkum River mainstem is relatively unmanaged with few roads, and lies adjacent to Olympic National Park. A large proportion of vegetation is homogenous stands of second growth western hemlock, Douglas-fir, and Sitka spruce ranging in age from 33 to 63 years. This vegetation component extends from the uplands to the riparian areas and fragments late- successional habitats in much of the watershed. Riparian conditions for most first and second order streams are similar to upland conditions because of the steep drainages they flow through and a lack of developed floodplain channel. Riparian management for the North Fork Sitkum and Sitkum Rivers had the benefit of having 50 foot buffers implemented on many stretches beginning in 1975, these protective guidelines helped but still permitted harvesting activities such as selective tree removal, resulting in the loss of large, overstory trees suitable for Large Woody Debris (LWD). Near term LWD recruitment potential on the North Fork Sitkum is rated low along 60.9% of this subwatershed whereas LWD recruitment potential along the Sitkum River is rated high in 64% of this drainage. Two sections of the lower Sitkum River are listed by the Washington Department of Ecology’s list of Category 5 water bodies for exceedence of water temperature. Much of this listing is due to naturally low levels of canopy cover due to wider channel bottoms, and higher width to depth ratios. Total LWD within fish bearing channels varies considerably by reach, but overall could be considered fair to poor.

3. Restoration Goals, Objectives, and Opportunities a. Goal Identification and Desired Condition Overall restoration objectives for the Sitkum Watershed are to improve water quality and enhance fish habitat throughout the drainage. Large mass wasting events and high road densities contribute major amounts of sediment to fish bearing streams. Reducing current Sitkum Watershed Restoration Action Plan Pacific District, Olympic National Forest

sediment inputs by decommissioning roads and improving existing road conditions would move the watershed toward the desired condition. b. Objectives i. The objectives within this plan are consistent with larger scale efforts including: Watershed Condition Framework, Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region Aquatic Restoration Strategy; and Olympic National Forest Strategic Plan. The plan also helps meet commitments in the MOA between the USDA Forest Service, Region 6 and the Washington State Department of Ecology for meeting responsibilities under Federal and State water quality laws. ii. Alignment with State or local goals include: Washington Coast Sustainable Salmon Partnership Restoration Strategy; North Pacific Coast (WRIA 20) Salmon Restoration Strategy; Quillayute Watershed Prioritized Salmon Restoration Projects; and the 2011 Collaborative Watershed Restoration Plan for NFS Lands within the Calawah River Watershed.

c. Opportunities i. Partnership involvement in this priority watershed has been ongoing for the last few years. A collaborative team including members of the North Pacific Coast Lead Entity such as the Quileute tribe, City of Forks, Pacific Coast Salmon Coalition, Rayonier Timberlands, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Wild Salmon Center, and Clallam County identified priority actions needed to protect and restore salmon and trout habitat within the larger Calawah River Focus Watershed in 2011. The 5th field Calawah Watershed encompasses the 6th field Sitkum HUC and projects within this WRAP have already been identified as part of the collaborative Focus Watershed effort. This core group of partners is expected to continue to partake in restoration efforts throughout the drainage assisting in funding, planning, and with project implementation.

ii. Outcomes/Output a) Upon completion of this WRAP the Sitkum Watershed will move from a condition class rating of functioning at risk (II) to a watershed functioning properly (I). Specific accomplishments will include:

Miles of Road Decommissioned 25 miles Miles of Road Upgraded 32 miles Miles of Fish Stream Habitat Maintained 9 miles Acres of Soil/ Water Improvement 157 acres

b) Socioeconomic impacts of the projects are expected to be considerable in the form of local contracting jobs during the implementation phase of projects. Total projected costs of all essential projects in the watershed are approximately $5.5 million. This would have a substantial economic impact Sitkum Watershed Restoration Action Plan Pacific District, Olympic National Forest

to the small communities surrounding the watershed. Contracts and work crews would be employed during construction and there would additionally be the long term socioeconomic gains of improving the watershed through protecting fisheries. Downstream of the Sitkum Watershed there is a multi- million dollar recreational fishery where anglers from around the northwest come to pursue Chinook and coho salmon, and the abundant steelhead in the Quillayute River system. The Sitkum is the headwaters of this productive river, and acts as important spawning habitat and a source of cold, clean water. d. Specific Project Activities (Essential Projects) a. Sitkum Road Decommissioning

• Attribute/Indicator Addressed: Water Quality, Roads and Trails, Mass Wasting, and Soil Erosion. • Project Description: 25 miles of classified roads have been identified for decommissioning. These roads all have high aquatic risk ratings. Typical work includes; removal of road fill at large stream crossings, pullback of unstable sidecast fillslope material, outsloping, constructing cross ditches and drainage swales, scarifying the roadbed, placement of logs and other organic matter along excavated slopes, mulching and seeding, and planting with native trees and shrubs. The table below identifies the specific planned projects.

Proposed Estimated Road Number Miles OBML Cost D 2912, -040, -045, -050, -060, - (9 miles D and 063 11.3 covert to trail) $1,485,000 2900072 3.8 D $486,000 2923-015, -020 3.3 D $486,000 2952000 2 D $162,000 2922-200, -250, -300 3.8 D $270,000 2900105 0.56 Level 1 storage $52,000

• Partners Involvement: Quileute Nation- In-kind monitoring, potential funding. North Pacific Coast Lead Entity- Assistance in funding, public outreach, technical assistance. Pacific Coast Salmon Coalition- In-kind road surveys, assistance in funding, volunteer work.Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board - Assistance in funding

Sitkum Watershed Restoration Action Plan Pacific District, Olympic National Forest

• Timeline: NEPA is currently underway for all of the proposed road decommissioning projects in the watershed. Implementation of road decommissioning projects will begin in 2014 and continue for 5 years, pending available funding. • Estimated costs and associated Budget Line Item: Approximately $2,941,000. Large fills, significant pull back, and distance to suitable waste sites increase costs. Potential BLI’s include CMLG, CMRD, NFVW. Around 8 miles of decommissioning is within the Sitkum Commercial Thinning Project, supplemental funding from KV collections or through Stewardship sales may be available. Significant amounts of additional funding will be needed to accomplish project implementation as current funding levels generally only support planning time.

b. Road Drainage Upgrades

• Attribute/ Indicator Addressed: Water Quality, Roads and Trails, Mass Wasting, and Soil Erosion. • Project Description: Lack of sufficient road maintenance and upgrades through the years have led to a dilapidated road system increasing the potential for failures, debris torrents, and risk to aquatic habitats. This project will improve high risk road crossings to meet current BMP’s by applying various treatments including replacing culverts, cleaning ditches, installing grade sags to reduce diversion potential, placing additional surfacing to reduce erosion, and removing unstable sidecast.

Estimated Road Number Treatments Extent Aquatic Risk Cost ~11 sites & Replace undersized/deteriorating culverts, 20 2900 improve drainage at these sites miles Very High $1,030,000

Restore ditchlines, replace failing culverts, pull back unstable sidecast, install grade sags, 6 2922 upgrade surfacing at stream crossings miles High $175,000

Restore ditchlines, replace failing drainage culverts, pull back unstable sidecast, install 20 2900 grade sags, upgrade surfacing at crossings miles Very High $370,000 Restore ditchlines, replace failing drainage culverts, pull back unstable sidecast, install 5.5 2923 grade sags, upgrade surfacing at crossings miles High $110,000

Sitkum Watershed Restoration Action Plan Pacific District, Olympic National Forest

• Partners Involvement: Quileute Nation- In-kind monitoring, potential funding. North Pacific Coast Lead Entity- Assistance in funding, public outreach, technical assistance.

• Timeline: Starting in 2012 and continuing for 5 years, pending available funding. • Estimated costs and associated Budget Line Item: Approximately $1,685,000. Potential BLI’s include CMLG, CMRD, NFVW. Significant amounts of additional funding will be needed to accomplish project implementation.

e. Costs: Planning Design Implementation Project Monitoring FS Contribution $370,000 $462,600 $4,626,000 $139,000 Partner Contribution Pending Pending (both in kind and $) Total $370,000 $462,600 $4,626,000 $139,000

f. Timelines and Project Scheduling

FY Task FS Cost Partner cost

2012 Initiate NEPA for all road decommissioning projects Spring Complete Environmental Assessment for all 2013 road decommissioning. 2014 FSR 2912 and spurs decommissioning $1,485,000 Pending begin implementation TBD FSR 2900-072 decommission $486,000 Pending (Post Sitkum TS) Sitkum Watershed Restoration Action Plan Pacific District, Olympic National Forest

TBD 2923-015, -020 decommission $486,000 (Post Sitkum TS) 2017 FSR 2922-200, -250, -300 decommission $270,000

2017 FSR 2952000 decommission $162,000 Pending

TBD FSR 2900105 level 1 storage $52,000 (Post Sitkum TS) 2012 FSR 2900 begin replacing $1,030,000 undersized/deteriorating culverts, and improve drainage at sites. 2013 On FSR 2900 restore ditchlines, replace $370,000 failing drainage culverts, pull back unstable sidecast, install grade sags, improve surfacing at crossings. 2015 On FSR 2922 restore ditchlines, replace $175,000 failing drainage culverts, pull back unstable sidecast, install grade sags, improve surfacing at crossing. 2015 On FSR 2923 restore ditchlines, replace $110,000 failing drainage culverts, pull back unstable sidecast, install grade sags, improve surfacing at crossings.

4. Restoration Project Monitoring and Evaluation a. The forest will monitor: Monitoring will focus on evaluating the effectiveness of activities and if the desired results were accomplished as planned. For road decommissioning work areas will be traveled post construction as part of the final inspection process. They will also be traversed after at least one high water event or winter rain to monitor effectiveness of techniques and design. Photo monitoring points will also be established and monitored over a longer time frame. b. Monitoring will be done in cooperation with: Forest Service engineers and watershed specialists will monitor critical sites. Partners involved in key projects of interest include the Pacific Coast Salmon Coalition and the Quileute Tribe who will lend assistance to monitoring road decommissioning projects and upgrades to key water crossing.