Chapter 19 Fish
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Chapter 19 Fish This chapter describes fish resources in the project area and how the project Words in bold alternatives could affect these resources. Related watershed information can and acronyms be found in Chapter 14, Geology and Soils; Chapter 15, Water; and are defined in Appendix K, Assessment of Relative Fish Habitat and Fish Population Impacts Chapter 32, of I-5 Corridor Reinforcement Project Alternatives and Options. Glossary and Acronyms. 19.1 Affected Environment The project area includes rivers and streams that provide habitat for anadromous fish species (such as salmon) and resident fish species (such as bull trout). These fish-bearing streams include the Columbia River and its Washington tributaries such as the Lower Cowlitz, Coweeman, Kalama, Lower North Fork Lewis, Upper North Fork Lewis, East Fork Lewis, and Washougal rivers and Salmon Creek (see Maps 19-1A through 19-1D). 19.1.1 Special-Status Species The project area includes rivers and streams that provide habitat for special-status fish species (see Table 19-1 and Maps 19-1A through 19-1D). Special-status species are listed or are candidates for listing as threatened or endangered under the federal ESA, are regarded as species of concern by the USFWS or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries), or are listed as endangered, threatened, candidate, sensitive, or monitored by the WDFW or the ODFW. These special-status fish include evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) of some salmon species. The ESA allows listing of distinct population segments (DPSs) of some species as well as total populations of named species and subspecies. Critical habitat has been designated for some ESA-listed species within the project area (see Maps 19-1A through 19-1D). Critical habitat includes streams and associated riparian habitats that are considered essential to a listed species survival. Under the federal ESA, a species is considered endangered if it is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. A species is considered threatened if it is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future. A species of concern is a species that the USFWS or NOAA Fisheries has concerns about regarding status and threats, but for which insufficient information is available to indicate a need to list the species under the ESA. Under state laws, the meaning of endangered and threatened is largely the same as under the federal ESA. In addition, under WDFW regulations, a candidate species is one that is under review for possible state listing as endangered, threatened, or sensitive. Monitored species are those monitored by the state of Washington for status and distribution and managed as needed to prevent them from becoming endangered, threatened, or sensitive. Under ODFW regulations, sensitive species are species facing one or more threats to their populations or habitats that can avoid decline to a threatened or endangered status if appropriate conservation measures are implemented. I-5 Corridor Reinforcement Project Final EIS 19-1 Chapter 19 Fish 1 Table 19-1 Special-Status Fish Species in the Project Area Federal State 2,3 Species Fish-Bearing Stream Alternatives and/or Options Status Status Arkansas Creek Crossover Baxter Creek Central, East, Crossover Cedar Creek Central Chelatchie Creek Central Coweeman River West, Central, East, Crossover Cowlitz River West, Central, East, Crossover Delameter Creek West, Central, East, Crossover Goble Creek Central North Fork Goble Creek Central Hatchery Creek West, Crossover Houghton Creek West Jones Creek East, Crossover Leckler Creek West, Crossover Lower Columbia River Lewis River West, Central, Crossover Coho Threatened None East Fork Lewis River West (Oncorhynchus kisutch) Lockwood Creek West Mason Creek West Monahan Creek West, Central, East, Crossover Ostrander Creek Central, East South Fork Ostrander Creek Central, East Pup Creek Central Riley Creek West Rock Creek Central Salmon Creek West, Central, East Sandy Bend Creek East Washougal River West, Central, East Crossover Little Washougal River West, Central, East Crossover East Fork Little Washougal River Central, East, Crossover Whittle Creek Central, East 19-2 I-5 Corridor Reinforcement Project Final EIS I-5 Corridor Reinforcement Project ST411 Map 19-1A: Fish Rock Casey Road C r e Substation Site ek B C a o 5 r x ¨¦§ e t e w iv r R l i t z e R tl u o T Baxter Road C i r v e 411 ST e Substation Site e k r W ee s s t t s s i i d d e e H piri Mo w it L n S Lake a A y M h Cre e n e k a e a k r m n o s r i a ia s l H wy C ST504 re e k Silver Lake Castle .! k Rock e Monahan Creek C re Substation Site er et m a l e D LEGEND rander st C re O e k )" Preferred Substation Site L e ck )" Other Proposed Substation Sites le r C r Preferred Alternative - Central Alternative e e C o w l i t z C o using Central Option 1 (not drawn to scale) k Other Proposed Alternatives and Options (not drawn to scale) Original Central Alternative ST4 .! k New Access Roads S e o r e .! Ostrander nder C u tra Existing Public or Private Roads to be Improved t s Pa h c O i Lexington Temporary Roads f ic F k W or a y o Airport Ocean Beach y Nevad e a vv D 411 M r AA .! City or Town M r ST tt S 4 cc ST ii o ff l i )" Dam l i o c e c o 38th Ave v a a A P R P Rd Urban Area h Industrial Way h t t 0 NN AA 0 Hwy 3 y 3 .! Countyl Boundary s Al t ll t len o n o S tt n SS n G .! State Boundary- r - Longview/Kelso ee r M a C M 432 vv d o a ST w a AA y e y SS g Note:The Preferred Alternativeg has been refined to further cc ii S e e e f minimize and avoid impacts to the natural and human f K i i t r r environment where possible. c e c e a a R 7th7th AveAve R 15th15th AveAve ll s m R P P d d i o a n v e G Designated Critical Habitat D T rr o a r ll Special Status Species ll b e le Fish-bearing Streams y C o T r W u e e Fish-bearing Streams r 433 a ST a n k y ST432 y e r C 30 r ¤£ e ek .! 30 Miles Rainier ¤£ C 0 0.75 1.5 3 o L l o u w e m r b 5 C ¨¦§ o i Map 19-1A: Fish l u a µ m b b i i a a R R i dd Columbia Co i v C RR v R e ll e la iill r t r s HH i k v nn a r r H R H n e e e w i w K i F a v F l e r a e y r y ma R This product was made for informational and display purposes only and was iv created with best available data at time of production. It does not represent er any legal information or boundaries. Sources: BPA 2015, USFWS 2010d, WDNR 2015b and WDFW 2014. K a la m a LEGEND Baird Mtn I-5 Corridor Reinforcement Project Map 19-1B: Fish )" Preferred Substation Site )" Other Proposed Substation Sites Co Preferred Alternative - Central Alternative we r using Central Option 1 (not drawn to scale) em e a iv n R Other Proposed Alternatives and Options (not drawn to scale) Original Central Alternative New Access Roads Existing Public or Private Roads to be Improved ork Go F ble G th C or re Temporary Roads o N ek River b le o Airport C r e a e .! Citym or Town a k Elk l Mtn a )" KDam C o w l i t z C o Goble Creek Urban Area County Boundary W i State Boundary l d Georges H Peak k o e Note:The Preferred Alternative has been refined to further Baldy Mtn r e s Shelley r minimize and avoid impacts to the natural and human e C environment where possible. C Mtn lk r k E e e r e e e r iv C k R r Designated Critical Habitat k a e e B Special Status Species e Fish-bearing Streams r C K Fish-bearing Streams alam r a a b o Pigeon G Springs Lakeview Peak K S a p l a e m A r e a n l o y l a d i K Miles C n C 0 0.75 1.5 3 r o r e w e e e l r k k e t iv R o C r R n e o ek c k µ C r e e k e k a L e l Davis 503 a Peak ST Y This product was made for informational and display purposes only and was created with best available data at time of production. It does not represent any legal information or boundaries. Sources: BPA 2015, USFWS 2010d, Lake Merwin WDNR 2015b and WDFW 2014. k Speely e a i C reek e C o w l i t z C o Map 19-1B: Fish r C n o s n h o )" J Lake Merwin LEGEND k Speely e a i C reek dd e C o wk l i t z C o R r e R e ee Preferred Substation Site C )" r gg iidd C rr n MERWIN BB " Other Proposed Substation Sites o ) e e l l s n i DAM Green M aa n oun tain YY Preferred Alternative - Central Alternative lv h .! 503 o )" ST using Central Option 1 (not drawn to scale) o C )" J YALE Other Proposed Alternatives and Options L Ariel ew re (not drawn to scale) wis iiver Rd 503 p C e k R ST er u DAM iv P R Ca Original Central Alternative k ny n e dd o C e RR C e r New Access Roads Lewis d ar Cre ee r ek C gg e iid n rr ek h BB Existing Public or Private Roads to be Improved o ee J l NE Cedar l r a C a r k Tumtum Temporary Roads e Y e Y e e k e Mtn E r E R N Bald d C N o Airport Mtn d NE 399th St hie ela tc .! City or Town Ch )" Dam .! Amboy F Urban Area l N y NE 379tth Stt F r L ake Hwy C County Boundary E F arg he rr y r NN e k C e State Boundary e ST503 e k e d r a Note:The Preferred Alternative has been refined to further C r C minimize and avoid impacts to the natural and human r environment where possible.