Tryon Creek Confluence Project Update

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• Fish collected include a large number of steelhead, resident rainbow trout, coastal cutthroat trout, Stormwater runoff can findingsrainbow/cutthroat trout hybrids, and coho and impact water quality Chinook salmon. in rivers and streams. construction • The only observationto of adult date salmon was below Natural resources, like the Highway 43 culvert. urban streams, forests, • Coho salmon were the most abundant salmonid and wetlands manage species detected. stormwater naturally to • There is no evidence so far of adult lamprey in any protect water quality, part of Tryon Creek. public health, and the environment. Green • Coastal cutthroat trout, resident rainbow trout and trout hybrids both left and entered Tryon infrastructure reduces Creek at the Highway 43 culvert, indicating the flooding and erosion, Tryon Creek Confluence potential presence of a migratory component of 470 cfs provides cool, clean water Habitat Enhancement Project Update the population. The passage of these fish from to our rivers and streams, downstream to above the culvert confirms that and adds wildlife habitat Tryon Creek flows through one of Oregon’s some fish can move upstream through the culvert. and urban green space for largest and relatively undisturbed urban • Most coho and Chinook salmon were detected healthier watersheds. watersheds, and is well suited for a number leaving Tryon Creek after residing there for an of native fish species including steelhead, average of 37-44 days (the range was 10-86 days). cutthroat trout, and coho and Chinook This suggests that habitat in the creek below the salmon. There is historical evidence that both Highway 43 culvert may serve as a refuge for juvenile salmon emigrating from elsewhere in the Pacific and western brook lamprey also used Willamette basin. 1,400 cfs Tryon Creek, but currently the culvert under

Photos at right: Enhancement work included improving floodplain Highway 43 inhibits the passage of lamprey connectivity to allow water to leave the stream channel during and most fish beyond this point. periods of high flows. (cfs=cubic feet per second) partners Metro City of Lake Oswego Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board NOAA’s Community-Based Restoration Program 5.5 cfs

For more information Marc Peters, Environmental Services 503-823-9389 [email protected] www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/ Nick Fish, Commissioner Printed on recycled paper. • WS 1433 MAY 2014 watershed/TryonCreek Dean Marriott, Director MAY 2014 The 3.5-acre Tryon Creek Confluence Habitat Enhancement Project site is located downstream of the 645-acre Tryon Environmental Services monitors the Tryon Creek State Natural Area. Joint ownership of the project Creek confluence project area to determine site by the City of Portland, Metro and the City of Lake if the project is meeting its goals, to gauge Oswego represents a unique partnership opportunity over time whether the site is achieving project descriptionto enhance off-channel aquatic habitat along the desired future conditions, and to learn how Willamette River. This is a rare habitat type that has been to improve the design of future projects. The Upland largely lost to development along much of the information collectedmonitoring also helps measure Enhancement Willamette River in and around the city progress in improving watershed health Areas City of Portland. and complying with state and federal regulations. This project includes stream enhancement of Tryon Creek about 900 feet of Tryon creek beginning at In 2010, Environmental Services and US Fish Channel Riverbank Floodplain Enhancement its confluence with the Willamette River and & Wildlife Service (USFWS) staff began a fish and Bank Area working upstream to the Highway 43 monitoring study to determine how well Enhancement culvert. The Oregon Department of Tryon Creek functions as aquatic habitat Area Transportation (ODOT) completed the first for native trout and salmon. In 2012, more phase of the project just upstream of this work intensive fish surveys began to determine in summer 2008. The ODOT project included the types of fish present year-round, the retrofitting the Highway 43 culvert with a new temporal use of the fish species present baffle system to improve fish passage into the Top: Tryon Creek confluence with the on a weekly basis in the spring and summer, Tryon Creek State Natural Area, and stream Willamette River before enhancement. and to estimate fish populations in each enhancement below the culvert. Bottom: Confluence after enhancements. month of the year. In 2010, Environmental Services completed phase II of the Tryon Creek Confluence Habitat Enhancement Methods & procedures Project downstream to the confluence with the Staff biologists use an electrofishing backpack device to stun and collect fish Willamette River. The project: between the confluence and the pool just below the Highway 43 culvert. They survey all areas considered holding habitat for fish - pools, overhanging stream • Improved aquatic habitat for salmon and steelhead banks, eddies, and within large woody debris. A fine-mesh seine net is the listed as threatened under the Endangered Species preferred fish survey method in the deep pool just below the culvert. Act (ESA), for lamprey listed as a species of concern, and for all other native fish species Staff identify, measure, weigh, and scan all fish for passive integrated transponder • Improved floodplain connectivity and created (PIT) tags. They implant all untagged salmon, trout and steelhead of a certain size off-channel refuge for fish during high stream flows class with PIT tags, and then release the fish back to the creek after they have fully recovered. PIT tag antenna arrays installed around the mouth of Tryon Creek, at • Installed log jam structures in the channel to both ends of the Highway 43 culvert and higher upstream track directionality of deflect flow away from steep slopes and to create fish passage by identifying PIT tagged fish as they move past the antennas. Staff pool habitat download the PIT tag code and time of detection data once a month. • Installed boulder and log grade control structures in the channel to collect sediment and enhance pool habitat • Installed stream bank log and boulder structures to Top: USFWS fish biologists collect data on captured fish. form scour pools and provide protective cover for fish Middle: A native trout that resides in Tryon Creek. • Created a shallow beach with large wood structures Top: Installing log jam structures to deflect Bottom: A fine-mesh seine net with float and lead lines is used to capture fish flow away from the stream bank. at the confluence to improve fish habitat in the deep pool below the Highway 43 culvert. • Improved riparian and upland habitat by Bottom: Constructing floodplain bench that allows energy from the stream to dissipate removing invasive plants and enhancing during high stream flows. native plant communities The 3.5-acre Tryon Creek Confluence Habitat Enhancement Project site is located downstream of the 645-acre Tryon Environmental Services monitors the Tryon Creek State Natural Area. Joint ownership of the project Creek confluence project area to determine site by the City of Portland, Metro and the City of Lake if the project is meeting its goals, to gauge Oswego represents a unique partnership opportunity over time whether the site is achieving project descriptionto enhance off-channel aquatic habitat along the desired future conditions, and to learn how Willamette River. This is a rare habitat type that has been to improve the design of future projects. The Upland largely lost to development along much of the information collectedmonitoring also helps measure Enhancement Willamette River in and around the city progress in improving watershed health Areas City of Portland. and complying with state and federal regulations. This project includes stream enhancement of Tryon Creek about 900 feet of Tryon creek beginning at In 2010, Environmental Services and US Fish Channel Riverbank Floodplain Enhancement its confluence with the Willamette River and & Wildlife Service (USFWS) staff began a fish and Bank Area working upstream to the Highway 43 monitoring study to determine how well Enhancement culvert. The Oregon Department of Tryon Creek functions as aquatic habitat Area Transportation (ODOT) completed the first for native trout and salmon. In 2012, more phase of the project just upstream of this work intensive fish surveys began to determine in summer 2008. The ODOT project included the types of fish present year-round, the retrofitting the Highway 43 culvert with a new temporal use of the fish species present baffle system to improve fish passage into the Top: Tryon Creek confluence with the on a weekly basis in the spring and summer, Tryon Creek State Natural Area, and stream Willamette River before enhancement. and to estimate fish populations in each enhancement below the culvert. Bottom: Confluence after enhancements. month of the year. In 2010, Environmental Services completed phase II of the Tryon Creek Confluence Habitat Enhancement Methods & procedures Project downstream to the confluence with the Staff biologists use an electrofishing backpack device to stun and collect fish Willamette River. The project: between the confluence and the pool just below the Highway 43 culvert. They survey all areas considered holding habitat for fish - pools, overhanging stream • Improved aquatic habitat for salmon and steelhead banks, eddies, and within large woody debris. A fine-mesh seine net is the listed as threatened under the Endangered Species preferred fish survey method in the deep pool just below the culvert. Act (ESA), for lamprey listed as a species of concern, and for all other native fish species Staff identify, measure, weigh, and scan all fish for passive integrated transponder • Improved floodplain connectivity and created (PIT) tags. They implant all untagged salmon, trout and steelhead of a certain size off-channel refuge for fish during high stream flows class with PIT tags, and then release the fish back to the creek after they have fully recovered. PIT tag antenna arrays installed around the mouth of Tryon Creek, at • Installed log jam structures in the channel to both ends of the Highway 43 culvert and higher upstream track directionality of deflect flow away from steep slopes and to create fish passage by identifying PIT tagged fish as they move past the antennas. Staff pool habitat download the PIT tag code and time of detection data once a month. • Installed boulder and log grade control structures in the channel to collect sediment and enhance pool habitat • Installed stream bank log and boulder structures to Top: USFWS fish biologists collect data on captured fish. form scour pools and provide protective cover for fish Middle: A native trout that resides in Tryon Creek. • Created a shallow beach with large wood structures Top: Installing log jam structures to deflect Bottom: A fine-mesh seine net with float and lead lines is used to capture fish flow away from the stream bank. at the confluence to improve fish habitat in the deep pool below the Highway 43 culvert. • Improved riparian and upland habitat by Bottom: Constructing floodplain bench that allows energy from the stream to dissipate removing invasive plants and enhancing during high stream flows. native plant communities • Fish collected include a large number of steelhead, resident rainbow trout, coastal cutthroat trout, Stormwater runoff can findingsrainbow/cutthroat trout hybrids, and coho and impact water quality Chinook salmon. in rivers and streams. construction • The only observationto of adult date salmon was below Natural resources, like the Highway 43 culvert. urban streams, forests, • Coho salmon were the most abundant salmonid and wetlands manage species detected. stormwater naturally to • There is no evidence so far of adult lamprey in any protect water quality, part of Tryon Creek. public health, and the environment. Green • Coastal cutthroat trout, resident rainbow trout and trout hybrids both left and entered Tryon infrastructure reduces Creek at the Highway 43 culvert, indicating the flooding and erosion, Tryon Creek Confluence potential presence of a migratory component of 470 cfs provides cool, clean water Habitat Enhancement Project Update the population. The passage of these fish from to our rivers and streams, downstream to above the culvert confirms that and adds wildlife habitat Tryon Creek flows through one of Oregon’s some fish can move upstream through the culvert. and urban green space for largest and relatively undisturbed urban • Most coho and Chinook salmon were detected healthier watersheds. watersheds, and is well suited for a number leaving Tryon Creek after residing there for an of native fish species including steelhead, average of 37-44 days (the range was 10-86 days). cutthroat trout, and coho and Chinook This suggests that habitat in the creek below the salmon. There is historical evidence that both Highway 43 culvert may serve as a refuge for juvenile salmon emigrating from elsewhere in the Pacific and western brook lamprey also used Willamette basin. 1,400 cfs Tryon Creek, but currently the culvert under

partners Metro City of Lake Oswego Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board NOAA’s Community-Based Restoration Program 5.5 cfs

For more information Marc Peters, Environmental Services 503-823-9389 [email protected]

www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/ Nick Fish, Commissioner Printed on recycled paper. • WS 1433 MAY 2014 watershed/TryonCreek Dean Marriott, Director MAY 2014