Monitoring the Effectiveness of Culverts Replaced Or Retrofitted for Fish Passage in the Upper West Fork of Smith River, Oregon

Monitoring the Effectiveness of Culverts Replaced or Retrofitted for Fish Passage in the Upper West Fork of Smith River, Oregon

Bruce P. Hansen Gordon H. Reeves Aquatic and Land Interactions Program, PNW Research Station Corvallis, OR

Summary history stage. Motivation for movement includes response to changing environmental conditions either seasonally All of the culverts in this study passed juvenile coho or from the alteration of existing conditions, and meeting salmon and cutthroat at a wide range of flows, suggesting reproductive needs and age or life-history stage specific that the current design criteria for these culverts were habitat requirements (Kahler and Quinn 1998; Hoffman adequate to ensure juvenile fish passage. There appear and Dunham 2007). Preserving connectivity among to be patterns in the timing, frequency, and magnitude habitats within a watershed is crucial to the persistence of of upstream and downstream pre-smolt movement. The species dependent on periodic movements (Young 1994; upstream movement of both juvenile coho salmon and Fausch et al. 2002). cutthroat trout in the West Fork of Smith River was triggered Barriers, anthropogenic or natural, can have important by the first fall freshets and tapered off through the rest of ecological effects on fish movement. They may limit access the year. Downstream movement was spread throughout to food resources, reproductive sites, and seasonal refugia the year. Virtually all of the upstream movement occured (Hilderbrand and Kershner 2000). They can also restrict during flows at or below the 2% exceedance level (i.e., 2% interactions among populations of a given species, which of the flows at the site are greater than this flow), with the may reduce the likelihood of persistence of some populations vast majority happening at or below the 10% exceedance. (Lacey 1987; Rieman and Dunham 2000; Wofford et Determining the timing and magnitude of flows when fish al. 2005). How the influence of individual natural and move could help to refine the design criteria for crossings. anthropogenic barriers differs is not immediately clear. While these findings might be used to justify crossings that However, the large number of human-related obstacles do not match the stream channel dimensions, slope and (relative to natural barriers) suggests that they may have substrate (stream simulation), many other factors need to major impacts on fish populations in basins in the Pacific be considered as crossings are sized and designed. Stream Northwest and elsewhere. simulation crossings provide for many more benefits and Culvert passage issues are gaining national and functions than just fish passage. Maintenance of stream international focus because they are implicated in the channel processes and ecological functions are of equal or decline of many fish populations. Agencies responsible for greater importance and should be considered in stream managing fish or their habitat are increasingly concerned crossing design. about the potential impact of culverts on fish movement, particularly for those fish listed under the Endangered Introduction Species Act. Culverts can impede movement of fish and other aquatic organisms either at all times or under certain Movement within the stream network is an integral flow conditions. They may pose a barrier to upstream part of the life-history of many stream fishes (Fausch et movement of organisms by disrupting stream flow in one al. 2002; Schrank and Rahel 2004). The length, timing, or more of the following ways, by creating: (1) a jump and duration of movement vary with species and life- that is impossible to negotiate, or (2) a velocity barrier. A single impassable culvert can have effects that extended far Methods beyond the stream on which it is located (Porto et al. 1999). Network fragmentation resulting from barrier culverts can Study Area affect the dispersal of individuals, the genetic integrity of local populations, and community and ecosystem dynamics The West Fork Smith River (WFSR) is a perennial 2 throughout the entire watershed (Wofford et al. 2005). stream draining a 69 km watershed in the Umpqua River Millions of dollars are being spent in the Pacific Northwest basin of the Oregon Coast Range (Figure 1). The WFSR by the USDI Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and was chosen for this study for multiple reasons; the Coos USDA Forest Service to remedy fish passage problems Bay District, BLM had a mix of existing and soon to be created by culverts. The agencies have identified a multiple replaced culverts along the valley floor road. The U.S. hundred million-dollar backlog of fish passage projects in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was conducting Oregon and Washington (US General Accounting Office a study investigating relationships between landscape 2001). Current designs for fish passage culverts consider attributes and coho salmon productivity. Additionally, all life-history stages of selected salmon and trout. Until the WFSR is a life cycle monitoring basin of the Oregon recently, however, the primary emphasis was on adult fish. Department of Fish and Wildlife [ODFW] (Solazzi et al. Now there is increased concern about the movement, 2003). particularly upstream, of juveniles. Obviously, conditions The watershed is covered with a multi-aged forest, for the movement of juveniles will be quite different from dominated by Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga ( menziesii), with those of adults. The Government Accounting Office mixed broadleaf and conifer species in the riparian areas, (GAO) review also found that there was a lack of systematic including red alder (Alnus rubra) and bigleaf maple (Acer monitoring to determine whether replacement culverts are macrophyllum). The WFSR has an elevation range from effective in fish passage. 60 to 850 m, with an average gradient of 2.5% (ODFW Land management agencies increasingly recognize and 1997). The underlying geology is Tyee sandstone. acknowledge the ecological importance of small streams, The watershed was splash dammed during a period of including those that may only flow during wetter times intensive forest management in the late 1800s and early of the year. Juveniles of many species move from larger 1900s (S. Klein, EPA, pers com). As a result, in-stream streams to smaller tributary streams seasonally (Kahler and habitat conditions in the lower portions of the West Fork Quinn 1998; Ebersole et al. 2006). They generally move Smith River have been relatively simplified through loss of into tributaries on increasing flows in the fall and early large wood structure that historically would have provided winter, and leave on falling flows in the spring. These points of accumulation of streambed sediments, and streams are often a major part of the stream network, and associated hydraulic and morphometric complexity (Reeves they often have culverts in them, particularly in more et al. 2002). There is, however, substantial variation in in- heavily managed watersheds. stream physical habitat conditions associated with more A literature review by Kahler and Quinn (1998) recent accumulations of large wood pieces and sediment in identified a number of studies that have shown upstream the channel. In the mainstem reaches, the amount of large movements of juvenile anadromous fish throughout the woody debris (LWD) greater than 0.1 m in diameter and 3 2 year. Juvenile steelhead (Onchorhyncus mykiss), cutthroat 1.5 m in length ranged from 0.0004 to 0.263 m /m . In trout (O. clarkii) and coho salmon (O. kisutch), species the tributaries studied, the amount of LWD ranged from 3 2 of interest in this study, have a generalized upstream 0.015 to 0.052 m /m (J. Ebersole, EPA, unpublished migration pattern into small tributaries from larger rivers data). in the late fall and early winter (Kahler and Quinn 1998). Fish species present in the West Fork Smith River Small streams generally served as crucial productive habitat include coho salmon, a small introduced run of fall for juvenile salmonids (Ebersole et al. 2006). chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), winter steelhead, both The specific objectives of this study were to: (1) determine sea-run and resident cutthroat trout, sculpin (Cottus if recently replaced culverts on selected tributaries of the spp.), speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus), Umpqua dace West Fork Smith River, Oregon, allow upstream movement (R. evermanni), redside shiner (Richardsonius balteatus), of juvenile anadromous salmonids; and (2) identify water largescale sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus), northern conditions under which juvenile anadromous salmonids pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus oregonensis), western brook move through culverts on selected tributaries of the West lamprey (Lampetra richardsoni), and Pacific lamprey (L. Fork Smith River basin. tridentata).

Figure 1. Location of West Fork Smith River stationary receivers.

allow fish passage (Pat Olmstead, Coos Bay BLM, pers. Study Culverts comm.). Green crossings are judged most likely to pass Road crossings at Crane Creek, Moore Creek, Beaver fish at a wide range of flows and all life stages (Clarkin Creek, and Gold Creek were originally selected for the et al. 2005). Grey crossings are judged to have conditions study (Figure 1). The Crane Creek culvert was dropped that may not be adequate for all species and life stages of from the analysis due to excessive antenna down time and fish to pass the crossing. Red crossings are judged to have a short period of record. Each was recently replaced, and conditions that are assumed not adequate for fish passage. had been designed to allow passage of fish over a range The Upper West Fork Smith River bridge crossing, where of flows (Table 1, Figures 2-4). They were classified as road 20-9-27 crosses the WFSR (Figure 5), was added to Green or Grey using the “Coarse Screen Filter”, a rapid the study to monitor fish movement in a reach of stream assessment tool to identify the potential of a culvert to not affected by a culvert.

Table 1.West Fork Smith River culvert specifications. Length Width Height Year (ft) (ft) (ft) Gradient % Stream Coarse Crossing Type Installed [m] [m] [m] (%) Simulation2 Filter3 Crane Cr. open bottom arch 2003 82 13 6.75 < 2 100 Green [25.0] [4.0] [2.1] Moore Cr. pipe arch 1997 64 11.3 7.25 2 10 Grey [19.5] [3.4] [2.2] Beaver Cr. open bottom arch 1997 70 16 8.25 2.88 100 Green [21.3] [4.9] [2.5] Gold Cr. pipe arch with 1977 60 est. 8 est. 6 est. 2 est 100 Green baffles1 [18.3] [2.4] [1.8] 1Backwatered by mainstem weir 2Defined as the degree to which the crossing matches stream channel dimensions of slope and substrate. 3Definition of Coarse Filter codes: Green conditions are assumed adequate for passage of fish at all life stages. Grey conditions may not be adequate for all species and life stages to pass the crossing.

Figure 2. Culvert at Moore Creek, a tributary of the West Fork Smith River, Oregon. Figure 4. Culvert at Gold Creek, a tributary of the West Fork Smith River, Oregon.

Figure 3. Culvert at Beaver Creek, a tributary of the West Fork Smith River, Oregon. Figure 5. Upper West Fork Smith River bridge crossing.

The culvert passage study operated Passive Integrated The low temperature for tributaries ranged from 3.4 to Transponder (PIT) tag antennas on these streams from 3.6°C.; high temperatures ranged from 13.7 to 19.2°C. October 2002 to February 2007. Single antenna PIT tag The mainstem reaches adjacent to the tributaries had arrays were installed upstream of road culverts on Moore, low temperatures ranging from 1.5 to 2.2°C. The high Beaver and Gold Creek. A single antenna was installed in temperature range, in the mainstem, was 20.3-22.7°C the mainstem notch weir just below Coon Creek (Figure (EPA, unpublished data). 1). A multiple antenna array was installed in the upper part The stream flow gage on the mainstem West Fork of the West Fork Smith River at the bridge crossing (Figure Smith River was operated by the Douglas County, Oregon 5). The tributary antennas detected fish moving up or water master and has been in operation for the last downstream through culverts. The Coon notch and UWFS twenty six years. Spot flow measurements are conducted antennas monitored fish movement in the mainstem WFS in the tributaries throughout the year. In September unaffected by culverts. However, the Coon notch antenna 2003, pressure transducers were installed on each of the data were not used in this analysis due to a combination of tributaries that have antennas and at additional mainstem excessive down time and short period of record. sites. These transducers and spot flow measurements have enabled EPA to model tributary flow based on the Water Temperature and Flow mainstem gauge. Modeled daily average flows for each antenna site are available through Water Year 2006. The EPA installed an extensive network of sensors to monitor tributary flow models for the antenna sites all have an R2 water temperature throughout the basin in 2004-2005. of > 0.96 (J. Wiggington, EPA, unpublished data). In There were sensors adjacent to all of the antenna sites. the mainstem WFSR, summer and early autumn mean

monthly streamflow ranged from 0.413 m /s in June to of fish using methods outlined in the PIT tag marking 0.13 m3/s in August 2004. Winter (December – March) procedures manual (PIT Tag Steering Committee 1999). mean monthly streamflow ranged from 12.25 to 3.79 m3/ An 11-mm PIT tag was inserted in fish that measured 60- s, with three major events with peak daily streamflow> 30 100 mm in length. Fish > 100 mm long received a 23- m3/s from mid December 2003 to late January 2004. The mm tag. This generally meant that coho salmon and 0+ peak daily average was on 31 December 2006 at 68 m3/s. cutthroat trout and steelhead received a small tag, while The minimum daily average flow was 0.059m3/s on 1-5 1+ trout received the larger tag. Juveniles that could not be October 2003. There is additional variation in streamflow identified as cutthroat trout or steelhead were classified as among tributaries to the mainstem, with surface flow “trout”. Subsequent captures of these individuals usually becoming intermittent in Moore Creek, Crane Creek and resulted in a specific determination. Coon Creek during some summers. From 2002-2006, tagging efforts were focused in To compare fish movement between sites with different mainstem reaches adjacent to tributary junctions, and flow regimes, percent exceedance values (Searcy 1959) in the tributaries themselves. The EPA study delineated were calculated for each antenna site. Modeled daily these reaches to characterize fish that used tributary and average flows for the 26 years of record were ranked and mainstem habitat. percentiles calculated. A 10% exceedance value means that 10% of the historic flows for that site are greater Tracking Movement than that particular value. While, for example, discharges PIT-tagged fish were recaptured throughout the winter could be different for each site on a particular day, percent and spring using three methods. First, we used day and exceedance values allow for a relative comparison between night seining (Gries and Letcher 2002) during winter tributaries/antenna sites. base flow conditions November through January. Second, we used wire mesh minnow traps to capture fish within Fish Tagging and Recovery those same locations during higher winter flow conditions This study examined the movement through culverts of in January–March. Minnow traps were baited with fresh juvenile steelhead, cutthroat trout and coho salmon > 60 steelhead eggs that had been soaked in an iodophore bath mm fork length. Crews from the EPA and USDA Forest for 30 minutes. Eggs were enclosed in a fine mesh bag and Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station (PNW) used suspended within each trap. minnow traps, hook and line, and beach seines to capture fish. A total of 26,595 fish were tagged during the course Mobile detection of the study (Table 2). The majority of the coho salmon In addition to minnow trap and seine sampling of were caught and tagged in August and September of experimental reaches, mobile PIT tag scanning was used each year. Steelhead and cutthroat trout tagging began in fall through spring to determine the location of tagged August and continued until the first storms of the winter, fish. Destron-Fearing FS2001 transcievers fitted with 35- usually in November. Fish were anesthetized (MS222), cm triangle antennas on poles were used to scan for tagged weighed (g), and measured (forklength) (mm). All fish > fish. Teams worked upstream moving the antenna across the 60 mm were given a Passive Integrated Transponder tag stream channel, much like electrofishing. Tag number and (PIT tag). PIT tags were inserted in the abdominal cavity

Table 2. Number of individuals of each species in the West Fork smith River, Oregon that were tagged during study period. Year Species 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total Coho 3755 5888 7681 6733 112 24 169 Cutthroat 27 363 295 314 6 1005 Steelhead 29 225 184 104 10 552 Trout* 9 288 267 305 0 869 Total 3820 6764 8427 7456 128 26 595

*Trout are all juveniles that could not be identified as cutthroat or steelhead.

Table 3. Number of full or partial days an antenna was not operational. Percentages are based on 365 days per year. Data for 2003 were not used for this comparison because there was only a partial data set. Number of days Year antenna off… B eaver Gold Upper West Fork Upper Moore 2004 All day 6 20 76 133 (1.64%) (5.48%) (20.82%) (36.44%) Part of the day 71 20 2 5 (19.45%) (5.48%) (0.55%) (1.37%) 2005 All day 4 2 3 42 (1.10%) (0.55%) (0.82%) (11.51%) Part of the day 5 7 3 9 (1.37%) (1.92%) (0.82%) (2.47%) 2006 All day NA 0** NA 81 (22.1%) Part of the day NA 2* NA 4 (1.3%) (1.1%) *Some down days may be due to low water flow. **Antenna shut down 6/05/06. location were recorded for each captured or detected fish. to high streamflows, and sub-surface streamflows resulted EPA study reaches and stream reaches adjacent to stationary in missing data for portions of the year (Table 3). Direction antennas were sampled to get a location of PIT tagged fish of movement was determined by pairing antenna detections (+ 10 m). This location data was used in conjunction with with fish locations determined by previous and subsequent stationary antenna detections to determine direction of detections and captures. movement and residency within stream reaches. A rotary screw trap near the mouth of the WFSR operated from February through June each year. Fish captured at the Stationary Antennas smolt trap operated by ODFW were scanned for PIT-tags, and measured for fork length and weight (Miller 2004, In addition to the active capture and PIT tag detection 2005, 2006). These detections provided proof of movement described above, stationary PIT-tag monitoring stations from the basin for PIT tagged fish and determination of detected movement in and out of tributaries. Antennas antenna efficiency during smolt out-migration (Table 4). and transceivers were installed immediately upstream of The smolt trap captured 7% of the coho salmon, 3% of culverts at Gold, Moore and Beaver Creeks in late October the cutthroat trout and 5% of the steelhead tagged in the 2002. An antenna at the downstream end of the Moore basin. Creek crossing and the UWFS multiplexed site were installed in 2003 (Fig. 1). The PIT tag antennas installed Table 4. Count of PIT tagged fish captured at the Oregon in 2002 were operational for the first storm of the winter Department of Fish and Wildlife smolt trap on the West Fork in early November 2002. Each year, the Moore Creek sites Smith River, Oregon, from 2003 to 2006. were discontinued in July, when water went subsurface at Number of PIT tagged the antenna. They were turned on in the fall as surface flow Species fish captured resumed. All sites but Moore Creek were discontinued by the spring of 2006. For the purposes of this study the Coho salmon 1771 detection of a fish at an antenna was considered a successful Cutthroat trout 33 movement through a culvert. Steelhead 26 Each monitoring station consists of a Destron-Fearing Total 1830 FS1001 transceiver powered by a deep-cycle battery bank. Rectangular antennas were positioned in the stream and Antenna Efficiency bracketed with weir panels to capture most or all of the streamflow. PIT-tagged fish passing through the antenna Efficiencies of the stationary antennas during the smolt field were recorded (PIT-tag identification number, date, outmigration period in 2003 were calculated from known and time) continuously by a data logger attached to the detections of fish captured at the smolt trap and tagged in transceiver. Computer malfunction, antenna damage due the tributaries. Captures of PIT tagged fish at the ODFW

smolt trap were compared to detections as fish passed and trout tagged and detected, they were dropped from through an antenna. The antenna was 100% efficient when further analysis. Efficiencies of antennas ranged from 36- each fish detected at the ODFW trap was also detected at a 100%, depending on species and location. Beaver Creek stationary PIT tag antenna. had the best overall antenna efficiency. Cutthroat trout Another measure of antenna efficiency was calculated and steelhead had higher detection efficiencies than coho by floating test-tags, “stick fish”, through each antenna salmon. Factors that influence antenna efficiency include monthly. These measurements were conducted over a wide antenna location, tuning and down time, stream flow, tag range of flows. Average antenna efficiency for operating orientation as the fish passes the antenna and timing of sites was 71% for 11-mm tags and 100% for 23-mm tags. movement (Table 6). The larger PIT tags have a greater efficiency due to the larger size of the ferrite core and antenna in each tag. Movement Coho Salmon Antenna Detections Upstream—The pattern of upstream movement of The sequence of detections for individual fish was the juvenile coho salmon in the West Fork of Smith River was basis for determining direction of movement. By using predominately in the fall and early winter (i.e., October capture data, mobile tracking detections, and subsequent through December) (Figure 6a). In all years, movement or previous stationary antenna detections, it is possible to into the tributaries began in September and peaked in infer the direction of movement through the culvert. All November and December. Movement through the upper four antennas are at or near the tributary junction with the part of the mainstem began slightly earlier, August (Figure West Fork Smith River. This allows a characterization of 6a). movement as being into or out of the tributaries. The vast majority of upstream movement into the monitored tributaries and the bridge crossing on the Upper Results West Fork Smith River occurred at the 10% exceedance level or less (Figures 7-10, 11a). The highest exceedance flows at Between November 2002 and February 2007, the which coho salmon were detected moving upstream were: antennas logged 23,453 detections of 4024 individual UWFS 1.6%, Gold Creek 16 %, Moore Creek 15%, and fish (Table 5). Due to the low numbers of steelhead Beaver Creek 0.6%. In all locations, fish moved primarily

Table 5. Antenna detections of unique individual fish by location and species in West Fork Smith River, Oregon from November 2002 to February 2007. Coho Cutthroat Steelhead Undetermined Unknown Total for Antenna salmon trout “trout” species antenna Beaver 1107 71 41 29 11 1259 Upper WFS 563 73 20 18 1 675 Gold 1170 161 59 26 1416 Moore 709 73 20 18 674 Total for species 3549 378 140 91 12 4024

Table 6. Antenna efficiencies Antenna for PIT tagged fish detected at the West Fork Smith Upper West Total for River, Oregon smolt trap Species Beaver Gold Moore Fork species 2003- 2006. Coho salmon 88% 37% 69% 63% 53% indicates no Cutthroat trout 100% 50% 67% records Steelhead 100% 75% 100% 100% 82% Trout 100% 100% Total for antenna 88% 38% 69% 67% 55%

Figure 6. Movement of juvenile coho salmon in West Fork of Figure 7. Movement of coho salmon into Moore Creek, a Smith River, Oregon, WY2003-2006. tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, relative to flow levels in Water Years 2003-2006. Triangles indicate the date and flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the antenna upstream into the tributary. Shaded areas represent periods when the antenna was down.

on the first rise in flows in the fall; only a relatively small amount of movement occurred at higher flows. Downstream—The pattern of downstream movement of juvenile coho salmon in the West Fork of Smith River was more variable than the upstream pattern. Downstream movement occurred over a broader period (Figure 6b) . There was a late-fall – early-winter pulse similar to the upstream pattern, peaking in November and December. There was an additional peak in April and May. Downstream movement of juvenile coho salmon relative flow was similar to the upstream pattern. Movement was predominately at flows at or below the 10% exceedance levels from the tributaries and in the upper WFSR (Figures 11b, 12-15).

Text continues on page 13.

Figure 8. Movement of coho salmon into Beaver Creek, a Figure 9. Movement of coho salmon into Gold Creek, a tributary tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, relative to of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, relative to flow levels flow levels in Water Years 2003-2006. Triangles indicate the date in Water Years 2003-2006. Triangles indicate the date and and flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the antenna flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the antenna upstream into the tributary. Shaded areas represent periods when upstream into the tributary. Shaded areas represent periods when the antenna was down. the antenna was down.

Figure 10. Movement of coho salmon into Upper West Fork Figure 11. Percent of total coho salmon passed by exceedance Smith River, a tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, flow level. relative to flow levels in Water Years 2004-2006. Triangles indicate the date and flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the antenna upstream beyond the bridge. Shaded areas represent periods when the antenna was down.

10 Figure 12. Movement of coho salmon out of Moore Creek, a Figure 13. Movement of coho salmon out of Beaver Creek, a tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, relative to tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, relative to flow levels in Water Years 2003-2006. Triangles indicate the flow levels in Water Years 2003-2006. Triangles indicate the date and flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the date and flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the antenna downstream out of the tributary. Shaded areas represent antenna downstream out of the tributary. Shaded areas represent periods when the antenna was down. periods when the antenna was down.

11 Figure 14. Movement of coho salmon out of Gold Creek, a Figure 15. Movement of coho salmon out of Upper West Fork tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, relative to Smith River, a tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, flow levels in Water Years 2003-2006. Triangles indicate the relative to flow levels in Water Years 2004-2006. Triangles date and flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the indicate the date and flow at which coho salmon were detected antenna downstream out of the tributary. Shaded areas represent passing the antenna downstream past the bridge. Shaded areas periods when the antenna was down. represent periods when the antenna was down.

12 Continued from page 8. was an additional peak in April and May (Figure 16b). Cutthroat Trout Similar to the patterns of upstream movement, downstream movement in the mainstem of upper WFSR Upstream—Upstream movement of juvenile cutthroat was over a wider range of flows than observed in the trout in the West Fork of Smith River was predominately tributaries (Figure 21b). Most fish moved downstream in the fall and early winter (Figure 16a). It peaked sharply from the tributaries at lower flows (i.e., <10% exceedance between October and November then declined. level) (Figures 21b, 22-25). The movement patterns of juvenile cutthroat trout Text continues on page 18. relative to flow levels were more variable than those of coho salmon. In the tributaries, the majority of the fish Figure 17. Movement of cutthroat trout into Moore Creek, a moved upstream at flows at or below the 10% exceedance tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, relative to level (Figures 17-20, 21a). flow levels in Water Years 2003-2006. Triangles indicate the date Upstream movement in the mainstem of upper WFSR and flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the antenna was over a wider range of flows. A greater fraction of the upstream into the tributary. Shaded areas represent periods when movement was at exceedance levels between 2% and the antenna was down. 1% and between 10% and 1% than was observed in the tributaries (Figure 21a). The highest exceedance flows at which cutthroat trout were detected moving upstream were: 1.6% UWFS, Gold Creek 2.1%, Moore Creek 0.2%, and Beaver Creek 3.6%. Downstream—Like the pattern for coho salmon, the pattern of downstream movement for cutthroat trout was more variable than the upstream pattern. There was a late- fall – early-winter pulse similar to the upstream pattern, peaking in November and December (Figure 16b). There

Figure 16. Movement of juvenile cutthroat trout in West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, WY2003-2006.

13 Figure 18. Movement of cutthroat trout into Beaver Creek, a Figure 19. Movement of cutthroat trout into Gold Creek, a tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, relative to tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, relative to flow levels in Water Years 2003-2006. Triangles indicate the date flow levels in Water Years 2003-2006. Triangles indicate the date and flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the antenna and flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the antenna upstream into the tributary. Shaded areas represent periods when upstream into the tributary. Shaded areas represent periods when the antenna was down. the antenna was down.

14 Figure 20. Movement of cutthroat trout into Upper West Figure 21. Percent of total cutthroat trout passed by exceedance Fork Smith River, a tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, flow level. Oregon, relative to flow levels in Water Years 2004-2006. Triangles indicate the date and flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the antenna upstream past the bridge. Shaded areas represent periods when the antenna was down.

15 Figure 22. Movement of cutthroat trout out of Moore Creek, Figure 23. Movement of cutthroat trout out of Beaver Creek, a tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, relative a tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, relative to flow levels in Water Years 2003-2006. Triangles indicate the to flow levels in Water Years 2003-2006. Triangles indicate the date and flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the date and flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the antenna downstream out of the tributary. Shaded areas represent antenna downstream out of the tributary. Shaded areas represent periods when the antenna was down. periods when the antenna was down.

16 Figure 24. Movement of cutthroat trout out of Gold Creek, a Figure 25. Movement of cutthroat trout out of Upper West Fork tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, relative to Smith River, a tributary of the West Fork of Smith River, Oregon, flow levels in Water Years 2003-2006. Triangles indicate the relative to flow levels in Water Years 2004-2006. Triangles date and flow at which coho salmon were detected passing the indicate the date and flow at which coho salmon were detected antenna downstream out of the tributary. Shaded areas represent passing the antenna downstream past the bridge. Shaded areas periods when the antenna was down. represent periods when the antenna was down.

17 Continued from page 13. Undersized crossings can create localized habitat changes that affect passage immediately above and below crossings. Increased velocities in undersized culverts can scour the Discussion substrate directly below a crossing. While the scour pool may provide deep pool habitat, even the slightest vertical Juvenile coho salmon and cutthroat trout in the West discontinuity can affect passage (Jackson, in press). A Fork of Smith River moved over a range of flows through perch height of 0.15 m was found to block prickly sculpin the three culverts that were examined in this study. With (C. asper) distribution in western Washington (LeMoine less than 100% efficiency at tributary PIT tag antennas, 2007). Backwatering upstream of an undersized culvert can some tagged fish undoubtedly moved through the antennas result in the accumulation of sediment. This accumulation undetected. The actual numbers of fish moving in each can result in a localized steepening of the gradient with direction would be larger. The 71% average efficiency for resultant increased flows. In some cases, this aggradation 11-mm PIT tags would translate into an additional 29 fish can result in seasonal subsurface flows, thereby breaking per hundred detected in the study. With multiple years stream continuity (Jackson, in press). of operation, the accumulated operating time covered Other researchers have found that culverts can restrict all time periods and the vast majority of flows at each movements of fish. Warren and Pardew (1998) reported of the antennas. The patterns in timing, frequency and that various species of warm-water fish in Arkansas were magnitude of movement would likely be clearer given unable to move through culverts. They believed that greater efficiency at each antenna. higher velocities in the culverts were one of the primary Fish generally did not move upstream at higher flows. factors limiting movement. Fish moved primarily at lower Less than 1% of the fish moved at flows greater than flows in this study, which likely was at lower velocities in the 1% exceedance level. The majority of movement for the culvert. Juvenile coho salmon and cutthroat trout are both species was at flows with exceedance levels below capable of swimming in higher velocities (relative to their 2%. Of these movements, most were also below the 10% body size) (Furniss et al. 2007). Some of the species studied exceedance level. by Warren and Pardew (1998) were not well adapted to Current design standards for culverts vary regionally swimming in moving water. within the Forest Service and among agencies across the The wider range of exceedance flows associated with United States; most most require passage of juvenile fish cutthroat movement at the mainstem WFS river antenna at a wide range of flows (Michael Furniss, pers. comm.). site may be attributed to differences in channel cross The ability to generalize results from this study is limited section. Stream velocity is a function of discharge and because of the small number and few types of culverts channel cross section (Kennedy 1984). The wetted width examined, and because the studied culverts were located of the channel at the Upper West Fork Smith river PIT tag so close together. Recognizing these limitations, it appears array is approximately twice that of the tributary antenna that requirements for culverts to pass juvenile fish at the sites. Due to this increased width, the velocity associated highest flows may not be realistic, since most movement with a particular discharge would be less. Fish at the UWFS appears to be at lower flows. site could be moving on higher exceedance flows but still Even if juvenile coho salmon and cutthroat trout can experiencing velocities similar to tributary fish. adequately pass through culverts that are less than a stream The impetus for movement into and out of the studied simulation design, other factors should be considered in tributaries likely varied between the species. Upstream culvert design. Substrate and other roughness elements movement of juvenile coho salmon was, most likely, to may influence movement of aquatic organisms through move into productive over-wintering habitat. Much of culverts (Jackson, in press). Wider, large culverts are more the mainstem of the West Fork of Smith River is scoured likely to retain these elements because water velocities are to bedrock and provides little edge or calm water refuge reduced by having the water flow over a larger area rather during high flows (Bill Hudson, Coos Bay BLM, pers. than being confined. Larger culverts may be needed to comm.). Juvenile coho salmon were found to move from accommodate the movement of large wood and sediment. main channels to tributary and off-channel habitats in The ability to pass wood reduces the chances of the other areas (Kralick and Southerwine 1977; Tschaplinski culvert plugging and either failing or causing road or slope and Hartman 1983; Nickelson et al. 1992). Those juvenile failures. Also, maintenance costs are often less and design coho salmon using tributary habitats were found to have life longer for stream simulation crossings that can pass improved winter growth and survival compared to fish wood and sediment at higher flows (Clarkin et al. 2005; that overwintered in the mainstem of the West Fork Smith Jackson, in press). River (Ebersole et al. 2006).

18 Cutthroat trout likely moved into the tributaries to escape Fausch KD, Torgerson CE, Baxter CV, Li HW. 2002. Landscapes high flows in the mainstem. Also, they could be seeking to riverscapes: bridging the gap between research and conservation food sources. Cutthroat trout are piscivores and would be of stream fishes. BioScience 52: 483-498. able to prey on juvenile coho salmon. Additionally, they Furniss M, Love M, Firor S, Moynan K, Llanos A, Guntle J, could feed on eggs and carcasses from coho salmon that Gubernick R. 2007. FishXing, version 3.0: Software and learning spawned in the tributaries. system for fish passage through culverts. USDA Forest Service, There were two peaks of downstream movement of Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR. juvenile coho salmon from tributaries of the West Fork of Gries G, Letcher BH. 2002. A night seining technique for Smith River. The spring out-migration occurred before the sampling juvenile Atlantic salmon in streams. North American peak of smolt movement from the West Fork of Smith River. Journal of Fisheries Management 22:595–601. These were likely fish that were already smolts or fish that were nearly ready to move to the marine environment. The Hoffman R, Dunham J. 2007. Fish Movement Ecology in High status of the fish that moved in the late-fall to early winter Gradient Headwater Streams: Its Relevance to Fish Passage Restoration Through Stream Culvert Barriers. U.S. Geological is less certain. Lang et al. (2006) observed a movement Survey, OFR 2007-1140, p. 40. of coho salmon smolts from streams on the Copper River Delta, Alaska. Fish leaving the WFSR could have also been Hilderbrand RH, Kershner JL. 2000. Conserving inland smolts that are part of the life-history complex present cutthroat trout in small streams: how much is enough? North in the population. Operating a smolt trap or doing some American Journal of Fisheries Management 20: 513-520. intensive sampling during this time could provide insight Jackson S. (in press) Ecological considerations for crossing design. into the reason for this pulse. in Bates KK, Cenderelli D, Gubernick R, Jackson S, Johansen The downstream movement of cutthroat trout was K (eds.) Stream simulation for passage of all aquatic organisms probably strongly influenced by the intermittent nature of at road-stream crossings: An ecological approach. USDA Forest the tributaries studies. They moved on decreasing flows in Service, National Technology and Development Program, San the spring, when habitat availability and suitability would Dimas, California. decline. Also, the movement of coho salmon out of the Kahler TH, Quinn TP. 1998. Juvenile and resident salmonid system could reduce food availability. movement and passage through culverts. Research Project T9903, Washington Transportation Commission. Seattle, WA. Joe Moreau of the BLM Oregon Acknowledgements. Kennedy EJ. 1984. Discharge ratings at gaging stations. State Office provided encouragement and funding for this Techniques of Water Resources Investigations, Book 3, Chapter project. Pat Olmsted of Coos Bay BLM was the liaison A10, U.S. Geological Survey, Alexandria, VA between PNW and the BLM. Loretta Ellenberg was primarily responsible for much of the field work. Others Kralick NJ, Sowerwine JE. 1977. The role of two northern who assisted with field work included Steve Hendricks, California intermittent streams in the life history of anadromous salmonids. MS thesis, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA. Sara Lampson, and the Dynamac field crew. Joe Ebersole Corvallis EPA laboratory was responsible for much of the Lacey RC. 1987. Loss of genetic diversity for managed fish tagging. Jim Wigington of EPA provided flow data. populations: interacting effects of drift, mutation, immigration, Kathryn Ronnenberg of the PNW Research Station did selection, and population subdivision. Conservation Biology 1: the graphics, editing, and layout. 143-158. Lang DW, Reeves GH, Hall JD, Wipfli MS. 2006. The influence of fall-spawning coho salmon (Oncorhyncus kisutch) on growth References and production of juvenile coho salmon rearing in beaver ponds on the Copper River Delta, Alaska. Canadian Journal of Fisheries Clarkin K, Conner A, Furniss MJ, Gubernick R, Love M, Moynan and Aquatic Sciences 63:917-930. K, Wilson-Musser S, 2005. National Inventory and assessment LeMoine M. 2007. Barriers to upstream migration of prickly procedure-for identifying barriers to aquatic organism passage sculpin Cottus asper and coastrange sculpin Cottus aleuticus. at stream crossings. USDA Forest Service, National Technology MS thesis, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA. and Development Program, San Dimas, California. 82p. Ebersole JL, Wiggington PJ, Baker JP, Cairns MA, Church MR, Miller BA. 2003, 2004, 2005, Annual report to Coos Bay BLM, Hansen BP, Miller BA, Compton JA. 2006. Juvenile coho salmon West Fork Smith River Smolt trapping. Oregon Department of growth and survival across stream network seasonal habitats. Fish and Wildlife, Corvallis, OR. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 135:1681-1697.

19 Nickelson TE, Solazzi MF, Johnson SL, Rodgers JD. 1992. Searcy JC. 1959. Flow duration curves. United States Geological Seasonal changes in habitat use by juvenile coho salmon Survey, Washington D.C., Water Supply Paper 1542 A. (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in Oregon coastal streams. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 49: 783-789. Solazzi MF, Nicholson TE, Miller B, Dalton T, Leader KA. 2003. Salmonid Life-Cycle Monitoring Project 2002. Oregon Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. 1997. ODFW Aquatic Department of Fish and Wildlife, Monitoring Program Report Inventories Project Stream Habitat Distribution Coverages. Number OPSW-ODFW 2003-2. Portland, Oregon. Natural Production Section. Corvallis. Tschapilinski PJ, Hartman GF, 1983. Winter distribution of PIT Tag Steering Committee. 1999. PIT tag marking procedures coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) before and after logging in manual, Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority, version Carnation Creek, British Columbia, and some implications for 2.0. Portland, Oregon. overwinter survival. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 40: 452-461. Porto LM, McLaughlin RL, Noakes DLG. 1999. Low-head barrier dams restrict the movements of fishes in two Lake Ontario United States General Accounting Office. 2001. Restoring fish streams. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 19: passage through culverts on Forest Service and BLM lands in 1028-1036. Oregon and Washington could take decades. GAO-Report- 02-136. US General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. Reeves GH, Burnett KM, Gregory SV. 2002. Fish and aquatic XXXXp. ecosystems of the Oregon Coast Range. Pages in 68-98 Hobbs SD, Hayes JP, Johnson RL, et al., (eds.) Forest and Stream Warren ML Jr, Pardew MG. 1998. Road crossings as barriers Management in the Oregon Coast Range. Oregon State to small-stream fish movement. Transactions of the American University Press, Corvallis. Fisheries Society 127: 637-644. Rieman BE, Dunham JB. 2000. Metapopulations and salmonids: Wofford JEB, Gresswell RE, Banks MA. 2005. Influence of a synthesis of life history patterns and empirical observations. barriers to movement on within-watershed genetic variation of Ecology of Freshwater Fishes 9: 51-64. coastal cutthroat trout. Ecological Applications 15: 628-637. Schrank AJ, Rahel FR. 2004. Movement patterns in inland *Young MK 1994. Mobility of brown trout in south-central trout (Oncorhynchus clarki utah): management and conservation Wyoming streams. Canadian Journal of Zoology 72:2078- implications. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2083. 61: 1528-1537.