Umatilla River Floodplain and Wetlands: a Quantitative Characterization, Classification, and Restoration Concept
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Umatilla River Floodplain and Wetlands: A Quantitative Characterization, Classification, and Restoration Concept by Paul R. Adamus, Ph.D., Principal Investigator Adamus Resource Assessment, Inc.1 with James Webster, Cheryl Shippentower, Scott O’Daniel, Donald Eagle Williams, Scott Minthorn Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation P.O. Box 638 Pendleton, OR 97801 October 2002 1 and College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University Table of Contents 1. Introduction................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background....................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The Study Area ................................................................................................................. 1 1.4 Objectives ......................................................................................................................... 3 1.5 Study Importance.............................................................................................................. 3 1.6 Limitations of This Study ................................................................................................. 4 2. Methods...................................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Study Site Selection.......................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Selection of Variables to Measure .................................................................................... 5 2.3 Procedures for Estimating Variables ................................................................................ 6 3. Results and Discussion................................................................................................................. 7 3.1 Extent of Umatilla Floodplain Wetlands .......................................................................... 7 3.2 General Characterization of Wetlands in the Umatilla Floodplain................................... 8 3.3 Focus on Wetland Functions............................................................................................. 9 3.4 Hydrogeomorphic Classification Scheme for Wetlands in the Umatilla Floodplain .... 17 3.5 Possible Functions of the Subclasses............................................................................. 25 4. Restoration Concepts ............................................................................................................... 27 4.1 Processes Important to Sustaining the Subclasses and Their Functions........................ 27 4.2 Restoration Objectives.................................................................................................... 28 4.3 Restoration Options ....................................................................................................... 29 4.4 Design and Performance Standards ................................................................................ 30 5. Technical Information Needs................................................................................................... 32 6. Literature References................................................................................................................ 34 Appendices: A. A detailed statistical characterization of the Umatilla floodplain B. Flow and stage of Umatilla River above Meacham Creek during Summer 2001 collection of floodplain data by this project C. Definitions of the data files and variables on the accompanying CD D. Wetland indicator status: frequencies, percent cover, and range of conditions of presumed moisture and shade within which Umatilla River floodplain plant species were found E. Records of vascular plant species reported by various studies within or near the floodplain of the lower Umatilla River F. Comparison of greenline plots classified as wetlands vs. as non-wetlands: results of Mann- Whitney U-test for difference in means G. Comparison of lateral transect plots classified as wetlands vs. as non-wetlands: results of Mann-Whitney U-test for difference in means H. Variation of botanical variables within subclasses: standard errors of the subclass means I. Variation of botanical variables within subclasses: minimum values for the subclasses J. Variation of botanical variables within subclasses: maximum values for the subclasses 2 The accompanying CD (obtainable from the author) contains the following: All collected botanical and geomorphic data, with summary statistics (requires Excel®) Maps of individual site locations Digital map of point locations (requires ArcView® or ArcExplorer®) Topographic plots of site cross-sections, from lateral transects Panoramic photographs of the sites taken at the time of sampling This report, in Adobe Acrobat® pdf format List of Tables Table 1. Floodplain functions and their definitions, quantification, and associated values ........ 10 Table 2. Exotic plant species found most commonly in Umatilla floodplain wetlands .............. 16 Table 3. Examples of riverine subclasses defined by existing classifications............................. 18 Table 4. Tabular key to the subclasses of riverine flow-through wetlands of the lower Umatilla River, Columbia Basin ecoregion, Oregon........................................................................... 23 Table 5. Numerical characterization (means) of the classifying variables, by subclass ...... 24 Table 6. Standard errors of means of the classifying variables, by subclass............................... 24 Table 7. Hypothesized, relative capacity of subclasses to perform typical wetland functions.... 26 List of Figures Figure 1. Example of HGM relationship potentially useful for defining restoration performance standards................................................................................................................................ 31 3 Acknowledgments We thank the US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 (Yvonne Vallette), for financial support of this project, and the Oregon Division of State Lands (Janet Morlan) for encouraging its initiation. We especially thank the many private landowners who graciously allowed us access to their lands to collect the needed data. We also are grateful to several local experts who answered questions and shared their biological knowledge of the region: Jerry Baker, Mary Corp, Jimmy Kagan (Oregon Natural Heritage Program), and Bruce Barnes (Flora ID Northwest). James Webster of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) served as Project Officer. Other CTUIR staff who assisted with this project were Stacy Schumacher, Alanna Nanegos, Linda Jones, Michelle Thompson, and Rick George. Please cite this document as: Adamus, P.R., J. Webster, C. Shippentower, S. O’Daniel, D.E. Williams, and S. Minthorn. 2002. Umatilla River Floodplain and Wetlands: A Quantitative Characterization, Classification, and Restoration Concept. Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Pendleton, OR. For more information on this study, contact: Paul Adamus Adamus Resource Assessment, Inc. 6028 NW Burgundy Dr. Corvallis, OR 97330 phone: (541) 745-7092 email: [email protected] or James Webster Department of Natural Resources Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation PO Box 638 Pendleton, Oregon 97801 phone: (541) 966-2396 email: [email protected] 4 1. Introduction 1.1 Background This report summarizes and interprets data collected during Summer 2001 in the floodplain of the lower 80 miles (128.4 km) of the Umatilla River. The study was initiated in March 2001 with a Section 104(b) grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). The CTUIR contracted a portion of the work to Adamus Resource Assessment, Inc. of Corvallis, Oregon. Dr. Adamus had previously developed Oregon’s hydrogeomorphic (HGM) classification and assessment methods for wetlands (Adamus and Field 2001, Adamus 2001a, Adamus 2001b). An initial reconnaissance of the study area wetlands was completed in April 2001, and most field work was conducted during July and August under particularly dry conditions. Umatilla River flows during water-year 2001 were 75% of normal. Because the Umatilla Tribes have “Treatment as State” status from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, they are responsible for managing water quality on reservation lands. Under the federal Clean Water Act, the Tribes have the authority to establish water quality standards, assess compliance, report water quality violations, establish a “303d list” of water bodies (including wetlands) out of compliance, and develop management plans (Total Maximum Daily Loads or “TMDL’s”) for meeting standards in water bodies on the 303d list. Recognizing that many wetlands help purify water while supporting diverse aquatic life uses, the Tribes are committed to monitoring, conserving, and restoring wetlands within their jurisdiction. Developing the technical means to do this requires placing the Tribes’ wetlands in a broader regional context. Describing that context has sometimes necessitated collecting reference data from areas within the same river basin but beyond the reservation boundary. The data were collected primarily to support development of a quantitative classification that would be applicable to local floodplain environments. Secondarily