(E.3.2-44) Effects of Constructing and Operating the Hells Canyon
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Effects of Constructing and Operating the Hells Canyon Complex on Wildlife Habitat Charles Blair, CH2M HILL Jeff Braatne, University of Washington Robert Simons, Simons & Associates Stewart Rood, University of Lethbridge and Brandy Wilson, CH2M HILL Technical Report Appendix E.3.2-44 April 2001 Revised July 2003 (Minor Typographical Changes) Hells Canyon Complex FERC No. 1971 EFFECTS OF CONSTRUCTING AND OPERATING THE HELLS CANYON COMPLEX ON WILDLIFE HABITAT Charles Blair, CH2M HILL Jeff Braatne, University of Washington Robert Simons, Simons & Associates Stewart Rood, University of Lethbridge and Brandy Wilson, CH2M HILL Prepared for: Environmental Affairs Department Idaho Power Company P.O. Box 70 Boise, Idaho 83707 April 2001 Effects of Constructing and Operating the Hells Canyon Complex on Wildlife Habitat Table of Contents Section Page Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... i List of Tables.................................................................................................................................iii List of Figures............................................................................................................................... iv List of Photographs ...................................................................................................................... iv List of Appendices ......................................................................................................................... v Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................vii 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1. Study Purpose and Goal ..................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Study Objectives................................................................................................................. 1 2. Study Area ................................................................................................................................ 1 2.1. Climate ............................................................................................................................... 2 2.2. Physiography, Geology, and Soils ..................................................................................... 2 2.3. Aquatic Habitat................................................................................................................... 3 2.4. Fluvial Processes ................................................................................................................ 4 2.5. Plant Operations ................................................................................................................. 4 3. Methods..................................................................................................................................... 4 3.1. Evaluation of Agency-Proposed Assessment Approaches................................................. 5 3.1.1. Comparison of Upstream with Downstream Reaches ............................................ 6 3.1.2. Comparison of Impounded with Unimpounded Reaches ....................................... 6 3.1.3. Comparison of Historical Photographs and Descriptions with Current Photographs and Vegetation Descriptions ............................................................. 6 3.2. Influence of Anthropogenic Disturbances.......................................................................... 6 3.3. Condition of Wildlife Habitat.............................................................................................8 3.3.1. Hydrologic and Fluvial Processes........................................................................... 8 3.3.2. Historical Photographic Analysis of Riparian Habitats .......................................... 9 3.4. Effects of the Hells Canyon Complex.............................................................................. 10 4. Results ..................................................................................................................................... 12 4.1. Evaluation of Agency-Proposed Assessment Approaches............................................... 12 4.1.1. Upstream/Downstream Comparisons and Their Applicability to Hells Canyon.. 12 4.1.2. Impounded and Unimpounded Reaches or Rivers................................................ 14 4.1.3. Temporal Comparisons and the Complexities to be Considered.......................... 18 4.2. Influence of Anthropogenic Disturbances on Physical and Biological Processes ........... 20 4.2.1. Description of Hydrologic and Fluvial Processes within Hells Canyon............... 20 4.2.2. Settlement.............................................................................................................. 26 4.2.3. Mining................................................................................................................... 27 4.2.4. Agriculture and Irrigation ..................................................................................... 29 4.2.5. Ranching and Grazing........................................................................................... 32 4.2.6. Exotic Plants ......................................................................................................... 41 4.2.7. Fire ........................................................................................................................ 42 4.2.8. Logging ................................................................................................................. 43 Idaho Power Company Page i Effects of Constructing and Operating the Hells Canyon Complex on Wildlife Habitat 4.2.9. Hunting.................................................................................................................. 43 4.3. Condition of Wildlife Habitat........................................................................................... 44 4.3.1. Weiser Reach ........................................................................................................ 44 4.3.2. Brownlee Reach .................................................................................................... 48 4.3.3. Oxbow and Hells Canyon Reservoirs Reach ........................................................ 51 4.3.4. Downstream Reach ............................................................................................... 56 4.4. Effects of the Hells Canyon Complex.............................................................................. 62 5. Discussion................................................................................................................................ 65 5.1. Weiser Reach.................................................................................................................... 66 5.2. Brownlee Reach................................................................................................................ 67 5.3. Oxbow/Hells Canyon Reservoirs Reach .......................................................................... 68 5.4. Downstream Reach........................................................................................................... 69 5.5. Summary of Major Findings and Conclusions................................................................. 69 6. Acknowledgments................................................................................................................... 70 7. Literature Cited...................................................................................................................... 70 Idaho Power Company Page ii Effects of Constructing and Operating the Hells Canyon Complex on Wildlife Habitat List of Tables Table Page Table 1. Background information on and location of historical photograph points, Hells Canyon Study Area...................................................................................... 79 Table 2. Summary of aerial photographs taken pre- and post-impoundment ..................... 80 Table 3. Assessment approaches for evaluating impacts of river impoundment and flow regulation on downstream riparian ecosystems. ........................................... 84 Table 4. Published reports describing impacts of river impoundment and flow regulation by comparing reaches upstream to those downstream of a dam and reservoir.......................................................................................................... 85 Table 5. Published reports describing impacts of river impoundment and flow regulation by comparing impounded to comparable free-flowing reaches........... 85 Table 6. Published reports describing impacts of river impoundment and flow regulation by comparing conditions prior to and after damming along the same reach............................................................................................................. 86 Table 7. Published reports describing impacts of river impoundment and flow regulation by monitoring conditions over time following impoundment ............. 86 Table 8. River channel and valley widths (km) for the Snake River above (near Weiser) and below (through Hells Canyon) the Hells Canyon Complex and the Salmon River (near White Bird to the confluence) .................................. 87 Table 9. Reach gradients for the Snake River above