Methow River Assessment of the Twisp to Carlton Reach January 2017, Final
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Methow River Assessment of the Twisp to Carlton Reach January 2017, Final Methow River Assessment of the Twisp to Carlton Reach Document Information Prepared for Cascade Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group Project Name Methow River Assessment of the Twisp to Carlton Reach Project Number E316005900 Project Manager Jon Ambrose Date January 2017, Final Prepared for: Cascade Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group Matt Shales, Project Manager, PO Box 3162, Wenatchee, WA 98801 Prepared by: Cardno, Inc. 801 Second Avenue, Suite 700, Seattle, WA 98104 January 2017, Final Cardno, Inc. Document Information i Methow River Assessment of the Twisp to Carlton Reach This Page Intentionally Left Blank ii Document Information Cardno, Inc. January 2017, Final Methow River Assessment of the Twisp to Carlton Reach Table of Contents 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................... 1-1 2 Background ..................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Purpose ............................................................................................................................ 2-1 2.2 Study Area ........................................................................................................................ 2-1 2.3 Fish Use and Population Status ....................................................................................... 2-3 2.4 Recovery Planning Context .............................................................................................. 2-5 2.4.1 Process-Based Restoration and Project Prioritization ...................................... 2-5 2.4.2 Key Factors Limiting Salmon Productivity in the Area ...................................... 2-8 2.4.3 Methods ............................................................................................................ 2-9 3 Assessment Area Conditions ........................................................................................ 3-1 3.1 Setting .............................................................................................................................. 3-1 3.2 Geology ............................................................................................................................ 3-1 3.3 Conditions Prior to European Settlement ......................................................................... 3-2 3.3.1 Channel Form and Process .............................................................................. 3-2 3.3.2 Hydrological Regime ......................................................................................... 3-2 3.3.3 Large Woody Dynamics .................................................................................... 3-2 3.4 Human Disturbance .......................................................................................................... 3-3 3.4.1 Early Disturbance .............................................................................................. 3-3 3.4.2 Modern Disturbance .......................................................................................... 3-4 3.4.3 Direct Habitat Alteration .................................................................................... 3-5 3.5 Existing Forms and Processes ......................................................................................... 3-8 3.5.1 Hydrology .......................................................................................................... 3-8 3.5.2 Hydraulics ....................................................................................................... 3-18 3.5.3 Geomorphology ............................................................................................... 3-22 3.5.4 Riparian Vegetation......................................................................................... 3-31 3.5.5 Large Wood Dynamics .................................................................................... 3-33 3.5.6 Habitat Conditions ........................................................................................... 3-37 3.5.7 Summary and Rating of Existing Conditions .................................................. 3-39 4 Sub-reach-Scale Conditions .......................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Sub-reach TC3 (RM 41.3 to RM 40.3) ............................................................................. 4-1 4.1.1 Sub-reach Overview.......................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.2 Forms and Processes ....................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.3 Effects of Human Alterations ............................................................................ 4-2 4.2 Sub-reach TC2 (RM 40.3 to RM 33.7) ............................................................................. 4-2 4.2.1 Sub-reach Overview.......................................................................................... 4-2 4.2.2 Forms and Processes ....................................................................................... 4-3 4.2.3 Effects of Human Alterations .......................................................................... 4-10 4.3 Sub-reach TC1 (RM 33.7 to RM 28.1) ........................................................................... 4-10 4.3.1 Sub-reach Overview........................................................................................ 4-10 4.3.2 Forms and Processes ..................................................................................... 4-10 January 2017, Final Cardno, Inc. Table of Contents i Methow River Assessment of the Twisp to Carlton Reach 4.3.3 Effects of Human Alterations .......................................................................... 4-13 5 Restoration Strategy ....................................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Existing and Target Habitat Conditions ............................................................................ 5-1 5.3 Trajectories under a No Action Alternative ....................................................................... 5-2 5.4 Identification of Potential Habitat Actions ......................................................................... 5-3 5.5 Development of Criteria for Project Prioritization ............................................................. 5-4 5.6 Prioritization of Restoration Actions ................................................................................. 5-5 5.7 Action Type Descriptions .................................................................................................. 5-7 5.7.1 Riparian Protection (Protection Approach) ....................................................... 5-7 5.7.2 Protection of Existing Floodplain Habitats (Protection Approach) .................... 5-7 5.7.3 Riparian Planting and Restoration (Process Restoration) ................................ 5-8 5.7.4 Levee or Riprap Removal/Setback (Process Restoration) ............................... 5-8 5.7.5 Floodplain/Off-Channel Habitat Reconnection via Grading (Process Restoration) ....................................................................................................... 5-8 5.7.6 Beaver Reintroduction (Process Restoration) .................................................. 5-8 5.7.7 In-Channel LWD Placement – Flow Splitting and Deflection (Habitat Creation/Process Enhancement) ...................................................................... 5-8 5.7.8 In-Channel LWD Placement – Habitat Focus (Habitat Creation/Process Enhancement) ................................................................................................... 5-8 5.7.9 Boulder Clusters (Habitat Creation/Process Enhancement) ............................ 5-9 5.8 Sub-reach-Scale Strategies ............................................................................................. 5-9 5.8.1 Sub-reach TC3 (RM 41.3 to 40.3) ................................................................... 5-10 5.8.2 Sub-reach TC2 (RM 40.3 to 33.7) ................................................................... 5-10 5.8.3 Sub-reach TC1 (RM 33.7 to 28.1) ................................................................... 5-10 6 References ....................................................................................................................... 6-1 Appendices Appendix A Map Folio – Existing Condtions, Geomorphic Mapping, Floodplain Inundation, FLIR Mapping, and Restoration Strategy Appendix B Habitat Survey Methods and Data Summary Appendix C Target Conditions and Existing Conditions Rating Criteria ii Table of Contents Cardno, Inc. January 2017, Final Methow River Assessment of the Twisp to Carlton Reach Tables Table 2-1 Fish Usage in the Twisp to Carlton Reach of the Methow River ..................................... 2-3 Table 2-2 Middle Methow Ecological Concern Prioritization from the Upper Columbia Biological Strategy (RTT 2014) ........................................................................................ 2-9 Table 3-1 Summary of Hydro-modifications