Wind River Watershed Restoration Project
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Wind River Watershed Restoration Project US Forest Service Annual Reports 2000 - 2002 DOE/BP-00000407-1 June 2002 Field37: This Document should be cited as follows: Bair, Brian, Anthony Olegario, Paul Powers, David Doede, Eric Plimmer, Jennifer Deshong, ''Wind River Watershed Restoration Project, Segment II'', Project No. 1998- 01900, 66 electronic pages, (BPA Report DOE/BP-00000407-1) Bonneville Power Administration P.O. Box 3621 Portland, Oregon 97208 This report was funded by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), U.S. Department of Energy, as part of BPA's program to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife affected by the development and operation of hydroelectric facilities on the Columbia River and its tributaries. The views in this report are the author's and do not necessarily represent the views of BPA. Wind River Watershed Restoration 2000-2002 Annual Reports In Four Segments June 2002 Prepared by: Wind River Restoration Team Prepared for: Bonneville Power Administration Environment, Fish and Wildlife P.O. Box 3621 Portland, OR 97208-3621 Project Number: 199801901 1 Contents Segment II: <USFS Contribution> ................................................................. II-1 Report A: Restoration ...............………………............................................. II-A-1 by Brian Bair Executive Summary...............………………..........................................……... 6 Wind River Discharge Gage...............………………............................................. 8 by Brian Bair, Anthony Olegario & Paul Powers Methods, Results and Discussion……………..……................................ 8 by Brian Bair, Anthony Olegario & Paul Powers 1999-2001 Restoration Projects...............……………............................................. 11 by Brian Bair, Anthony Olegario, Paul Powers, David Doede, Eric Plimmer & Jennifer Deshong Introduction...............………………….............................................. 12 Road Decommissioning...............………………............................................. 13 by Brian Bair, Anthony Olegario & Paul Powers Methods, Results, Discussion & Monitoring................................................. 14 Riparian & Stream Channel Restoration...............…........................................... 15 Reference Reach Channel and Riparian Surveys.......................................... 15 Riparian Vegetation Inventory Field Procedures........................................... 16 by Eric Plimmer and Jennifer Deshong Riparian Vegetation Inventory Results................................………...............21 by David Doede 1999-2002 Restoration Accomplishments...............……………...............................37 by Brian Bair, Anthony Olegario & Paul Powers 1999 Trout Creek Restoration “Phase IV”...............……………...............................38 by Brian Bair, Anthony Olegario & Paul Powers The “Mining Reach” Riparian and Channel Rehabilitation...............….....................44 by Brian Bair, Anthony Olegario & Paul Powers 2001 Dry Creek Restoration………………................……………...........................53 by Brian Bair, Anthony Olegario & Paul Powers 2 1999 Panther Creek Bank Stabilization...............……………..................…….............58 by Brian Bair Riparian Rehabilitation...............………………………………...….............................59 by Brian Bair, Anthony Olegario, Paul Powers, Jennifer Deshong & Eric Plimmer Acknowledgements…………………………...............……………..............................63 References…………………………...............……………...............………….............64 List of Tables Table 1. Median, minimum, and maximum ages by diameter class for CT, TC, and WR. ………………………….....……………..........……………...............………….............23 Table 2. Density of snags and live trees for Crater (CR), Trout Cr. (TC), and Wind R. ………………………….....……………..........……………...............………….............23 Table 3. Species distribution (in TPA) for sites. Species acronyms follow CVS conventions. ……………………..……..........……………...............………….............23 Table 4. Median, minimum, and maximum growth rates (10 year radial growth in 20ths of an inch) by diameter class for CT, TC, and WR. …………...........………….............24 Table 5. Percent damage by damaging agent for CR, TC, and WR sites. ………….…...24 Table 6. Mean number of down woody material pieces per acre (SE) and average piece size…………………………………………………………………………………..…...24 Table 7. Density and frequency (proportion of plots) of seedlings and saplings. ….…...25 Table 8. Mean percent cover estimates (SE) and frequencies for major cover groups…25 Table 9. Mean percent cover estimates (SE) and frequencies for indicator species……26 List of Figures Figure 1. Gage station location, T3N R3E Section 21, Skamania Co., WA…………….9 Figure 2. Project area maps for 2000-2002 Wind River Restoration Projects. Skamania County, Washington T4-5N, R6-7E. …………………………………………...……….11 Figure 3. Panther Creek Road Decommissioning Skamania Co., WA., T5N, R7E, Sect. 1, ; T4N, R7E, Sect. 24, 25 & 36, T6N, R7E, Sect. 26, 333-35, T6N, R7E, Sect. 4, 24-27, 35 & 36. ………………………………….……………………………...……….13 Figure 4. Mean age by species for lower and upper riparian areas at CR, TC, and WR sites. ……………………………………………..……………………………...……….27 Figure. 5. Average live and snag TPA (error bars are 80% confidence intervals) by diameter class for 3 sites……………..……………………………..…………...……….28 Figure 6. Species distribution (in trees per acre) for lower and upper riparian areas at 3 sites.…..……………………………..………………………………...………...……….29 Figure 7. Mean growth rate by species for lower and upper riparian areas at CR, TC, and WR sites. .…..……………………………..………………………....………...………...30 Figure 8. Crown ratio distribution of sample trees at lower and upper riparian areas at CR, TC, and WR sites. .…..………………………………………....………...………....31 3 Figure 9. Locator map for the 1999 Wind River watershed restoration projects......….37 Figure 10. 1999 Trout Creek Restoration project site map, T.4N., R.6E. Section 13, Skamania County Washington.…..……………………….………....………...……….38 Figure 11. Upper project area river mile 25-23.5,of the Wind River, T6N, R7E, Sections 3,4,9 & 10, Skamania County WA. .…..……………………….………....…...……….44 Figure 12. Lower project area river mile 23.5-22 of the Wind River, T6N, R7E, Sections 9, 10, 16 & 21 Skamania County WA . .…..……………………….………....…..…….45 Figure 13. Comparison of existing LWD observed in the Mining Reach and average LWD per river mile observed in 13 alluvial reaches of stream within Wind River, Skamania County, WA. .…..……………………………….………....…………..…….48 Figure 14. Percent composition of riparian stands by seral class for the Mining Reach of the Wind River, Skamania County WA. .…..………………………....…………..…….48 Figure 15. Comparison of belt widths in old growth and disturbed channels for the Mining Reach of the Wind River, Skamania County WA. .…..………………………...49 Figure 16. Comparison of the average width to depth ratios in old growth and disturbed channels for the Mining Reach of the Wind River, Skamania County WA. .…………...49 Figure 17. Dry Creek Restoration project site map; T.4N. R.7E. Sections 29 & 32, Skamania County, WA. .…..………………………………………………..…………...55 Figure 18. Dry Creek Restoration project site map; T.4N. R.7E. Section 20, Skamania County, WA. .…..………………………………………….………………..…………...56 Figure 19. Upper Wind River thinning and conifer planting project area, Skamania County, Washington, T5N, R7E, Sect. 9, 16. .…………….………………..…………...60 Figure 20. 1999 hardwood planting sites for Trout and Layout Creek, T4N, R6E, Section 13 Wind River watershed, Skamania County Washington. .…………….……………...61 Figure 21. 2000-2002 planting site map for Dry Creek riparian reforestation project site map; T.4N. R.7E. Sections 20, 29 & 32, Skamania County, Washington. .……..……...62 List of Photographs Photo 1. Downstream (top) and upstream (bottom) views of the gauge station on the Wind River just below Shipherd Falls………………………………………………….10 Photo 2. 1995 Photo of the entrance to the Trout Creek old growth channel, Skamania County, WA.…………………………………………………………………………….41 Photo 3. 1999 Photo of the entrance to the Trout Creek old growth channel after restoration of logjam. .…………….…………………………………………………….41 Photo 4. Photo of severe bank erosion on Trout Creek (river mile ~ 7.3) caused by removal of riparian vegetation, in-stream LWD removal and channel degradation. Skamania County, WA. .…………….………………………………………………….42 Photo 5. Photo of LWD revetment to reduce bank erosion. Trout Creek (river mile ~7.3), Skamania County, WA. .…………….………………..………………………….42 Photo 6. Large width to depth ratios and low stream shade depicted in the above photo increase maximum water temperature and provide poor quality rearing habitat for steelhead. Trout Creek ~ river mile 7.1, Skamania County, WA. .…………….……….43 4 Photo 7. Trout Creek ~ river mile 7.1, Skamania County, WA………………..……….43 Photo 8. “Mining Reach”of the Wind River river mile ~24.3, Skamania Co., WA…….50 Photo 9. “Mining Reach” of the Wind River river mile ~24.3, Skamania Co., WA. …..50 Photo 10. “Mining Reach” of the Wind River, mile ~24.7, Skamania Co., WA..……...51 Photo 11. “Mining Reach” of the Wind River, mile ~24.7, Skamania Co., WA…….....51 Photo 12. “Mining Reach” of the Wind River, mile ~24.0, Skamania Co., WA. …......52 Photo 13. “Mining Reach” of the Wind River, mile ~24.0, Skamania Co., WA. ….….52 Photo 14. Reach one of Dry Creek, T.4N. R.7E. Section 32, Skamania Co., WA.….....57 Photo 15. Photos of log placement designed to reduce near bank shear stress on an eroded bend. Reach two, Dry Creek, T.4N.