Adaptive monitoring to a large-scale restoration action – The Elwha River dam removal

Photo by John McMillan

G. Pess, J. McMillan, S. Morley, T. Beechie, M. Liermann, K. Denton, K. Frick (FE, NWFSC), M. McHenry, R. Moses, M. Elofson, S. Sampson, L. Ward (Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe), R. Peters (USFWS), J. Duda, Amy Draut, C. Curran, C. Magirl, O. Stefankiv (USGS), J. Bountry, T. Randle (BOR), A. Ritchie, S. Brenkman, P. Crain (NPS) Photo courtesy of Brian Cluer

Disclaimer Any opinions expressed today are my own & not necessarily shared or represented by NOAA. Dwight Barry Chris Curran Mike Ackley Pat Connolly Tina Herschelman Joe Anderson Jeff Chan Amy Draut Mary Hunchberger Jeff Duda Trisha O’Hara Randy Cooper Roger Peters Jason Dunham Mike Gross Dan Spenser Nancy Elder James Starr Brad Thompson Guy Gelfenbaum Marshal Hoy Ian Jezorek Ian Miller Chris Konrad Chris Magirl Kyle Martens Rusty Rodriguez Tim Beechie Steve Rubin Josh Chamberlin Andrew Stevens Keith Denton Christian Torgersen Matt Beirne Jon Warrick Sam Brenkman Phillip Blackcrow Anna Elz Pat Crain Sonny Earnest Kurt Fresh Jerry Freilich Mel Elofson Kinsey Frick Heidi Hugunin Mike McHenry Polly Hicks Josh Geffre Doug Morrill Anna Kagley Phil Kennedy Raymond Moses Martin Liermann Lauren Kerr Rebecca Paradis John McMillan Andy Ritchie Kim Sager-Fradkin Sarah Morley Tim Randle Anna Torrance Sonny Sampson Krista Nichols Jennifer Bountry Brian Winter Larry Ward Gary Winans Roadmap for today’s talk

• Watershed overview

• Background

• The action

• Questions

• Results Photo by John McMillan

• Summary

Impacts of the Dam – Fish Passage

> 90% of habitat inaccessible Elwha fishes Coho salmon Pink salmon Chinook salmon

John McMillan John McMillan

John McMillan Steelhead Chum salmon Sockeye salmon

Jonny Armstrong

John McMillan Bull trout Sculpin spp. Brook trout

John McMillan Elwha fishes

Threespine stickleback Redside shiner

Pacific lamprey Eulachon Impacts of the Dam – Salmon Populations

Total population decline Shift in species composition

100% 400k400,000 Steelhead 80% Coho 300,000 60% Chinook Sockeye 200k200,000 98% reduction 40% Chum Pink 100,000 20%

0

Estimated total ofEstimated all salmonids 0% PrePre dams dams PostPost dams Pre-DamPost-Dam

All native populations are very low in abundance Species of interest Species Estimated population % Hatchery size below dams Spring Chinook Unknown Unknown

Summer/Fall Chinook ~2,000 ~75

Coho ~2,000 ~76

Chum ~100 0

Pink ~100 0

Sockeye ~25 0

Winter steelhead ~300 ~?

Summer steelhead ~50 0

Sea-run cutthroat Unknown 0

Char ~500 0 Elwha River Ecosystem & Fisheries Restoration Act

“…for the removal of the dams and full restoration of the Elwha River ecosystem and native anadromous fisheries.” 102nd Congress of the U.S.A. January 3, 1992

September 2011 October 2012 What’s Going to Happen To All the Sediment?

~ 20 million m3 of sediment accumulated in reservoirs • ~ 54% fine, ~46% coarse • ~40% predicted to erode downstream Predictions • suspended-sediment > 10,000 ppm • temporary deposition of fines in pools • more dynamic floodplain • bed aggradation in lower river • beach formation in estuary

N. Chism/Lighthawk How will habitat conditions & salmon populations change? • Lower and Middle River

– How will mainstem habitat conditions change?

– How will floodplain channels respond?

– How will stream productivity change?

– How will different habitats respond to turbidity?

• Middle and Upper River

– How will salmon populations change when they recolonize newly open habitats? What has occurred with the Elwha Dam removal? Location

Dams & former reservoirs Nearshore River ecosystem Processes Sediment dynamics Stream productivity Fish recolonization Fish impacts

Elwha The Elwha River Basin

Olympic Natl. Park

Photos: John Gussman Elwha The Elwha River Basin

Olympic Natl. Park

Photos: John Gussman How Are the Elwha Dams Being Removed? • Concurrently in controlled increments over 2-3 years • Fast enough to limit duration of physical impacts • Slow enough to limit severity of biological impacts • Deconstruction temporarily halted during fish windows

Glines Canyon Dam – U.S. NPS Webcam Glines Canyon Dam – Jan 2012 Glines Canyon Dam – Jan 2013 Glines Canyon Dam – Jan 2014

John Gussman Glines Canyon Dam – Jan 2014

John Gussman Glines Canyon Dam – Jan 2014 Former Mills Reservoir – January 2014

John Gussman Elwha Dam Elwha River – Elwha Dam

Elwha Dam Elwha River – Elwha Dam

Elwha Dam Elwha River – Former Elwha Dam How has sediment supply changed? 4000

North

3000 Above Dams Below Dams Between Dams 1000 meters 2000

Year 1: ~ 8% of sediment mobilized

1000

FNU/FBU FNU/FBU Photo: Andy Ritchie, NPS 0 Aug-11 Oct-11 Dec-11 Feb-12 Apr-12 May-12 Jul-12 Sep-12 Nov-12 Jan-13 Mar-13

Dam removal begins Elwha Dam removed Lake Mills gone Datasource: USGS How much sediment to date? Former Mills reservoir August 2013 Approximately 40% of the total stored sediment has been estimated to be released as of October of 2013

North 25,000,000 Mills reservior 20,000,000 Aldwell reservior

1000 meters 3 15,000,000

10,000,000 Meters

5,000,000

0 Total stored Total released (Oct 2013)

Photo courtesy of Andy Ritchie, NPS Data courtesy of Jennifer Bountry , U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Andy Ritchie, NPS and USGS Photo courtesy of Andy Ritchie Photo courtesy of Andy Ritchie Former reservoirs – Lake Mills

Boulder Creek

Photo by John Gussman Former reservoirs – Lake Mills

Boulder Creek

Slide courtesy Josh Chenoweth, U.S. NPS Former Reservoir – Lake Aldwell

September 2011 Former Reservoir – Lake Aldwell

January 2014 Former Reservoir – Lake Aldwell

Photo by John McMillan December 2012 Former Reservoir – Lake Aldwell Revegetation Plan • 7 year plan • Plant 400,000 native plants • Sow 5,000 pounds of locally harvested seed

Slides courtesy Josh Chenoweth Mouth of Elwha River - nearshore

Photo: Matt Beirne, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe

Warrick, J.A., and Stevens, A.W., 2011, A buoyant plume adjacent to a headland - observations of the Elwha River plume: Continental Shelf Research, v. 31, p. 85-97.

Mouth of Elwha River ~ 2006 MouthSediment of Elwha dynamics River - Nearshore April 2012

Photo: Tom Rooda Much suspended sediment transported to the Strait of Juan De Fuca Mouth of Elwha River Feb 2013

Photo courtesy of Andy Ritchie, NPS Mouth of Elwha River Feb 2014

Photo courtesy of Tom Rooda and CWI, All Rights Reserved Sediment dynamics – Nearshore biota

2011 2012

2009 2012 Rubin, Elder, et al. Changing sediment supply in the Elwha River

Lake MillsMills delta delta against dam face Dam removal Elwha dam abuts Glines begins removed dam Change in riverbedin Changeelevation (m)

Slide courtesy of Chris Magirl, USGS How will mainstem habitat conditions change?

• Pool filling

• Change in substrate size

• Change in spawnable area Photo by John McMillan Flow

Glines Elwha Canyon Dam Dam 17 pools and riffle crests 19 pools and riffle crests 8 fine sediment sites 9 fine sediment sites Strait of Juan De Fuca Strait (3 per site) (3 per site) How will mainstem habitat conditions change?

Longitudinal profiles & Pool filling • • residual pool depths

• Change in substrate size • Shovel samples for fine sediment in riffle crests • Change in spawnable area • Pebble counts (fish size) Flow

Glines Elwha Canyon Dam Dam 17 pools and riffle crests 19 pools and riffle crests 8 fine sediment sites 9 fine sediment sites Strait of Juan De Fuca Strait (3 per site) (3 per site) Physical response of main stem lower Elwha

Glines Canyon Dam

Elwha Dam

Sediment accumulation Longitudinal profile In floodplain channels Change in streambed particle size

Slide courtesy of Amy Draut - USGS September 2011 – Start of dam removal Cobbles (~110 mm)

Slide courtesy of Amy Draut, USGS April 2012 – Lower dam removed Cobbles (~110 mm) & mud (~0.04mm)

Slide courtesy of Amy Draut, USGS August 2012 – Upper dam removal in progress Pebble/gravels (~25mm)

Slide courtesy of Amy Draut, USGS Physical response of main stem lower Elwha

Slide courtesy of Jennifer Bountry and Tim Randle, Bureau of Reclamation Physical response of main stem lower Elwha

• Pools have filled

• Riffle crests largely exposed

• Less evidence of mid-channel bars relative to the middle Elwha

Photo courtesy of Andy Ritchie, NPS Physical response of floodplain channels - Lower Elwha

Boston Charley 1997 Boston Charley 2013

Photos: Mike McHenry LEKT Physical response of floodplain channels in the lower Elwha March 2013

100 meters

Flow

Photo courtesy of Andy Ritchie, NPS Physical response of floodplain channels

102 in the lower Elwha Water surface

101 May 2011 surface

100

99

98 pools Arbitrary elevation (m) elevation Arbitrary 97

96 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 Distance from mouth (m) 100% Boulder

75% Cobble Gravel 50% Sand % total 25% Silt 0% May 2011 February 2013 Physical response of floodplain channels

102 in the lower Elwha February 2013 surface

101 Water surface May 2011 surface Ave sediment depth 0.20m 100

99

98 pools Arbitrary elevation (m) elevation Arbitrary 97

96 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 Distance from mouth (m) 100% Boulder

75% Cobble Gravel 50% Sand % total 25% Silt 0% May 2011 February 2013 Phyiscal response of main stem middle Elwha

Sediment accumulation in floodplain channels Longitudinal profile Gravel bar development, Wood accumulation Physical response of main stem middle Elwha

March 2012 Photo courtesy of Lighthawk

Fisherman’s bend, “Boulder garden”

100 meters Flow Physical response of main stem middle Elwha

February 2013 Photo courtesy of Andy Ritchie, NPS

Fisherman’s bend, “Boulder garden”

100 meters Flow Mainstem middle Elwha – Fisherman’s Bend

Photos courtesy of Mike McHenry

October 2012 March 2013 Physical response of main stem middle Elwha

Green – streambed before dam removal (July 2011)

Blue – water level before dam removal (July 2011)

Black – streambed during dam removal (Nov 2012)

Red – water level during dam removal (Nov 2012)

Pools

Slide courtesy of Jennifer Bountry and Tim Randle, Bureau of Reclamation Physical response of main stem middle Elwha

• All pools have filled

• Aggradation of riffle crests up to McDonald Gage

• Coarse sediment wave propagating downstream

Photo courtesy of Andy Ritchie, NPS Physical response of floodplain channels – middle Elwha

February 2013

100 meters

Flow

Photo courtesy of Andy Ritchie, NPS Physical response of floodplain channels – middle Elwha 105 H2O surface

104 September 2012

103

102

101 Arbitrary elevation (m) elevation Arbitrary pools

100 0 100 200 300 400 Distance from mouth (m) 100% Boulder

75% Cobble Gravel 50% Sand % total 25% Silt 0% September 2012 January 2013 Physical response of floodplain channels – middle Elwha 105 January 2013

H2O surface 104 Ave sediment September 2012 depth 0.41m 103

102

101 Arbitrary elevation (m) elevation Arbitrary

100 0 100 200 300 400 Distance from mouth (m) 100% Boulder

75% Cobble Gravel 50% Sand % total 25% Silt 0% September 2012 January 2013 Sediment as of September 2013 in metric tonnes

8,452,100 1,639,960 4,866,054 (48%)

Mainstem – 253,943 (3%) Mainstem – 602,257 (6%) Floodplain – 200,286 (2%) Floodplain – 132,696 (1%) 4,036,824 (40%)

Data is provisional, subject to change How will stream productivity change?

Consumers Resident Fish

Secondary Direct (tissue & eggs) Producers Spawners Invertebrates Anadromous

Primary Producers Indirect Periphyton (nutrients)

Physical Water Habitat Chemistry

Photos: John McMillan, Amy Draut Study design to determine how stream productivity will change with increased sediment

River sections: Below Between Above

Habitat types: Mainstem Side channels Tributaries

Pre-removal: 2004-2011 Post-removal: 2012 Periphyton Standing Crop

Inorganic density 10-30 x higher -0.5 0.5 1.5

Organic2004 2005density 2006 2012 2013 -1.0 0.0

Chlorophyll-2004 2005a 2006density 2012 2013 -1.5 -0.5 0.5 20042004 2005 2005 2006 2006 2012 2012 2013 2013 Benthic Invertebrate Densities – Results from Year 1

2004 2005 2006 2011 2012

Lower 95% reduction 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0

2004 2005 2006 2011 2012 Middle 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0

2004 2005 2006 2011 2012 Tributaries 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 20042004 2005 2005 2006 2006 2011 2011 2012 2012 Benthic Invertebrate Taxonomic Composition

4500

4000

3500 Ephemeroptera 3000 Plecoptera Trichoptera 2500 Coleoptera 2000 Diptera Non-Insects 1500

1000

Density (No. / square meter) meter) Density (No. / square 500

0 2004 2005 2006 2011 2012 2013 Sample Year Drift Invertebrate Densities – Results from Year 1

Before = 2011

0 1 2 Lower -2 -1

0 1 2 Middle -2 -1 0 1 2 Tributaries -2 -1 Winter Spring Summer Juvenile Salmonid (O. mykiss) Diet – % Terrestrial

Before = 2011

Lower 20 40 60 80 0

Middle 20 40 60 80 0

20 40 60 80 Tributaries 0 Winter Spring Summer Summary of Major Foodweb Findings To Date

• Fine sediment deposition on river cobbles elevated 10-30 x • Benthic algae standing crop similar before and after • Benthic invertebrate densities reduced 95% in lower river • Major shift in benthic invertebrate composition • Drift invertebrates reduced > 90% in spring, > 80% summer • Juvenile O. mykiss relying more on terrestrial prey sources

Photo: John McMillan How will salmon populations change with the removal of the Elwha River dams? • How long will it take salmon to colonize & establish spawning populations?

• What habitats & locations will different salmon species colonize?

J. McMillan • How many more salmon will there be?

• How will we measure change?

• What are some of the results to date? J. McMillan Salmon can successfully colonize newly available habitats

Fraser River 500 ~1,800,000

Cedar River 400 ~300

300

200 Glacier Bay ~11,500 100 S.F. Skykomish ~22,000 % increase in population abundance population in increase %

0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 Number of years since colonization What habitats and locations will different salmon species colonize? How many more salmon will there be?

ˆ 2 ln aˆ( ) S  ˆ  ebrep 2  = drainage area (km2)

Srep  EquilibriumPopulationSize

Elwha Chinook Equilibruim Estimate Population Size Stream type 4,589 Ocean type 10,099

Parken C.K., McNicol R.E. & Irvine J.R. (2006) Habitat Based Methods to Estimate Escapement Goals for Chinook Salmon Stocks in British Columbia, 2004. Research Document 2006/083. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, 74 pp. How will we measure change?

• Adults – SONAR – Redd surveys – Snorkel surveys – Genetics

• Juveniles – Snorkel surveys – Seining Electrofishing – Photo by John McMillan

• Smolts

– Smolt traps Photo by J. Gussman Elwha Adult Residence

Bull trout Steelhead Spawner surveys, SONAR, Genetic Mark-recapture Chum SONAR Coho Spawner surveys, SONAR Pink Spawner surveys, SONAR Chinook Spawner surveys, SONAR, Genetic Mark-recapture spring summer fall winter Elwha SONAR location Elwha SONAR Results – Chinook 2012 Elwha SONAR Results – Chinook 2012

3000 SONAR

2500 Middle Elwha redd survey Weir (L&D) 2000 Seining, hatchery returns

1500

1000

500 Estimated Chinook salmon Chinook Estimated 0 Total (other methods) SONAR Adult Recolonization – Results from Year 1 (2011)

Steelhead Coho Fish recolonization in the middle Elwha

• 2011-2014 Relocation Coho – Hatchery & wild adult coho salmon – Wild steelhead

• 2011-2014 Natural colonization – Steelhead – Pink salmon – Chinook salmon – Coho salmon

Steelhead • Life stage specific distribution & abundance – Redd counts – Snorkel surveys – Summer parr estimates – Smolt estimates Photos John McMillan Relocation of adult coho salmon in the middle Elwha Fall of 2011

Release Male Female Location Coho Coho Mainstem 260 223 Elwha Little River 102 70 Indian Creek 28 43

Photo by John McMillan Coho salmon redds in the middle Elwha Fall of 2011

N

Location # Redds Little River 58 Indian Creek 43 = location of coho redd(s) Floodplain channels 3 Madison Creek 2 1 kilometer Relocation of adult steelhead in the middle Elwha Spring of 2012

Release Male Female Rainbow Location Stlhd Stlhd trout Little River 11 39 15

Photo by John McMillan Natural colonization of adult steelhead in the middle Elwha for 2011-2013

Natural colonizers Male Female Stlhd Stlhd Little River 5 3 Indian Creek 6 4

Photo by John McMillan Steelhead redds in the middle Elwha Spring & summer of 2012

N

Location # Redds Little River 43 = location of steelhead redd(s) Indian Creek 7

1 kilometer Natural recolonization of Chinook salmon in the middle Elwha River – Summer 2012

70 Indian Creek Location # Redds & Little River Main stem below Elwha dam Lower 14

60 Main stem above Elwha dam Middle Elwha 105 Indian Creek Middle Elwha 98 redds 50 Little River Tributaries 40

30 Elwha mouth Former Glines dam Elwha dam 20 Number of ChinookNumber 10

0 0 5 10 15 20 25 River Kilometer Data courtesy of Pat Crain, NPS Flow Number of redds above former Elwha dam 2012 to 2014 1200 Steelhead 1000 Chinook salmon Coho salmon 800 600 ? 400

200

0 2011 2012 2013 2014 Number of actual & estimated redds above former Elwha dam 2012 to 2014 1200 Steelhead Assumed population growth rate of 1.61 (Pess et al. 2014) 1000 Chinook salmon Coho salmon 800

600

400

200

0 2011 2012 2013 2014 Elwha Juvenile Residence

Bull trout

Steelhead Smolt trap, end of summer population estimate, snorkeling Chum Smolt trap Coho Smolt trap, end of summer population estimate, snorkeling Pink Smolt trap Chinook Smolt trap, seining

spring summer fall winter Little River coho salmon redd & juvenile snorkel surveys

Fall/Winter 2011

Summer 2012 Juvenile sampling population estimates • 15 sites – 8 tributary – 7 floodplain – Sampling ~5% of anadromous zone in Middle Elwha

• 3 pass electroshock – 100 meter reaches

Photos by John McMillan

Mike McHenry, George Pess, Raymond Moses, John McMillan, Roger Peters, Mel Elofson, Sonny Sampson, Jeff Duda, Tim Beechie, Wilson, Alan Bennett, Heidi Hugunin, Anna Torrance, Sam Brenkman, Martin Liermann, Todd Bennett, WCC crew, Emily Thornton, Neala Kendall, KathiJo Jankowski 2012 Middle Elwha summer juvenile salmon population estimates

Red = tributary sites Light blue = floodplain channels 2012 Juvenile salmon composition between the dams 100% Brook trout

80% Bull trout Rainbow/Cutthroat 60% Chinook Coho 40%

20%

0% Floodplain Tributaries

J. McMillan Middle Elwha River Ave end of summer salmon population estimate (all locations)

Error bars = 95% C.I. Elwha River smolt trap locations

Flow Indian Creek 2013 Glines Elwha Canyon Dam Dam Main stem Little River Elwha 2005 of Juan De Fuca Strait 2012

= screw traps

RKM 22 RKM 12 RKM 0 Chinook salmon productivity Little River v. Indian Creek Coho productivity Little River v. Indian Creek

Ave outmigrating fry/spawner Bradford et al. 2000 Average smolt/spawner Zimmerman et al. 2012 Optimal growing temperatures (9 to 13 C) Little River v. Indian Creek

100%

Not Optimal Optimal 75%

50%

25% Proportion of days during year during of days Proportion 0% Indian Creek Little River

Growth period for Indian Creek – April through September (6 months) Growth period for Little River – July through September (3 months) 2013 Fish recolonization highlights

• First documented lamprey above Elwha dam

• First documented sockeye salmon in Indian Creek

Photo by John McMillan • First documented summer steelhead in Little River

2013 Fish recolonization highlights

• First documented lamprey above Elwha dam.

• First documented sockeye salmon in Indian Creek

Photo courtesy of WDFW • First documented summer steelhead in Little River

2013 Fish recolonization highlights

• First documented lamprey above Elwha dam.

• First documented sockeye salmon in Indian Creek

Photo by John McMillan • First documented summer steelhead in Little River

Sediment Impacts to Fish

• Peak turbidity event April 6-8th 2013 (~ 4,000 NTU)

• Coincided with WDFW hatchery release of yearly Chinook salmon

• Dead smolts observed from hatchery to estuary

• Hypothesized mortality from stranding, disorientation, and choking

J. McMillan Dam removal and reservoirs summary

• Elwha dam removal complete, Glines canyon dam almost complete.

• 40% of total stored sediment has been released as of October of 2013.

• Reservoirs being re-vegetated both naturally and with restoration efforts.

Nearshore, Main stem, & floodplain summary

• Delta at river mouth is prograding into the Strait of Juan De Fuca.

• ~12% of sediment stored in-river.

• Main stem pools filled/evacuated/filling again with sediment. Photo by Tom Rooda

• Floodplain channels filling with sediment.

• Different composition of sediment between middle and lower Elwha floodplain channels.

Photo by John McMillan Stream productivity summary

• High level of fine sediment deposition on river cobbles.

• Benthic and drift invertebrate densities reduced.

• Juvenile O. mykiss relying more on terrestrial prey sources.

Photo J. Gussman Fish recolonization & sediment impacts summary

• Adults are making it past old Elwha Dam site.

• Coho, steelhead & Chinook salmon redds are in the middle Elwha and tributaries.

• Juveniles are dispersing to colonize new areas.

• Salmon productivity varies as a function of local environmental conditions.

• New species and life histories are being

documented. Photo by John McMillan

• High turbidity levels can and has resulted in a fish kill in the Lower Elwha.

Where to Find Additional Information USGS Scientific Investigations Report, 2011. Coastal Habitats of the Elwha River, Washington: Biological and Physical Patterns and Processes Prior to Dam Removal.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2011/5120/pdf/sir20115120.pdf

Northwest Science Special Issue, 2008, Vol. 82: Dam Removal and Ecosystem Restoration in the Elwha River Watershed, Washington State.

http://www.bioone.org/toc/nwsc/82/sp1

www.elwhainfo.org www.nps.gov/olym/naturescience/elwha-ecosystem-restoration http://wabc-afs.org/w/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/11/WA-BC_Fall-Newsletter_Nov- 5th-2012.pdf Thanks!

Photo by John McMillan