Sequalitchew Creek Restoration Plan
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RESTORATION PLAN Sequalitchew Creek Watershed Prepared for: Environmental Caucus and CalPortland Project No. 040001 March 8, 2018 RESTORATION PLAN Sequalitchew Creek Watershed Prepared for: Environmental Caucus and CalPortland Project No. 040001 March 8, 2018 Contents Introduction .........................................................................................................1 Goals and Objectives ..........................................................................................3 Restoration Plan Elements .................................................................................6 1. Regulatory Actions ......................................................................................... 8 2. Flow Restoration ............................................................................................ 8 3. Flow Maintenance and Enhancement ......................................................... 10 4. Habitat Restoration ...................................................................................... 11 Governance ........................................................................................................ 13 Committee ........................................................................................................ 13 Meetings ........................................................................................................... 13 Scope of Authority ........................................................................................... 13 Information Sharing ......................................................................................... 13 Decision Making ............................................................................................... 13 Day-to-Day Management ................................................................................. 14 Minutes ............................................................................................................. 14 Funding ............................................................................................................. 14 Adaptive Management ..................................................................................... 15 Overview of Adaptive Management ............................................................... 15 Process of Adaptive Management .................................................................. 16 Assessment and Design .................................................................................. 16 Implement and Monitor .................................................................................. 17 Evaluate .................................................................................................... 17 Adjust .................................................................................................... 17 Transition Points .............................................................................................. 22 Relationship of Adaptive Management Process to South Parcel Mining ..... 22 Maintenance Plan .............................................................................................. 25 Implementation of O&M Activities .................................................................. 25 Authorization ................................................................................................... 25 Reporting .................................................................................................... 25 Modifications ................................................................................................... 25 Funding for O&M ............................................................................................. 25 Anticipated O&M Activities by Element ......................................................... 25 References ......................................................................................................... 28 PROJECT NO. 040001 MARCH 8, 2018 i List of Tables 1 Restoration Plan Elements (in text) 2 Initial Suite of Potential Response Actions (in text) List of Figures 1 Sequence of Restoration Plan Elements 2 Adaptive Management Process List of Appendices A Integrated Sampling and Analysis Plan ii PROJECT NO. 040001 MARCH 8, 2018 Introduction This Restoration Plan is designed to restore ecological function to the Sequalitchew Creek watershed. The watershed ecology has suffered from almost two centuries of manipulation. Today portions of Sequalitchew Creek are dry, and the majority of what would be the natural flow in the creek is diverted out of the system, either for water supply or to reduce the risk of flooding. This Restoration Plan has been developed to sequentially restore flows in the creek, improve the sustainability of flows through the system, and restore aquatic habitat by removing flow-related fish passage barriers and increasing the habitat available to aquatic species through the restoration and enhancement flows. The Restoration Plan arose from a process defined in a settlement agreement between CalPortland Company (CalPortland), the City of DuPont (the City), the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), and a coalition of environmental groups collectively known as the Environmental Caucus. In 2012, these groups signed an agreement called the 2011 Settlement Agreement for DuPont Mine, Restoration of Sequalitchew Creek Watershed, and Preservation of Puget Sound Shorelands and Adjacent Open Space, referred to in this plan as the “Settlement Agreement”. One of the explicit goals of the Settlement Agreement is “to help restore and enhance the Sequalitchew Creek watershed, including flows along the entire length of the Creek.” To achieve this goal, the Settlement Agreement defines a process for developing this Restoration Plan and ensuring its implementation. That process includes the following key steps: 1. Invite the Nisqually Tribe and Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) to participate in the process for developing the Restoration Plan; 2. Solicit stakeholder input on elements of the Restoration Plan; 3. Development of a Draft Restoration Plan; 4. Stakeholder input on the Draft Restoration Plan; 5. Preparation of a Final Restoration Plan and approval by CalPortland and the Environmental Caucus; 6. Seek acknowledgement of the Final Restoration Plan by JBLM; 7. Approval of a Monitoring Plan for South Parcel Mining by CalPortland and the Environmental Caucus; 8. Seek all necessary permits and approvals for the Restoration Plan; 9. Obtain JBLM consent to the Restoration Plan; and 10. Implement the Restoration Plan. To date, Steps 1 through 4 have been completed. The South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group (SPSSEG) led a year-long process, involving a Core Group of eight PROJECT NO. 040001 MARCH 8, 2018 1 stakeholders (the City, Ecology, the Environmental Caucus, CalPortland, the Nisqually Indian Tribe, Sequalitchew Creek Watershed Council, JBLM, and Pierce County) and multiple opportunities for public comment. The process concluded on June 20, 2013 with the adoption of a set of recommended elements for the restoration plan. SPSSEG then prepared the Sequalitchew Creek Watershed Restoration Plan: Public Review Draft (SPSSEG 2013) and accepted public comments through August 30, 2013. The public comments were incorporated into a final set of recommendations, which were adopted by the Core Group on December 17, 2013 and documented by SPSSEG in its Final Briefing Memo and Core Group Recommendations for a Restoration Plan (SPSSEG 2014), referred to in this plan as the “Final Briefing Memo.” The Final Briefing Memo identified additional long-term actions related to the restoration of the watershed, such as replacement of the culvert under the BNSF railway with a bridge, that are outside the scope of this plan. The recommendations in the Final Briefing Memo form the foundation for this Restoration Plan. In some cases, the elements have evolved from the description in the Final Briefing Memo as a result of new information or preliminary design efforts. When approved by CalPortland and the Environmental Caucus, this Restoration Plan will mark the completion of Step 5. 2 PROJECT NO. 040001 MARCH 8, 2018 Goals and Objectives The Settlement Agreement articulates five elements of the Restoration Plan: 1. Improvement of gradients so water discharges from Hamer and Bell marshes flow into Edmond Marsh rather than into the diversion canal. 2. Improvements to create significant flows from Sequalitchew Lake into the Edmond Marsh complex to support a functional creek ecosystem, and provide for the passage of migratory fish in the Sequalitchew Creek system. To achieve this goal, the Parties will consider, at minimum, modification of the diversion canal flood control structure and gradients. 3. Rehabilitation of Edmond Marsh by removal of sufficient fill and other flow impediments to provide the hydraulic gradients and capacity necessary to achieve and maintain adequate flows through the Marsh. 4. Rehabilitation of Sequalitchew Creek below Edmond Marsh to reduce seepage, improve fish habitat, and help restore year-round flows. 5. Active management of beaver activities to maintain the hydraulic gradients that provide flows through Hamer, Bell, and Edmond marshes. Objectives identify specific, measurable elements that are undertaken to meet the goal(s) of a project. They provide more detail on how the goals will be achieved, and criteria for determining when their achievement has occurred. The Settlement Agreement and Final Briefing Memo articulate some, but not all, of the