Summary of Upper Skagit Watershed Fish and Wildlife Monitoring Technical Meeting, North Cascades National Park Service Complex headquarters (Sedro- Woolley, WA), April 11, 2008
Participants: Twenty scientists and managers (see attached list) from the US National Park Service (NPS), Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW); US Forest Service (FS); Seattle City Light (SCL); British Columbia Ministry of Environment (MOE); Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission (SEEC)
Meeting objectives per the meeting agenda: • Sharing information on ongoing fish & wildlife monitoring projects within the Upper Skagit Watershed • Identifying opportunities for collaboration • Identifying needs/opportunities for data management • Linking monitoring projects to land management needs
Presentation summaries (in order they were given):
Jack Oelfke, North Cascades National Park Service Complex: Jack provided an overview of the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program, a national program tailored to the local level that establishes the foundation and basis for a long-term biotic and abiotic ecological monitoring program in the park complex. Goals of the monitoring program include: building understanding of Park resources by tracking status and trends of key resource components; providing the basis for early warning about threats to Park resources; providing reference information useful for comparing resources in the Park to those in less well protected environments. After years of development the following monitoring projects (“Vital Signs”) will be implemented in the North Cascades NPS Complex: mountain lakes, subalpine-forest vegetation; landbirds; glaciers; climate; and landscape dynamics (remote sensing/aerial imagery). Funding limitations prohibit implementation of a broader range of Vital Signs at this time. The program has extensive database management, analysis, and reporting components to ensure long-term archival of information and availability to the public, managers, the research community, etc. All of the park’s Vital Signs will include some monitoring activity in the Upper Skagit Watershed.
AJ Fedoruk, BC Ministry of Environment: AJ provided an update on the development of the “Upper Skagit Watershed Fish and Wildlife Management Plan” for MOE. That plan is nearing completion, pending ongoing review. The plan provides an overview of fish and wildlife management issues within the Upper Skagit Watershed in BC, including listing the known fish and wildlife management issues for the area and suggesting strategies to address those issues. A sampling of the issues includes management and monitoring of fish populations, introduced aquatic species, water quality monitoring, wildlife habitat, grizzly bears, mountain goats, mule deer, hunting and trapping, international wildlife, and stressors and future concerns. Of particular note is that many of the issues identified in this plan are considered high priority needs south of the border, on NPS lands, as well.
Mark Downen, Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife: Mark described summary results for a number of fish population monitoring projects he has ongoing on Ross/Diablo/Gorge Lakes, including bull trout, rainbow trout, and the red side shiner. Notable monitoring results from the past 2-3 years of effort for Ross Lake indicate a decline in growth rates of rainbow trout, the appearance and dispersal of red side shiner, high parasite loads in rainbow trout and their presence in bull trout, and a dramatic population increase in red side shiner. Mark noted the looming concerns for native fishery populations in Ross Lake of 1) climate change (and warmer lake temperatures); 2) potential concerns if the red side shiner establishes a long-term presence in Ross Lake; and 3) the consequences of the “aging reservoir” phenomena for Ross Lake in that the lake has reached an age where nutrient decline is expected for the system, with subsequent impacts to fish populations.
Duane Jesson, Ministry of Environment: Duane reported on Upper Skagit fishery issues, and noted that all his work is driven by outside funding sources. MOE serves as an advisor to BC parks, but decisions are made by the parks themselves. One project of interest has been a bull trout tagging project which has shown that many fish tagged in Ross Lake move into the Upper Skagit River in BC; Ross Lk has later season spawning activity (mid-October) than in BC (mid-Sept). Duane noted that a SEEC-funded fish and fish habitat inventory was recently completed, showing rainbow trout and char species to predominate. There were no red side shiners detected in this survey; one brook trout was found near Ross Lake; and no cutthroat trout were found. (Note: the report “Reconnaissance Fish & Fish Habitat Inventory of the Skagit River Watershed”, by Triton Environmental, March, 2008, will be available on the SEEC website.)
Duane also reported on the angler capacity surveys for the Upper Skagit River for this catch and release fishery, and noted that reports for all these survey projects are available in pdf format. There is high angler satisfaction for the Upper Skagit River, primarily because it is not a crowded fishery. However, he noted a slight decrease in aesthetic fish condition due to frequent catch and release. He voiced concern about the release of non- native perch and bass into lower mainland lakes and Ross Lake, and support for monitoring fish stock status in Ross Lake and BC streams, given high angler demand for a recreational fishery. Duane noted that the last comprehensive snorkel survey was conducted in 1994.
Ed Connor, Seattle City Light: Ed provided substantial and interesting life history information on bull trout in the Ross Lake system, and noted that the Ross Lake bull trout population is the 2nd largest population in the United States. He expressed high interest in returning to do work on bull trout in Ross Lake given the concerns of climate change and warming temperatures and the subsequent potential impacts to bull trout. Ed noted there remains several information needs for bull trout in the Upper Skagit system, including life history patterns, survival trends over space and time, migration routes and timing, and habitat use. He believes that an acoustic survey method he has used in the lower Skagit system would work quite well in the Upper Skagit and provide a wealth of life history information. From his prior bull trout work in Ross Lake he noted the importance of the Big Beaver Creek outflow as a critical food source for bull trout when rainbow trout emerge from the turbid Big Beaver Crk into the clearer Ross Lake waters. Ed suggested three big questions loom for the Upper Skagit fisheries: 1) are fish populations changing over time; 2) what are the temperature and flow regimes, and are they changing over time; and 3) is the productivity of the Ross lake reservoir changing over time, given it has reached approximately 55 years in age and nutrient levels have been shown to decline after about 50-70 years in reservoirs.
Ken Ashley, SEEC Water Quality Advisor: Ken provided a summary of the March 25, 2008 “Upper Skagit Water Quality“meeting that focused on the first year results of a contracted water quality assessment of the Upper Skagit watershed on the BC side of the border. Due to concerns about the expanding development of both the Sunshine Valley and the Copper Giant Mine, SEEC contracted with the consulting firm Limnotek to conduct the study. The methods being used in this project were selected to enable the information gathered to be incorporated into the greater B.C. and Canadian water quality monitoring efforts. This was seen as essential to initiate the involvement of regulatory agencies if any impairment was detected
Results from the first year of the project indicated that biological resources were outside the normal reference conditions in a site downstream from the Copper Giant Mine and from the Sunshine Valley development. Water chemistry data indicated that the potential cause of non-reference condition for the site below the Copper Giant Mine was from elevated levels of cadmium, lead and zinc. The cause of the non-reference condition below the Sunshine Valley development was related to the clearing of trees in the riparian zone. Based on these results, SEEC is considering continuing Limnotek’s work for a second year. This extension will double the number of samples used to build a RCA (Reference Condition Approach) water quality assessment model (± 70 total samples) and pay to have Limnotek finalize the model’s development. The estimated cost for this work is ±$150,000 (Canadian dollars).
Ken also brought up the idea of conducting a paleolimnological study to address the concerns about the decline of nutrients in Ross Lake. Being a reservoir and not a true lake, Ross has reduced productivity in the littoral zone due to annual cycles of flooding, desiccation and freezing. Even though this area occupies very little space it is very productive, often 10 times the pelagic productivity, and contributes substantially to the amount of carbon fixed in a natural lake. In Ross we are likely witnessing the tail end of nutrient depletion in this system which will eventually start to impact terrestrial systems. Some of the bigger questions are; 1) Where are we on the nutrient depletion continuum or have we bottomed out? and 2) What actions are we willing to take to restore some of the biological productivity in this system?
Robert Naney, Okanagan-Wenatchee NF: Bob reported on several interagency carnivore research and monitoring projects he is involved with that are in or adjacent to the Upper Skagit Watershed. A wolverine capture and tracking project has been ongoing since 2005 that has documented the extensive movements of wolverines ranging from near Hart’s Pass just north of Washington State Highway 20 to north of the border into Manning Park, including travels within the Upper Skagit Watershed. Two other animals, trapped in the upper Twisp River Watershed, have movements from north of Lake Chelan to Hart's Pass. This is a cooperative project, funded in part by the USFS, Seattle City Light, NPS, and WDFW. It was noted by others that MOE expects to trap wolverines in BC beginning the winter of 2008-09.
Bob reported on a lynx capture project within this same area, stating that six adult males have been collared in the last two years. There is considerable concern for lynx populations in this area given that 50-70% of the core lynx habitat within north central Washington has burned or been affected by timber harvest since 1994, which has significantly affected that habitat for lynx use. This project is hoping to identify the lynx population response to this ongoing alteration of core habitat. The USFS, Washington Department of Natural Resources, WDFW, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are the primary contributors to the project.
Bob noted ongoing attention to grizzly bear populations on the US side of the border (with others present concurring that the standard population estimate of the “international population within the North Cascades ecosystem, which stretches from Lytton, BC south to Interstate 90 on the US side, to be less than 35 animals). There are efforts being made by Congressman Larsen to obtain funding for the US Fish and Wildlife Service (in addition to funding support already offered from SEEC and WDFW) to pursue planning for grizzly bear restoration to this ecosystem.
A fisher conservation assessment and strategy is being developed for the west coast population (southern British Columbia through the southern Sierra Mtns of California. The assessment is currently out for review, selected internal and external, and peer review. All US federal agencies (FS, FWS, NPS, BLM, Bureau of Indian Affairs), the three states, the Hoopa Tribe, and British Columbia are involved in the planning. The draft strategy is scheduled to be completed by October, 2008.
Cliff Nietvelt, Ministry of Environment: Cliff reported on terrestrial wildlife projects on the BC side of the border, and noted there is a report available on mountain goat surveys for the area. Winter mountain goat range has been given greater protection recently, and BC expects to use the Upper Skagit Watershed as a baseline area. Cliff noted the Skagit watershed at Manning is a major transition zone in terms of snow amounts, which significantly influences winter range conditions. Cliff also noted the Upper Skagit includes moose winter range habitat, and that MOE expects to do pellet surveys. He referred to the potential use of resource selection function (RSF) modeling as a preferred way to map species habitat preferences.
John Kelly, Ministry of Environment: John reported on deer inventory and monitoring surveys for the Upper Skagit; this information is used to support harvest regulations in BC. Using evening spotlight surveys, results from the past few years for the Skagit surveys (approx. 52 km transect) show 6.98 deer/km (as compared to 3.96 deer/km for the entire region and 10.68 deer/km for the Chilliwack area). Deer counts for the Upper Skagit were up to 13.45 deer/km in 2007. John noted there is increasing interest in looking at predators in the Upper Skagit, such as cougars. WDFW expressed interest in talking with MOE staff regarding their inventory methods.
Robert Kuntz, North Cascades National Park Service Complex: Bob provided an overview of the landbird monitoring program for the network of parks that includes the North Cascades. A peer-reviewed, published protocol exists for this monitoring program and has been implemented by these parks; the first 5-year cycle of monitoring will be completed by 2011. The sampling design of the program, which focuses on sampling along trails (and to a lesser extent, roads) would allow for relatively easy expansion to lands within the watershed beyond the NPS. Bob also noted the NPS completes periodic monitoring of spotted owls, mountain goats, and marmots, as occasional follow-up monitoring to the initial baseline inventories. Finally, Bob noted a new “citizen science” monitoring program the NPS is developing to monitor butterflies in the subalpine environments, in particular to detect changes over time due to climate change.
Jennifer Bohannon, Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife: Jennifer reported on a number of wildlife monitoring projects WDWF is conducting in the Upper Skagit, particularly the peregrine falcon productivity monitoring. Peregrine nest surveys from 2006-07 confirmed that 15 young fledged from 10 nesting attempts, or an average of 1.5 young/attempt. Overall nest success rate was 70%. Confirmed nesting pairs were reported near Skymo, Little Jack, and Big Beaver Creek on Ross Lake, as well as downstream of Ross Dam at Newhalem, Diablo, and Gorge Dam. 2009 will be the last statewide comprehensive peregrine survey. Jennifer said there is some interest in establishing a “watchable wildlife” opportunity for peregrine nest sites along State Route 20, perhaps at a pullout there.
Jennifer also reported on the common loon nest surveys. There are only seven known loon nesting pairs in western Washington, and one is at Hozomeen Lake. The pair there fledged chicks in 2005, but failed in 2004, 2006, and 2007.
Future collaborative projects or interests for WDFW include rare carnivores, mountain goats, bats, and herptiles. Jennifer noted WDFW resources including the Wildlife Heritage and the Priority Habitats and Species databases.
Discussion on database management and data sharing: There was limited discussion of these topics. Jennifer (WDFW) reminded us that the state Heritage Database exists for documenting rare plant and wildlife population occurrences.
There remains strong interest in sharing GIS data layers across the international boundary, but the lingering legal issue of the British Columbia Ministry of Environment data being classified as proprietary data seems to be a roadblock. It was noted that this is primarily a cost and access issue. GIS software development has made compatibility of data layers less of an issue in recent years.
Where to go from here? The wrap-up discussion focused on both near- and long-term direction for the group; interest to work collaboratively appears quite high within amongst the scientific community and it is believed that interest also likely extends to the agencies as well. Several ideas came out:
Ken Ashley: as noted above, a high priority need should be to conduct a paleolimnological study of Ross Lake to determine the current trophic state and find out if it is still decreasing in productivity or has bottomed out, per expectations associated with the “aging reservoir” phenomenon. He also recommended additional work regarding the red side shiner issue to evaluate food chain interactions/bioenergetics.
Ed Connor: advocated immediately establishing a water temperature program for Ross Lake as a basic piece of information to be used in understanding current conditions and subsequent changes in the lake that might come from stressors such as climate change, or would aid in understanding potential fish population changes, including the red side shiner. Ed will work with NPS staff to pursue implementation of a program. Ed also raised the questions of needing to find a way to share and post data from such an effort – how best to do that, and how to get similar sampling in BC? Finally, as a follow-up to performing work with other agencies, Ed will send a sample Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to NPS staff that might be a template for permitting work across the international border.
Don Gay: There is potential and need for demographic work on lynx and wolverine in the Upper Skagit; other interests could include reintroducing the spotted frog to the US (it is relatively common in BC), and understanding the status of the Pacific giant salamander, which has a relatively high population density on the US side of the Chilliwack River.
Scott Powell: The international treaty that created SEEC exists until 2065; the Commission is operating under a strategic plan to advance initiatives for education, recreation, land management, and ecosystem management. Monitoring efforts support the land and ecosystem management initiatives in both specific and general ways. SEEC is interested in leveraging other agency funds with SEEC dollars to do collaborative work in the watershed. As part of that, by the Fall of 2008 SEEC expects to develop a 5-year workplan that will guide its funding decisions.
Chip Jenkins: Chip requested that participants take a look at the project list the NPS provided at the meeting, developed as a proposal to leverage SEEC funding with NPS Inventory and Monitoring and park operational funds. He asked participants to consider whether these priorities line up with their agencies (a summary of that list is shown below). He asked the question – how do the BC (or other agency) priorities line up with these NPS priorities? Assuming at least some priorities do (based on earlier discussions, the MOE draft Fish and Wildlife Management Plan, etc), perhaps they can form the common basis to start from and build from that.
Project NPS Possible SEEC Commitment partnership Long-term monitoring of Ross Lake $9K annually $18K annually water quality Aquatic Ecologist, logistical 3 Biological Technicians, support (boat); equipment, data lab costs/analysis, data analysis mgmt Long-term monitoring of fishery $4K every 4 years $4K every 4 years populations of Ross Lake Aquatic Ecologist 1 Biological Technician Long-term monitoring of additional $30K annually $18K annually mountain lakes Aquatic Ecologist, 2 2 Biological Technicians, Biological Technicians, helicopter access, lab helicopter access, travel, analysis, data mgmt equipment, data analysis, data mgmt Long-term monitoring of Silver Glacier $30K annually $7K annually Geologist, 2 Physical Science 1 Phys. Science Tech., Technicians, helicopter access, helicopter access, travel travel Long-term monitoring of tributary $10K annually $7K annually streams of Ross Lake Aquatic Ecologist, data 2 Biological Technicians, analysis, data mgmt, logistical lab analysis, data mgmt support Long-term monitoring of landbird $32K annually $7K annually populations in Upper Skagit watershed Wildlife Biologist, 2 2 Biological Technicians, Biological Technicians, travel, travel data analysis, data mgmt Establish new “Grinnell” transects $60K annually for program Very rough estimate of across precipitation and elevational development $200K/yr for 3 yrs for gradients from Ross Lake to the upper Science Advisor, Chief of establishment and reaches of the watershed. Suggest 1-2 Resources Mgmt, Plant inventory such transects within Upper Skagit Ecologist, Aquatic Ecologist, Watershed. Begins as an all-taxa Wildlife Biologist, Geologist inventory and becomes a monitoring program
Meeting Participants, April 11, 2008 – Upper Skagit Fish & Wildlife Monitoring
Name Agency Phone Email Jack Oelfke National Park 360-854-7310 [email protected] Service Ashley Rawhouser National Park 360-854-7317 [email protected] Service Regina Rochefort National Park 360-854-7202 [email protected] Service Jennifer Bohannon Washington Dept of 360-466-4345, [email protected] Fish and Wildlife x 281 Bob Kuntz National Park 360-854-7320 [email protected] Service Bob Naney US Forest Service 509-997-9744 [email protected] Charles Beall National Park 360-854-7302 [email protected] Service Don Gay US Forest Service 360-856-5700 [email protected] x 236 Scott Powell Seattle City Light 206-386-4582 [email protected] and support to SEEC Ed Connnor Seattle City Light 206-615-1128 [email protected] Mark Downen Washington Dept of 360-202-7005 [email protected] Fish and Wildlife Reed Glesne National Park 360-854-7315 [email protected] Service John V. Kelly Ministry of 604-582-5263 [email protected],ca Environment Cliff Nietvelt Ministry of 604-824-2310 [email protected] Environment AJ Fedoruk Ministry of 604-845-1249 [email protected] Environment Ken Ashley SEEC Water Quality 604-987-6290 [email protected] Advisor Lex Bennett Skagit 604-869-2913 [email protected] Environmental Endowment Comm. Duane Jesson Ministry of 604-582-5303 [email protected] Environment Anne Braaten National Park 360-854-7311 [email protected] Service Chip Jenkins National Park 360-854-7205 [email protected] Service Roger National Park 360-854-7321 [email protected] Christophersen Service