Okanogan Watershed
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SALMON AND STEELHEAD HABITAT LIMITING FACTORS ASSESSMENT WATERSHED RESOURCE INVENTORY 49: OKANOGAN WATERSHED Prepared for: CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE COLVILLE RESERVATION Okanogan, WA Prepared by: ENTRIX, INC. Seattle, WA & Golder Associates Redmond, WA May 14, 2004 SALMON AND STEELHEAD HABITAT LIMITING FACTORS ASSESSMENT WATERSHED RESOURCE INVENTORY 49: OKANOGAN WATERSHED Prepared for: CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE COLVILLE RESERVATION P.O. Box 150 Okanogan, WA 99155 Prepared by: ENTRIX, INC. 2701 First Avenue, Suite 240 Seattle, WA 98121 & Golder Associates 18300 NE Union Hill Rd, Suite 200 Redmond, WA 98052 With oversight provided by the Washington Conservation Commission 300 Desmond Drive Lacey, WA 98503 May 14, 2004 Project Management Keith Wolf - Golder Associates, Inc. Jeffrey Fisher, Ph.D. - ENTRIX, Inc. Senior Technical Editor Jeffrey Fisher, Ph.D. - ENTRIX, Inc. Contributing Authors Carmen Andonaegui - Washington Conservation Commission Kelly Cooper - USDA/US Forest Service Christopher Fisher - Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Jeffrey Fisher, Ph.D. - ENTRIX, Inc Marlene Heller - ENTRIX, Inc. Constance Iten - Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Craig Nelson - Okanogan Conservation District N John Olyslager - Golder Associates, Inc. Nina Talayco – Golder Associates, Inc. Woody Trihey,P.E. - ENTRIX, Inc. Paul Wagner - Golder Associates, Inc. Nancy Wells - Okanogan National Forest/Tonasket Ranger District Additional TAG Representation Carmen Andonaegui - Washington Conservation Commission William Baer – US Forest Service, Tonasket Ranger District Kelly Cooper - USDA/US Forest Service Christopher Fisher - Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Jeffrey Fisher, Ph.D. - ENTRIX, Inc William Gray - Bureau of Reclamation Marlene Heller - ENTRIX, Inc. Spence Higby - Okanogan County Constance Iten - Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Ed Manary - Washington Conservation Commission Craig Nelson - Okanogan Conservation District N John Olyslager - Golder Associates, Inc. Tom Scott - Oroville-Tonasket Irrigation District John Stormon - Washington Department of Ecology Tom Sullivan - Okanogan Irrigation District Woody Trihey, P.E. - ENTRIX, Inc. Paul Wagner - Golder Associates, Inc. Nancy Wells - Okanogan National Forest/Tonasket Ranger District Keith Wolf – Golder Associates, Inc. GIS Support Randy Edwards - Golder Associates, Inc. Tim Rood - Golder Associates, Inc. Karen Quine – Golder Associates, Inc. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................XVI List of Tables ................................................................................................................. XVII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................XIX 1.0 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 The Role of Habitat in the Natural Reproduction of Salmonids....... 1-2 2.0 WATERSHED CHARACTERISTICS AND CONDITIONS .......................................... 2-1 2.1 Watershed Overview............................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Land Ownership and Use...................................................................... 2-1 2.2.1 Irrigation Districts........................................................................ 2-2 2.3 Geology and Topography...................................................................... 2-3 2.4 Soils and Vegetation............................................................................... 2-4 2.5 Water Quantity/Hydrology................................................................... 2-5 2.6 Water Quality......................................................................................... 2-5 2.6.1 Nitrogen ....................................................................................... 2-5 2.6.2 Dissolved Oxygen........................................................................ 2-6 2.6.3 Temperature ................................................................................. 2-6 2.6.4 pH................................................................................................. 2-6 2.6.5 Fecal coliform .............................................................................. 2-6 2.6.6 Sedimentation .............................................................................. 2-7 Impervious Surface ...................................................................... 2-7 3.0 FISH DISTRIBUTION AND STATUS........................................................................ 3-1 3.1 Fisheries Resources of the Okanogan River Watershed .................... 3-1 i 3.1.1 Chinook Salmon Stock Status and Distribution in the Okanogan Watershed................................................................... 3-1 3.1.2 Steelhead Stock Status and Distribution in the Okanogan Watershed .................................................................................... 3-3 3.1.3 Sockeye Stock Status and Distribution in the Okanogan Watershed .................................................................................... 3-3 3.1.4 Resident Fish Species Stock Status and Distribution in the Okanogan Watershed................................................................... 3-4 3.2 Fish Passage............................................................................................ 3-4 3.2.1 Dams ............................................................................................ 3-4 4.0 HABITAT LIMITING FACTORS BY SUBWATERSHED ........................................... 4-1 4.1 Habitat Rating Criteria adopted for the okanogan watershed.......... 4-1 4.2 overview of effects of Habitat pathways on salmonids...................... 4-1 4.2.1 Water Quality............................................................................... 4-1 Dissolved Oxygen......................................................................... 4-1 Turbidity/Suspended Sediment..................................................... 4-2 Nutrient/Contaminant Loading.................................................... 4-2 4.2.2 In-Channel Habitat....................................................................... 4-2 Percent Pool................................................................................. 4-3 4.2.3 Habitat Access............................................................................. 4-4 4.2.4 Flow ............................................................................................. 4-4 Impervious Surface ...................................................................... 4-5 Resembles Natural Hydrograph .................................................. 4-5 4.2.5 Channel Condition....................................................................... 4-5 Streambank Stability .................................................................... 4-7 5.0 FISHERIES RESOURCES AND HABITAT LIMITING FACTORS RATINGS BY SUBWATERSHED .................................................................................................. 5-1 ii 5.1 Chiliwist Creek Watershed ................................................................... 5-5 5.1.1 Sub-basin Overview..................................................................... 5-5 Land Use and Ownership............................................................. 5-5 Topography, Geology & Soils...................................................... 5-5 Fluvial Geomorphology & In-Channel Habitat. ......................... 5-5 Vegetation and Riparian Condition............................................. 5-6 Water Quantity/Hydrology........................................................... 5-6 Water Quality............................................................................... 5-6 5.1.2 Fisheries Resources in Chiliwist Creek Sub-basin ...................... 5-7 5.1.3 Rankings of Habitat Limiting Factors in the Chiliwist Sub- basin ............................................................................................. 5-7 Support for Limiting Habitat Factor Rankings in Chiliwist Creek Sub-basin......................................................... 5-8 5.2 Dan Canyon Watershed Description.................................................. 5-10 5.2.1 Sub-basin Overview................................................................... 5-10 Land Use and Ownership........................................................... 5-10 Topography, Geology and Soils................................................. 5-10 Fluvial Geomorphology & In-Channel Habitat ........................ 5-10 Vegetation and Riparian Habitat............................................... 5-10 Water Quantity/Hydrology......................................................... 5-11 Water Quality............................................................................. 5-11 5.2.2 Fisheries Resources in Dan Canyon Sub-basin ......................... 5-11 5.2.3 Habitat Limiting Factors Assessment of the Dan Canyon Sub-basin.................................................................................... 5-11 5.3 Loup-Loup Watershed Description.................................................... 5-12 5.3.1 Sub-basin Overview................................................................... 5-12 iii Land Use and Ownership........................................................... 5-12 5.3.2 Fisheries Resources in Loup Loup