Acme-Saxon Reach Restoration Planning
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Acme-Saxon Restoration Planning: Analysis and Recommendations South Fork Nooksack River Acme-Saxon Reach Restoration Planning: Analysis of Existing Information and Preliminary Recommendations 1880 1933 1961 1986 1998 Michael Maudlin, Lummi Natural Resources Treva Coe and Ned Currence, Nooksack Natural Resources Jim Hansen, Lummi Natural Resources November 26, 2002 Acme-Saxon Restoration Planning: Analysis and Recommendations Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES........................................................................................................IV LIST OF TABLES ..........................................................................................................VI INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 1 PHYSICAL CHARACTERIZATION .......................................................................... 4 REACH DESCRIPTION...................................................................................................... 4 HYDROLOGY ................................................................................................................... 7 CHANNEL CLASSIFICATION ......................................................................................... 10 CHANNEL PLANFORM.................................................................................................. 12 Sinuosity................................................................................................................... 12 Unvegetated Channel Width .................................................................................... 15 Channel Migration ................................................................................................... 18 SEDIMENT ..................................................................................................................... 24 Stream Bed Material................................................................................................. 27 Gravel Bar Characteristics........................................................................................ 28 RIPARIAN FUNCTION.................................................................................................... 28 Riparian Condition ................................................................................................... 29 South Fork........................................................................................................... 29 Tributaries........................................................................................................... 30 LWD Recruitment .................................................................................................... 33 Barriers to Natural Recovery.................................................................................... 33 Lack of Nurse Logs and Seed Sources ............................................................ 33 Invasive Non-native Plants .............................................................................. 33 LARGE WOODY DEBRIS ................................................................................................ 34 General Abundance and Distribution ...................................................................... 34 Historic Conditions............................................................................................ 34 Current Conditions............................................................................................ 37 Wood Function ......................................................................................................... 43 Channel Morphology ........................................................................................ 43 Pool Formation ................................................................................................... 44 CHANNEL/FLOODPLAIN INTERACTION...................................................................... 47 Entrenchment ........................................................................................................... 47 Floodplain Habitat Connectivity .............................................................................. 51 - i - Acme-Saxon Restoration Planning: Analysis and Recommendations SALMONIDS IN THE ACME-SAXON REACH.................................................... 53 CHINOOK SALMON (ONCORHYNCHUS TSHAWYTSCHA) ............................................ 55 Upstream Migration................................................................................................. 57 Holding ..................................................................................................................... 57 Spawning .................................................................................................................. 59 Emergence................................................................................................................. 59 Juvenile Rearing ....................................................................................................... 60 Outmigration............................................................................................................ 62 NATIVE CHAR (S. CONFLUENTUS / S. MALMA)........................................................ 64 COHO (O. KISUTCH) .................................................................................................... 66 PINK (O. GORBUSCHA) ................................................................................................ 67 CHUM (O. KETA) ......................................................................................................... 68 SOCKEYE (O. NERKA) .................................................................................................. 69 STEELHEAD (O. MYKISS).............................................................................................. 70 CUTTHROAT TROUT (O. CLARKI)................................................................................ 72 HABITAT CHARACTERIZATION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SALMONIDS................................................................................................................. 74 GENERAL HABITAT AVAILABILITY .............................................................................. 74 South Fork Habitat ................................................................................................... 74 Floodplain Habitat .................................................................................................... 78 Nesset’s Side-Channel Complex...................................................................... 78 Lawson Curtis Sloughs ..................................................................................... 80 Rothenbuhler Slough......................................................................................... 80 Hutchinson Creek .............................................................................................. 81 Roos Side-Channel............................................................................................. 82 Landingstrip Creek............................................................................................ 82 HABITAT STRUCTURE AND COMPLEXITY..................................................................... 83 Pool Frequency and Spacing ............................................................................ 83 Pool Quality ........................................................................................................ 83 Cover And Hydraulic Complexity.................................................................. 84 Implications for Salmonids............................................................................... 86 SUBSTRATE .................................................................................................................... 88 Spawning gravel availability............................................................................ 88 Fine sediments.................................................................................................... 89 Implications for salmonids ............................................................................... 89 WATER QUANTITY ....................................................................................................... 91 Migration Barriers.............................................................................................. 91 Implications for Salmonids............................................................................... 92 WATER QUALITY .......................................................................................................... 92 Temperature ....................................................................................................... 92 Turbidity and Suspended Solids ................................................................... 102 Implications for Salmonids............................................................................. 103 - ii - Acme-Saxon Restoration Planning: Analysis and Recommendations BIOTIC FACTORS ......................................................................................................... 106 Competition ...................................................................................................... 106 Predation ........................................................................................................... 107 Food Availability.............................................................................................. 107 Implications for