APPENDIX E Lower Miller River Restoration Feasibility Report
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APPENDIX E Lower Miller River Restoration Feasibility Report RESTORATION FEASIBILITY REPORT LOWER MILLER RIVER Prepared for King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks Water and Land Resources Division Prepared by Herrera Environmental Consultants, Inc. RESTORATION FEASIBILITY REPORT LOWER MILLER RIVER Prepared for King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks Water and Land Resources Division River and Floodplain Management Section 201 S. Jackson Street Seattle, Washington 98104-3855 Prepared by Herrera Environmental Consultants, Inc. 2200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1100 Seattle, Washington 98121 Telephone: 206/441-9080 April 17, 2013 CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 Study Area Limits ....................................................................................... 1 Goal and Objectives .................................................................................... 1 Methodology .................................................................................................. 3 Geomorphic Assessment ............................................................................... 3 Habitat Assessment .................................................................................... 3 Side Channel ..................................................................................... 5 Overflow Channel ............................................................................... 5 Groundwater Channel .......................................................................... 5 Seasonally Flooded Wetland ................................................................... 6 Backwater ........................................................................................ 6 Tributary .......................................................................................... 6 Hydrologic Analysis ..................................................................................... 6 Rating Curve Construction ..................................................................... 8 Stream Flow Analysis ........................................................................... 9 Gage Installation and Preliminary Data ..................................................... 10 Hydraulic Analysis ..................................................................................... 10 Geometric Data ................................................................................. 13 Flow Hydrographs and Boundary Conditions ............................................... 14 Calibration ....................................................................................... 14 Results ........................................................................................................ 15 Geomorphic Assessment .............................................................................. 15 Habitat Assessment ................................................................................... 16 Background Information Review ............................................................. 16 Habitat Limiting Factors and Species Recovery Planning ................................ 18 Habitat Types ................................................................................... 18 Vegetation Conditions ......................................................................... 24 Observed Restoration Opportunities ........................................................ 25 Hydrologic Analysis .................................................................................... 29 Rating Curve Construction .................................................................... 29 Stream Flow Analysis .......................................................................... 30 Gage Installation and Preliminary Data ..................................................... 32 Hydraulic Analysis ..................................................................................... 34 Proposed Actions ...................................................................................... 47 Alternative 1 Restoration Actions ........................................................... 48 Alternative 2 Restoration Actions ........................................................... 48 Alternative 3 Restoration Actions ........................................................... 51 Alternative 4 Restoration Actions ........................................................... 52 i jr 10-04766-023 restoration feasibility report-miller river Summary of Findings ....................................................................................... 53 References ................................................................................................... 55 Appendix 1 Engineering Cost Estimates ii jr 10-04766-023 restoration feasibility report-miller river TABLES Table 1. Summary of Weather Station Data. ......................................................... 7 Table 2. Boundary Conditions Used in the HEC-RAS Hydraulic Models. .......................... 9 Table 3. Summary of Existing and Potential Habitat Types and Associated Areas (acreages) Within the Lower (RM 0 to RM 1) and Upper (RM 1 to RM 2) Reaches of the Miller River Study Area. .................................................. 23 Table 3. Individual Restoration Opportunities in the Lowest 2 Miles of the Miller River. ........................................................................................... 26 Table 4. South Fork HEC-RAS Rating Curve. ......................................................... 29 Table 5. Hydraulic Model Results at Selected Key Locations. .................................... 47 FIGURES Figure 1. Lower Miller River Project Area. ............................................................ 2 Figure 2. Upper Skykomish River Forks, Tributaries, Basins, and Gage Locations. ............ 11 Figure 3. Lower Miller River Habitat Map. ........................................................... 19 Figure 4. Log-Pearson Type 3 Distribution Fitting Results for the Synthetic Miller River Flow Series (Water Years 2000 to 2011). .......................................... 31 Figure 5. Miller River 2-, 10-, and 100-year Recurrence Interval Design Hydrographs. ....... 32 Figure 6. Stage Time Series from Gage Mounted onto Miller River Road Revetment. ........ 33 Figure 7. FLO-2D Results – 2-year Miller River Flood Flow Depth Under Existing Conditions. .................................................................................... 35 Figure 8. FLO-2D Results – 10-year Miller River Flood Flow Depth Under Existing Conditions. .................................................................................... 37 Figure 9. FLO-2D Results – 100-year Miller River Flood Flow Depth Under Existing Conditions. .................................................................................... 39 Figure 10. FLO-2D Results – 2-year Miller River Flood Flow Velocities Under Existing Conditions. .................................................................................... 41 Figure 11. FLO-2D Results – 10-year Miller River Flood Flow Velocities Under Existing Conditions. .................................................................................... 43 Figure 12. FLO-2D Results – 100-year Miller River Flood Flow Velocities Under Existing Conditions. .................................................................................... 45 Figure 13. Miller River Restoration Alternatives. ..................................................... 49 iii jr 10-04766-023 restoration feasibility report-miller river INTRODUCTION In January 2011, the Miller River avulsed through the Old Cascade Highway near the left bank abutment of an existing bridge over the river approximately 2 miles west of Skykomish, Washington, just upstream from its confluence with the South Fork Skykomish River (South Fork). The avulsion was largely complete immediately following the event. Because the highway crosses what is an extraordinarily active alluvial fan and replacement of the road washout area had many complicated factors including funding the recommended solution, the decision was ultimately made to close the road indefinitely. In addition to the highway closure, King County acquired a former monastery property on the northwest edge of the alluvial fan to avoid or minimize maintenance costs associated with flood control/damage, allow natural physical river processes, and restore or enhance habitat in the area. In addition support for this study was provided in part by the Natural Resources Damages (NRD) settlement made between Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology).King County retained Herrera Environmental Consultants (Herrera) to study the feasibility of designing and implementing a project to restore physical processes and habitat in the area, as part of the larger restoration feasibility analysis performed on the South Fork basin. The work was performed under Contract #E00201E10, Work Order E00201T. This technical memorandum presents the feasibility study. It outlines the approach, analytical methods, results, as well as the identification of specific restoration actions (project alternatives) that could be implemented to improve aquatic habitat on the Miller River fan in rural eastern King County, Washington. Study Area Limits The study area is the lowermost 2 miles of the Miller River (Figure 1), including all of the areas on its alluvial