Final Draft THURSTON COUNTY SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM UPDATE Inventory and Characterization Report SMA Grant Agreements: G0800104 and G1300026 June 30, 2013 Prepared By: Thurston County Planning Department Building # 1, 2nd Floor 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW Olympia, WA 98502-6045 This page left intentionally blank. Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................ 1 REPORT PURPOSE .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM UPDATES FOR CITIES WITHIN THURSTON COUNTY ...................................................................... 2 REGULATORY OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................. 2 SHORELINE JURISDICTION AND DEFINITIONS ........................................................................................................................ 3 REPORT ORGANIZATION .................................................................................................................................................. 5 2 METHODS ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 DETERMINING SHORELINE JURISDICTION LIMITS ................................................................................................................... 7 DATA AND INFORMATION SOURCES ................................................................................................................................. 10 ANALYSIS OF ECOSYSTEM-WIDE PROCESSES ...................................................................................................................... 10 Freshwater ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 Marine (Nearshore) ............................................................................................................................................ 11 Terrestrial Wildlife Habitat Assessment ............................................................................................................. 12 SHORELINE REACH-SCALE INVENTORY .............................................................................................................................. 12 Reach Break Determination ............................................................................................................................... 13 Reach ID ............................................................................................................................................................. 13 Reach Length ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 Inventory Elements ............................................................................................................................................. 14 3 ECOSYSTEM PROFILE .................................................................................................................................. 26 REGIONAL OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................... 28 Thurston County Shorelines ................................................................................................................................ 28 Topography ........................................................................................................................................................ 31 Geology .............................................................................................................................................................. 32 Climate ............................................................................................................................................................... 33 Landcover ........................................................................................................................................................... 36 OVERVIEW OF KEY SPECIES AND HABITATS IN THURSTON COUNTY ....................................................................................... 37 Thurston County Critical Areas ........................................................................................................................... 37 Important Habitats and Species ......................................................................................................................... 39 Nearshore Habitats and Species ........................................................................................................................ 46 Freshwater Habitats ........................................................................................................................................... 51 4 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORIC RESOURCES ........................................................................................... 55 REGULATORY OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................... 55 DEFINING ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORIC RESOURCES ....................................................................................................... 56 SUMMARY OF SHORELINE CULTURAL AND HISTORIC RESOURCES WITHIN SHORELINE PLANNING AREA: .......................................... 56 WRIA 11 – Nisqually - Cultural and Historic Resources ...................................................................................... 58 WRIA 13 – Deschutes - Cultural and Historic Resources..................................................................................... 58 WRIA 14 – Kennedy/Goldsborough - Cultural and Historic Resources ............................................................... 59 WRIA 23 – Lower Chehalis - Cultural and Historic Resources ............................................................................. 59 DATA SOURCES ........................................................................................................................................................... 60 Cultural Resource Staff Contacts ........................................................................................................................ 60 5 WRIA 11 (NISQUALLY)................................................................................................................................. 62 WRIA 11 Characteristics ..................................................................................................................................... 62 LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................................... 63 Process Controls ................................................................................................................................................. 63 Landscape Process Important Areas and Alterations ......................................................................................... 64 Process-based Management Recommendations ............................................................................................... 70 SHORELINE REACH-SCALE INVENTORY .............................................................................................................................. 71 i Basins ................................................................................................................................................................. 71 Alder Lake Basin ................................................................................................................................................. 73 Bald Hill Lake Basin ............................................................................................................................................ 75 Clear Lake Basin ................................................................................................................................................. 77 Deschutes River .................................................................................................................................................. 79 Elbow Lake Basin ................................................................................................................................................ 80 Lake Lawrence Basin .......................................................................................................................................... 81 McAllister Creek Basin ........................................................................................................................................ 82 Nisqually Basin ................................................................................................................................................... 92 Spurgeon Creek Basin ....................................................................................................................................... 103 Thompson Creek (Nisqually) Basin ................................................................................................................... 104 Woodland Basin ..............................................................................................................................................