NASON CREEK TRIBUTARY ASSESSMENT Chelan County, Washington BUREAU OF RECLAMATION TECHNICAL SERVICE CENTER, DENVER, CO, AND PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGIONAL OFFICE, BOISE, ID. JULY 2008 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and provide access to our Nation’s natural and cultural heritage and honor our trust responsibilities to Indian tribes and our commitments to island communities. MISSION OF THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. Cover photo: View looking upstream at the railroad grade that defines the left bank. Nason Creek – Wenatchee River subbasin, Washington. (Reclamation photograph by R. McAffee, May 2, 2007). NASON CREEK TRIBUTARY ASSESSMENT CHELAN COUNTY, Washington BUREAU OF RECLAMATION TECHNICAL SERVICE CENTER, DENVER, CO, AND PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGIONAL OFFICE, BOISE, ID. JULY 2008 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and provide access to our Nation’s natural and cultural heritage and honor our trust responsibilities to Indian tribes and our commitments to island communities. MISSION OF THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. REPORT AUTHORS AND REVIEWERS Report Author Organization Contribution Jennifer Bountry, Sedimentation & River Hydraulics Sediment and hydraulic P.E., M.S., Hydraulic Group (86-68240), Technical Service analysis, human impacts, Engineer Center, Bureau of Reclamation, geomorphic analysis, Denver, CO restoration strategy, Lucille A. Piety, Geology, Geophysics, & Geology, human impacts, Geomorphologist / Seismotectonics Group, Technical geomorphic analysis, Geologist Service Center, Bureau of restoration strategy Reclamation, Denver, CO Robert McAffee, Geology, Exploration, and Geology, human impacts, Geologist Instrumentation Group, Pacific geomorphic analysis, Northwest Regional Office, Bureau of restoration strategy Reclamation, Boise, ID Edward W. Lyon, Jr. Geology, Exploration, and Geology L.G., M.S., Geologist Instrumentation Group, Pacific Northwest Regional Office, Bureau of Reclamation, Boise, ID Cindy Raekes, Wenatchee River Ranger District, Biological information and Fisheries Technician U.S. Forest Service, Leavenworth, restoration strategies WA David Sutley, M.S., Flood Hydrology and Meteorology Hydrology Hydraulic Engineer Group, Technical Service Center, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO Kurt Willie, M.A., GIS Sedimentation & River Hydraulics Map atlas Analyst Group, Technical Service Center, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO Todd Maguire, Resources and Technical Services, Chapter 2 of main report Regional ESA Pacific Northwest Regional Office, Coordinator Bureau of Reclamation, Boise, ID Douglas J. Bennett, Geology, Exploration, & Regional geology and L.E.G., M.S., Geologist Instrumentation Group, Pacific watershed conditions Northwest Regional Office, Bureau of Reclamation, Boise, ID Dave Sisneros, Environmental Applications and Floodplain vegetation Research Botanist Research (86-68220), Technical Nason Creek Tributary Assessment Service Center, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO Johnny Boutwell, Environmental Applications and Floodplain vegetation Research Botanist Research (86-68220), Technical appendix Service Center, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO Debra Callahan, SAIC Embedded Contractor to Bureau Floodplain vegetation Natural Resources or Reclamation appendix Biologist Report Reviewer Organization Contribution Richard A. Link, Geology, Exploration, & Main report and Regional Geologist Instrumentation Group, Pacific appendices B, C, E, F, Northwest Regional Office, Bureau of and J; (vegetation and Reclamation, Boise, ID hydrology reviewed separately) Paula Makar, P.E., Sedimentation & River Hydraulics Main report and M.S., Hydraulic Group (86-68240), Technical Service appendices B, E, F, and Engineer Center, Bureau of Reclamation, J; Denver, CO Robert C. Hilldale, Sedimentation & River Hydraulics Appendix G and H P.E., M.S. Hydraulic Group (86-68240), Technical Service Engineer Center, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO Robert E. Swain, Flood Flood Hydrology and Meteorology Appendix D Hydrology Technical Group, Technical Service Center, Specialist Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO Denise Hosler, Environmental Applications and Floodplain vegetation Research Botanist Research (86-68220), Technical appendix Service Center, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO Cameron Thomas, U.S. Forest Service, Okanogan and Biological information and Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forest; Appendix A Wenatchee Forest Fish Wenatchee, WA Program Manager Vickie Barnes, Natural Liaison and Coordination, Pacific Document editing and Resources Technical Northwest Regional Office, Bureau of production coordination Writer/Editor Reclamation, Boise, ID Nason Creek Tributary Assessment ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors of this report appreciate the support and input of a number of people and previous work that aided the completion of the Nason Creek tributary assessment. Prior to initiation of this assessment, research and analyses of portions of the Nason subwatershed were completed by other agencies, universities, and organizations which provided substantial information for this assessment. We gratefully acknowledge all of the individuals whose work facilitated a greater understanding of the physical processes being evaluated in this assessment. Cameron Thomas at the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) was instrumental in establishing the initial scope and integration of geomorphic information with habitat conditions and goals. Cindy Raekes and Dave Hopkins from the USFS provided critical input to help link physical processes with habitat issues. Patrick Murphy, Jim Haberberger, and Tom Robinson from USFS were very helpful in obtaining aerial photography and ArcGIS information from previous efforts in the Nason Creek subwatershed. Jim Hadfield from the USFS provided important guidance for the vegetation assessment. Steve Kolk (Reclamation’s Wenatchee Subbasin Liaison), Mary Jo Sanborn, Joy Juelson, and Alan Schmidt (Chelan County Natural Resources Department), and members of the Wenatchee (WRIA 45) Habitat Subcommittee all assisted with passing on an abundance of local knowledge on past and present river conditions. The Cascadia Conservation District assisted with locating historical aerial photographs. The Wenatchee historical museum graciously provided access to copy historical photographs from settlers in the Wenatchee subbasin. Rick Wood from Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) shared historical flood knowledge and videos that were valuable to learn from. We are grateful to all of the landowners who allowed the Bureau of Reclamation or contractors access to their properties for the purpose of the assessment and provided local knowledge of flooding issues. A special thanks to all the other individuals not mentioned above that also contributed during meetings and field visits to help the team process and interpret findings. Nason Creek Tributary Assessment Nason Creek Tributary Assessment CONTENTS Page 1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................. 5 1.1 Background and Need............................................................................... 7 1.2 Purpose and Scope ................................................................................... 9 1.3 Authority .................................................................................................... 9 1.4 Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion ..................... 11 1.5 Report Methodology ................................................................................ 11 1.6 Report Organization and Products........................................................... 13 2. LINKAGE TO IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING................................... 15 2.1 Tributary Reach-based Approach............................................................ 15 2.2 Potential for Linking the Tributary Reach-based Approach with Monitoring and Adaptive Management.................................................... 17 3. GEOMORPHIC REACH DELINEATION ........................................................... 19 4. BIOLOGICAL OVERVIEW FOR NASON.......................................................... 21 4.1 Historical Occurrence/Abundance of ESA Fish Species in the Nason Watershed.................................................................................... 22 4.2 Spatial Distribution of Present Fish Use .................................................. 23 4.3 General Timing of Fish Use in Nason Creek by Species and Life Stage ....................................................................................................... 24 4.4 Biological Overview by Geomorphic Reach............................................. 25 4.4.1 Habitat in Reach 1: Coles Corner to Rest Area (RM 4.6 to RM 8.9)......................................................................................... 25 4.4.2 Habitat in Reach 2: Rest Area (RM 8.9 to RM 9.4)...................... 26 4.4.3 Habitat in Reach 3: Rest Area to White Pine Railroad Bridge (RM 9.4 to RM 14.3) ....................................................................