UPPER SOUTH FORK OF THE JOHN DAY RIVER WATERSHED ASSESSMENT FINAL REPORT Prepared for Grant Soil and Water Conservation District 721 S. Canyon Blvd. John Day, Oregon 97845 Prepared by Michael B. Cole Rich J. Blaha and Jena L. Lemke ABR, Inc.—Environmental Research & Services P.O. Box 249 Forest Grove, Oregon 97116 November 2003 Printed on recycled paper. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................................................iv LIST OF TABLES......................................................................................................................................... v WATERSHED ISSUES ................................................................................................................................ x ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS.....................................................................................................xi CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE............................................................................................................................ 1 METHODS ................................................................................................................................................. 1 ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES................................................................................................................ 1 MAPPING ................................................................................................................................................ 1 WATERSHED OVERVIEW...................................................................................................................... 1 LOCATION AND SETTING .................................................................................................................. 1 ECOREGIONS AND VEGETATION .................................................................................................... 4 LAND USE AND OWNERSHIP ............................................................................................................ 7 GEOLOGY............................................................................................................................................... 7 SOILS..................................................................................................................................................... 10 CLIMATE .............................................................................................................................................. 10 HYDROLOGIC REGIME ..................................................................................................................... 10 SPECIAL DESIGNATIONS ................................................................................................................. 10 USFJDR WATERSHED COUNCIL ..................................................................................................... 11 REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................................... 11 CHAPTER 2: HISTORICAL CONDITIONS............................................................................................ 13 NATIVE AMERICANS ........................................................................................................................... 13 THE FIRST EURO-AMERICANS .......................................................................................................... 13 GRAZING................................................................................................................................................. 14 UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE...................................................................................................14 LOGGING ................................................................................................................................................ 14 AGRICULTURE ...................................................................................................................................... 15 FISHERIES............................................................................................................................................... 15 CONCLUSIONS....................................................................................................................................... 15 HISTORICAL CONDITIONS TIMELINE........................................................................................... 15 REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................................... 16 CHAPTER 3: CHANNEL HABITAT TYPES .......................................................................................... 17 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 17 METHODS ............................................................................................................................................... 17 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................................. 17 DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................................................... 18 DATA GAPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS......................................................................................... 21 REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER 4: HYDROLOGY AND WATER USE .................................................................................. 23 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 23 HYDROLOGIC CHARACTERIZATION............................................................................................... 23 PRECIPITATION .................................................................................................................................. 23 STREAM FLOW AND PEAK FLOW GENERATING PROCESSES ................................................ 23 HYDROLOGIC ASSESSMENT.............................................................................................................. 24 LAND USE ............................................................................................................................................ 24 POTENTIAL FORESTRY IMPACTS .................................................................................................. 26 POTENTIAL AGRICULTURE/RANGELAND IMPACTS ................................................................ 28 i USFJDR Watershed Assessment POTENTIAL FOREST AND RURAL ROAD IMPACTS ................................................................... 29 WATER USE CHARACTERIZATION .................................................................................................. 29 WATER RIGHTS .................................................................................................................................. 29 CONSUMPTIVE WATER USE............................................................................................................ 30 RESERVOIRS........................................................................................................................................ 30 WATER USE ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................................. 36 WATER AVAILABILITY .................................................................................................................... 36 FLOW-RESTORATION PRIORITY AREAS ...................................................................................... 37 CONCLUSIONS....................................................................................................................................... 41 DATA GAPS.......................................................................................................................................... 41 RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................................................... 41 REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................................... 41 CHAPTER 5: RIPARIAN AREAS............................................................................................................ 43 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 43 METHODS ............................................................................................................................................... 43 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................................. 49 RIPARIAN VEGETATION CONDITIONS ......................................................................................... 49 RIPARIAN RECRUITMENT POTENTIAL AND SITUATIONS ...................................................... 50 STREAM SHADING............................................................................................................................