South Fork Trinity River Supplemental Watershed Assessment South Fork Trinity River Supplemental Watershed Assessment Prepared by: The Watershed Research and Training Center PO Box 356 Clinic Avenue Hayfork, CA 96041 Funded by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Restoration Grant Program FRGP Grant Number: P131 0304 Contributing authors: Joshua Smith, Cindy Buxton, Claudia Voigt and Marie Buell The Watershed Research and Training Center J. Eli Asarian-Riverbend Sciences, Weaverville, CA Samantha Chilcote-Samantha Chilcote Consulting, Weaverville, CA James Lee-James Lee Consulting, Weaverville, CA June 30, 2016 Suggested Citation: Watershed Research and Training Center (WRTC). 2016. South Fork Trinity River Supplementary Watershed Assessment 2014-2016. Prepared by The Watershed Research and Training Center, Hayfork, CA for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Restoration Grant Program. 58p. + appendices. i TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 6 South Fork Trinity River Watershed Assessment – Project Overview ..................................................................... 6 Reporting Format – How to Use this Report ........................................................................................................... 6 Overview of the Watershed ........................................................................................................................................ 7 Location ................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Hydrology ................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Geology .................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Soils ........................................................................................................................................................................ 10 Vegetation ............................................................................................................................................................. 11 Climate ................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Fire ......................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Wildlife ................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Fisheries ................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Land Use ................................................................................................................................................................ 17 Population ............................................................................................................................................................. 19 History ................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Pertinent Attributes ................................................................................................................................................... 21 Water Quality ........................................................................................................................................................ 21 Temperature .......................................................................................................................................................... 21 Sediment ................................................................................................................................................................ 21 Past Studies and Projects ........................................................................................................................................... 22 Southern Oregon Northern California Coho Recovery Plan (SONCC) .................................................................... 22 PWA Action Plan .................................................................................................................................................... 22 Watershed Assessments ........................................................................................................................................ 22 Spring Chinook in the SFTR .................................................................................................................................... 23 California State Agencies ....................................................................................................................................... 23 Watershed Assessment Summary, Conclusions, and Discussion .............................................................................. 24 Water Conservation ............................................................................................................................................... 24 FRGP Task .......................................................................................................................................................... 24 Summary of Assessment .................................................................................................................................... 24 Data Gaps .......................................................................................................................................................... 29 Conclusions and Recommendations .................................................................................................................. 29 Stream Temperature Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 37 FRGP Task .......................................................................................................................................................... 37 ii Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 38 Data Gaps .......................................................................................................................................................... 38 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................................ 39 Riparian Vegetation Assessment and Plan ............................................................................................................ 43 FRGP Task .......................................................................................................................................................... 43 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 43 Data Gaps .......................................................................................................................................................... 44 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................................ 45 Other Considerations ......................................................................................................................................... 47 Fish Passage at Stream Diversion Assessment ...................................................................................................... 49 FRGP Task: ......................................................................................................................................................... 49 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 49 Data Gaps .......................................................................................................................................................... 50 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................................ 50 Fish Passage at Stream Mouth Assessment ........................................................................................................... 51 FRGP Task: ......................................................................................................................................................... 51 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 51 Data Gaps .......................................................................................................................................................... 52 Conclusions