blue slough presentation
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Reconnecting a River:Through the Woods and Under a Trail
Presented byPat Stevenson, Stillaguamish Tribe of IndiansTracy Drury, P.E., Anchor QEA LLC
Salmon Habitat Conference, Great Wolf LodgeApril 26th, 2011
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
Chinook Salmon DistributionChinook Salmon Distribution
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
Status of Chinook PopulationsStatus of Chinook Populations
• Current Stillaguamish Chinook salmon populations are about 8% of historic levels
• Factors of decline include:– Land conversion– Forestry– Agriculture– Fishing– Population growth– Urban development
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
Habitat Limiting FactorsHabitat Limiting Factors
• Estuary/nearshore• Riparian areas• Large woody debris• Floodplain• Sediment• Hydrology
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
Stillaguamish Chinook 10-Year Stillaguamish Chinook 10-Year Habitat Recovery Project CostsHabitat Recovery Project Costs
SIRC Watershed Goal Projects Units Cost/Unit Total Costs
Landslide Treatments Treat 2 $ 4,500,000 Sediment
Forest Road Treatment (miles) 106 $ 30,000 $ 3,180,000 Instream Wood Engineered Log Jams 51 $ 67,000 $ 3,417,000
Riparian Acres Planted 400 $ 7,500 $ 3,000,000
Acres Restored 195 $ 20,000 $ 3,900,000 Estuary
Acres Created 120 $ 6,700 $ 804,000 Side Channel Acres Restored 30.0 $100,000 $ 3,000,000
$ 21,801,000
Possible Acquisition 1445 $ 6,000 $ 8,670,000
+40% Contingency & Inflation Total $ 42,659,400
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
Blue Slough Reconnection ProjectBlue Slough Reconnection Project
• Project was originally proposed in the 1970’s
• Concern arose about:– Culverts under the trail– Allowing the river to flow into the existing
channel– Potential impacts to property
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
Project ManagementProject Management
• Sponsor – Stillaguamish Tribe• Manager – Pat Stevenson with assistance
from Tribal biologists and field technicians
• Partners – Engineering: Anchor QEA– Landowners: Bob Soelberg, Stillaguamish
County Club, Snohomish County Parks and Recreation
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
Project BudgetProject Budget
• Phase 1 – Removal of fine sediment and organic matter from channel– NFWF $30,000– Landowner match $30,000
• Phase 2 – Excavation of Blue Slough channel– $420,000 – Match $80,000
• Phase 3 – Connection of channel to river– $200,000– Match $38,000
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
Site Map – Aerial ViewSite Map – Aerial View
2,600 ft of new channel
1,200 ft of improved channel
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
Site Map – Topographic ViewSite Map – Topographic View
1,200 ft of improved channel
2,600 ft of new channel
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
Project Site PlanProject Site Plan1,200 ft of improved channel
Lower pond~3.65 acres
Upper pond~1.27 acres
1,030 ft channel
6-ft culvert
9-ft culvert
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
Design ConceptDesign Concept
• Series of model runs and calculations• Iterative process• Chinese menu to select from for design
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
SurprisesSurprises
• Channel excavation resulted in significant increase in groundwater contributions
• First flood event (54,000 cfs) >20% greater than previous flood of record
• Upstream culvert plugged with fine materials, small branches, grasses, leaves
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
Lessons LearnedLessons Learned
• Disturbance of mainstem bed materials altered the natural armoring in the bed
• Flood lowered the channel grade adjacent to the upstream culvert – reduced connectivity
• Channel excavation provided significant increase in groundwater providing year round downstream connection
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
Immediate BenefitsImmediate Benefits
• Coho and chum spawning in the side channel
Salmonids caught in Blue Slough fyke trap 3/15 - 3/16/11
1
10
100
1000
Chinook Coho 0+ Coho 1+ Chum Steelhead Non-Salmonids
Species
Nu
mb
er o
f In
div
idu
als
STILLAGUAMISH STILLAGUAMISH TRIBE OF TRIBE OF INDIANSINDIANS
QuestionsQuestions