If You Build It, Will They Come?

High variance within salmonidspawning gravel at restoration p g g

sites create more suitable habitat within the hyporheic zone

K JKaty Janes and Dr. Tim Horner

California State University, Sacramento

BackgroundBackground Salmon Spawning Habitat

Critical Indicators Significant Decline

www. treehugger.com/salmon

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

BackgroundBackground Lower American River

Kmusser, American River Watershed

Bureau of Reclamation

BackgroundBackground Lower American River

Folsom and Nimbus Dam Incised Sediment Starved

Folsom Dam Nimbus DamFolsom Dam Nimbus Dam

U.S. DOI Bureau of Reclamation http://www.flickr.com/5587935572/

BackgroundBackground Restoration Work-3 Phases

Phase 1: Pre Evaluation Phase 2: Remediation Project Phase 3: Post Treatment Monitoring and Evaluation

BACI Study Design

BackgroundBackground Restoration Work

4 Augmented Sites Natural High Use Spit

BackgroundBackground Spawning Habitat Requirements

Salmon Life Cycle

US Fish and Game

US Fish and Game

Bunte and Apt, 2001

US Fish and Game

BackgroundBackgroundb Spawning Habitat Requirements

Hyporheic Zone

Hyporheic HandbookHyporheic Handbook

DeVries, 2000

MethodsMethods Grain Size and it’s mobility

Hyporheic water quality

Surface and Subsurface Water Movement

G i Si d G i M biliMethodsMethods Grain Size and Grain Mobility

Wolman Pebble Count Bulk Sample Scour Chains Tracer Rocks

Postflood 1 Postflood 2Preflood

Scour Fill

Postflood 1 Postflood 2

flow

River Bed

Preflood

Scour Chain

Anchor

MethodsMethods Water Quality in the hyporheic zone

Dissolved Oxygen pH Electrical Conductivity Turbidity Temperature

Dissolved oxygen

Conductivity Flow-throughcell

Peristalticpump

pH

p

Turbidity

pump

MethodsMethods Water Movement

Surface Velocity, Depth, Direction

Subsurface gravelU lli / D lli Upwelling/ Down welling

ResultsResults Salmon Spawning Requirements

Appropriate sized gravel for all life stages

Cold shallow water

Fast moving water

Oxygenated hyporheic water

Flow through the gravel Flow through the gravel

ResultsResults Grain Size

Pre Restoration Post RestorationPre Restoration Post RestorationD50= 3 in

Poorly Sorted (Well Graded)D50= 1.25 in

Well Sorted (Poorly Graded)

Suitable Habitat Range

ResultsResultsd Dissolved Oxygen

Pre Restoration Post RestorationMean DO= 3-5.5 mg/L Mean DO= 9-10.5 mg/L

ResultsResultsl Water Flow Surface Flow

Depth, Velocity and Direction

ResultsResults Water Flow Subsurface Flow

Upwelling and Down welling

ResultsResults Water Flow

Surface FlowDepth, Velocity and Direction

Subsurface Flow Upwelling and Down welling

DiscussionDiscussion Physical and hydrological measurements over

time have indicated positive effects in thetime have indicated positive effects in the hyporheic zone

GOOD HABITAT is created by these R h bili i P jRehabilitation Projects

Not all Sites are being used equally

DiscussionDiscussion Not all Sites are being used equally

Redd LocationAugmented SitesNatural Spit

DiscussionDiscussion Compare Sites

DiscussionDiscussion Compare Sites

DiscussionDiscussion Compare Sites Statistically Density Histogram of Direction of FlowHighly Used Sites show High Variance = Heterogeneticg g

ConclusionConclusion Over time sites become Dynamic and Natural

ConclusionConclusion Over time sites become Dynamic and Natural

S l id t d t th it ith hi h l l Salmonids tend to use the sites with higher levels of variance

ConclusionConclusion Over time sites become Dynamic and Natural

S l id t d t th it ith hi h l l Salmonids tend to use the sites with higher levels of variance

Variance through gravel contours may be effective creating a heterogenetic habitat

ConclusionConclusion Over time sites become Dynamic and Natural

S l id t d t th it ith hi h l l Salmonids tend to use the sites with higher levels of variance

Variance through gravel contours may be effective creating a heterogenetic habitat

Manufacturing small scale pool and riffles as the gravel is added may create sub habitatsgravel is added may create sub habitats

ConclusionConclusion Over time sites become Dynamic and Natural

S l id t d t th it ith hi h l l Salmonids tend to use the sites with higher levels of variance

Variance through gravel contours may be effective creating a heterogenetic habitat

Manufacturing small scale pool and riffles as the gravel is added may create sub habitatsgravel is added may create sub habitats

Managers can allow resilience of restoration gprojects

Thank YouThank You

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