North Olympic Peninsula Watershed Page

• For Salmon Recovery Planning and Watershed Pages by WRIA, click here
• For Salmon and Habitat Information Resources, click here

Return to NOPLEGroup.org Table of Contents, Site Map

DRAFT, last updated 3/15/05

Crescent-Lyre Watershed Page – WRIA 19, Tier 1

A. Watershed Information:

1. General Watershed Description: <>
2. Hatchery impacts:
• Quillayute System Hatchery Winter Steelhead by WDFW (North Coast, p. 181 "plants in April at five fish per pound are as follows: 50,000 to the Calawah River, 5,000 to the Clallam River, 20,000 to Goodman Creek, 25,000 to the Lyre River, 5,000 to Morse Creek, and 10,000 to the Pysht River.")
• Smaller Watersheds hatchery Winter Steelhead by WDFW (Eastern Straits, p. 40 "smolts are planted in the Lyre River (25,000), Pysht River (10,000) and Morse Creek (5,000")
• NOPLE Strategy Table 4. Current Hatchery Information. The NOPLE TRG discussed the steelhead smolt outplants in the Lyre. The TRG received a citizens comment that the smolt outplants have “ruined the wild population”. It was noted that the smolts are planted twice a year, concurrent with the chum run.
• More hatchery information
3. Harvest impacts: More harvest information.
4. Stakeholders:
• Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe is co-manager of fisheries with WDFW; Public landowners include WDNR (campground at mouth), Washington Department of Transportation (SR 112 and Hwy 101), and Olympic National Park. Major private landowners include Merrill and Ring, Green Crown,
5. Tier explanation (from NOPLE Salmon Habitat Recovery Strategy): Historic Productivity: 4; Current Productivity: 2. While the Crescent-Lyre is smaller than others within Tier 1, historically it was considered to be highly productive. Declines in productivity to current levels within the Crescent-Lyre was smaller relative to other basins, although surveys of the river during the last decade indicate Chum stocks are declining and the reason for this needs to be studies. The Nelson and Susie Creek (tribs) are highly productive of coho. Also, there is a mainstem component that is different in time—it arrives much earlier. Also important is the functioning of the Crescent Complex—the area upstream of the falls. It could be argued that the Beardslees should be considered unique stocks and represent an ESU which is not healthy. However, Beardless have not been proposed and are not currently listed. It was noted that the Beardslee trout and the unique character of Lake Crescent are worth protecting. The all of these justify a Tier 1 assignment.
6. Bibliography:

• NOPLE Summary Limiting Factors for WRIA 19
• WRIA 19 Limiting Factor Analysis: Lyre River Abstract
• For more information about stocks, habitat, and watershed processes, check out Documentation (Appendix E).

B. Salmon Habitat Recovery Priorities:

1. Salmonid stocks & their status. From State of Our Watersheds Report 2004, NWIFC SSHIAP, p. 132:
   

   SASSI Stocks (SaSI)	ESA Status	Origin	Prod_Type	1992 Stock Status	2002 (WDFW) Stock Status*
   Lyre Fall Chum (Map)	Not warranted	Native	Wild	Unknown	Unknown
   Lyre Coho (Map)	Not warranted	Mixed	Wild	Unknown	Unknown
   Lyre Winter Steelhead (Map)	Not warranted	Unresolved	Unresolved	Unkonwn	Unknown

   * 2002 WDFW SaSI is incomplete and incorrect and additional information about specific stocks is available from local co-manager fisheries biologists.
   The Lyre Winter Chum stock appears to be a distinct stock based on their run time. This particular stock appears to be the biggest population on the Olympic Peninsula, even though its habitat appears to be radically different from habitats generally associated with chum. For instance, there is no estuary, above falls, good population of resident stock.  The Lyre appears to have had only two major stocks, a late chum and an early coho (although the Susie/Nelson coho run may have been a separate stock), along with a small run of steelhead, and a moderate run of cutthroat. Lyre winter chum run stood alone as unique, but has sufferened a severe decline for unknown reasons, resulting in an large loss of chum in a river where it was strange to be in the first place.  As a unique population, it must be cherished and perserved. 
2. Priority salmon stocks. Lyre chum because of their historic potential and their uniqueness. Stock has been degraded significantly and recovery is a high priority.
3. Priority Limiting Watershed Process & Habitat Features. The following habitat features and/or watershed processes are responsible for the poor PVCs identified above:
• See Limiting Factor Summaries from NOPLE Strategy Documentation (Appendix E) and Abstract from WRIA 19 LFA (p 6)
4. Major actions to protect and improve: The following major actions are necessary to protect and improve the above-identified priority salmonid stocks:
• See Recommendations from Abstract from WRIA 19 LFA (p 6)
• See additional recommendations from bibliography under Section A above
5. Priority actions and areas: The following priority actions and areashave been specifically identified as priorities in resolving the priority limiting watershed processes and habitat features identified above:
• See Attached Table of "Priority Actions and Areas"
• OR see NOPOE Strategy Section F
6. Community issues: The following community issues are relevant to protecting and restoring the above-identified priority salmonid stocks in this particular watershed:
   • NOPLE Strategy Section G

C. Recovery Projects:

• See Funded Salmon Habitat Recovery Projects

D. Monitoring:

• Washington Department of Ecology
• WDOE 303(d) Map
• Streamkeepers of Clallam County

E. Emerging Issues: