North Olympic Peninsula Watershed Page
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WRIA 18 Limiting Factor and Action Recommendation PrioritiesTo download the entire WRIA 18 Limiting Factor Analysis, click here. The following is a summary of the action recommendations of the Washington State Conservation Commission’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for each of the geographical units or sub-units in WRIA 18, based on the limiting factors analysis. The reader should note that updated limiting factor information is noted in bold-italic type. A more detailed description of the habitat limiting factors and the action recommendations in WRIA 18 can be found in the “Salmon and Steelhead Habitat Limiting Factors for WRIA 18” published by the Washington State Conservation Commission. Action recommendations should only be used to provide project focus if a Watershed Page or Prioritized List of Activities and Concepts is not available for a geographical unit or sub-unit. The full-length Limiting Factors Analyses can be found at this link. Limiting Factor Analyses incorporated information from Watershed Analyses and other assessments. Stakeholders and Project Sponsors should refer to these other assessments, if the Limiting Factor Analyses are deemed inadequate or incomplete in any way, although it is recognized that such incorporations of necessity were abbreviated or in some cases omitted maps or other specifics. Note: NOPLE recognizes that low nutrient levels, in most NOP watersheds, are pervasive.
Priorities: 1. County/City should adopt and implement a stormwater strategy for this rapidly developing watershed that will remediate current stormwater effects and minimize additional future effects 2. Stabilize the Highland Irrigation Ditch to ensure stability during high flow events to avoid potential for fine sediment contribution to Bell Creek 3. Restore the lower, channelized reach of Bell Creek (downstream of Schmuck Road) and properly integrate with the estuary. Restoration must included removal of dikes, meandering of the channel, excavation of pools, and additions of Large Woody Debris (LWD) 4. Assess LWD status in Bell Creek and tributaries; develop and implement a short-term LWD strategy to provide LWD presence and habitat diversity until full riparian function is restored 5. Restore functional riparian zones throughout the watershed, and identify and correct areas affected by unrestricted animal access 6. Complete comprehensive barrier inventory for Bell Creek, prioritize, and implement correction measures. 7. Review proposal to release treated Class-A water into Bell Creek and ensure any release does not adversely affect channel conditions or salmonid habitat.
• WDFW should actively enforce screening requirements on the irrigation
diversion upstream of Carrie Blake Park Priorities: 1. Pursue removal of the tidegate and restoration of saltmarsh habitat
in the estuary, including returning Gierin Creek to its former meandering
location, which essentially bisected the marsh 3. Restore functional riparian zones throughout watershed, particularly upstream of Holland Rd., and identify and correct areas affected by unrestricted animal access Priorities: 1. Develop and implement a strategy for restoring estuarine processes and fish passage in Cassalery Creek 2. Complete comprehensive barrier inventory for Cassalery Creek (particularly upstream of Woodcock Rd.), prioritize, and implement correction measures 3. Develop and implement a short-term LWD strategy to provide LWD presence and habitat diversity until full riparian function is restored 4. Restore functional riparian zones throughout the watershed, and identify and correct areas affected by unrestricted animal access Referrals: • Department of Ecology should conduct a comprehensive assessment of water diversions from Cassalery Creek, determine consistency with water rights, and enforce against unauthorized water withdrawals • The need to establish and ensure instream flows in Cassalery Creek should be referred to the HB 2514 Planning Unit • Department of Ecology should regularly monitor for chlorine presence downstream of Sunland Sewage Treatment Plant; remediate if necessary Priorities: 1. Modify the tidegate to allow significantly greater tidal flux into the Cooper Creek estuary 2. Modify or remove the water level control structure in the estuary to allow unimpeded fish passage 3. Restore the stream to a meandering configuration, utilizing historic natural channel, where practicable 4. Develop and implement a short-term LWD strategy to provide LWD presence and habitat diversity until full riparian function is restored 5. Restore functional coniferous riparian zones The Dungeness River Restoration Workgroup has developed a habitat restoration strategy for the lower 10.8 miles of the Dungeness River (Dungeness River Restoration Workgroup 1997). Several of the following salmonid habitat restoration action recommendations for the Dungeness River, directly result from their efforts. These action recommendations are not ranked, although the TAG indicates that sequencing of several of the recommendations is critical to habitat restoration success. In particular, it is critical to address problems associated with forest roads in the headwaters, and to restore functional floodplain processes (in the lower 2.6 miles of the Dungeness and upstream) early on to better ensure success of other important habitat restoration actions. Note: Detailed reach-specific action recommendations developed by the Dungeness River Restoration Workgroup are included in the Dungeness River “Blue Book” (Dungeness River Restoration Workgroup 1997). The action recommendations, listed below, are not ranked: • Provide necessary maintenance/restoration on forest roads in the upper watershed (and tributaries) to minimize potential of sediment delivery downstream. Numerous roads have remaining areas that are at very high risk of failure, and should receive immediate attention, and consideration for abandonment. Reduce forest road densities to <2.4 mi/mi 2 , which is the identified road density threshold of concern identified in the Federal Watershed Analysis. (A Critical Need) • Reestablish functional channel and floodplain in the lower 2.6 miles through dike management and constriction abatement (Dungeness River Restoration Workgroup 1997) (A Critical Need) • Abate man-made constrictions upstream of the Corps dike (everything upstream of RM 2.6) (Dungeness River Restoration Workgroup 1997) • Restore functional riparian zones throughout watershed, and identify and correct areas affected by unrestricted animal access. Restore suitable riparian vegetation and riparian adjacent upland vegetation (Dungeness River Restoration Workgroup 1997) • County should adopt and implement a stormwater strategy for this rapidly developing watershed, including tributaries, that will remediate current stormwater effects and minimize additional future effects • Develop and implement a short-term LWD strategy to provide LWD presence and habitat diversity until full riparian function is restored • Manage sediment to stabilize the channel and reduce the risk of flooding (Dungeness River restoration Workgroup 1997) • Construct and/or protect side channels (Dungeness River Restoration Workgroup 1997) • Conserve instream flows (Dungeness River Restoration Workgroup 1997). Review instream flow needs for the various salmonid species, as evaluated by the IFIM study, to determine critical periods and flows (Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe 1992). • Implement the recommendations of the Dungeness/Quilcene Plan, including the adoption of instream flows for the Dungeness River and development and implementation of a plan to restore flow. Identify and recommend in-stream flow needs to the HB2514 Planning Unit for implementation. • Improve efficiency of irrigation distribution network and commit conserved water to instream flow through incorporation into the Trust Water Rights process. Develop water use plan to reduce dependence on shallow groundwater withdrawals (Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe 1992). • Develop and implement a strategy to restore estuarine functions and habitat Dungeness Tributaries Meadowbrook Creek 18.0020 (Historic Tributary) Priorities: 1. Restore functions of historic wetlands associated with lower Meadowbrook Creek. 2. Identify and correct areas affected by unrestricted animal access 3. Increase the span of the Sequim-Dungeness Way bridge to improve floodplain function 4. Develop and implement a short-term LWD strategy to provide LWD presence and habitat diversity until full riparian function is restored 5. Restore functional riparian zones throughout watershed Priorities: 1. County should adopt and implement a stormwater strategy for this rapidly developing watershed, including tributaries, that will remediate current stormwater effects and minimize additional future effects 2. Restore functional channel conditions between Runnion Road and Old Olympic Highway 3. Identify and correct areas affected by unrestricted animal access 4. Cease the release of fine sediment-laden stormwater from irrigation delivery systems to Matriotti Creek 5. Complete comprehensive barrier inventory for Matriotti Creek, prioritize, and implement correction measures 6. Develop and implement a short-term LWD strategy to provide LWD presence and habitat diversity until full riparian function is restored 7. Restore functional riparian zones throughout watershed
• Refer restoration of tributary flows to Matriotti Creek (between Hooker and Atterberry roads) to the HB2514 Planning Unit for resolution Priorities: 1. Develop and implement a short-term LWD strategy to provide LWD presence and habitat diversity until full riparian function is restored 2. Restore functional riparian zones throughout watershed, particularly on WDFW-owned hatchery property Priorities: 1. Monitor fish passage conditions at and downstream of the low irrigation dam; maintain function of the Bear Creek alluvial fan. 2. Identify and correct areas affected by unrestricted animal access, fence and revegetate to reestablish functional riparian zones throughout the watershed 3. The Agnew Irrigation Company should cease the release of fine sediment-laden stormwater flows to Bear Creek 4. Develop and implement a short-term LWD strategy to provide LWD presence and habitat diversity until full riparian function is restored Priorities: 1. At a minimum, restore fish passage past the water intake dam, with dam removal as the preferred option to restore biological processes 2. Evaluate restoration potential of historic lower portion of Canyon Creek, through the terrace immediately adjacent to the Dungeness River; implement as practicable 3. Evaluate potential to stabilize active slide upstream of dam 4. Restore natural sediment transport downstream of dam 5. Introduce LWD to the channel downstream of the dam to retain river gravels, provide habitat diversity, and restore spawning habitat 6. Protect intact riparian zones upstream of the dam, restore functional riparian zones downstream of the dam Priorities: 1. Reduce the forest road density in the Caraco Creek watershed, 2. Maintain remaining forest roads in a manner that minimizes potential of mass wasting and fine sediment erosion Priorities: 1. Maintain riparian condition in Gray Wolf canyon 2. Evaluate the forest road network in the watershed and implement actions necessary to prevent entry of fines and mass wasting events to the Gray Wolf River All recommendations are of equal importance. • Maintain forest roads in a manner that minimizes potential of mass wasting and fine sediment erosion • Identify and map deep-seated failures and areas prone to shallow-rapid landslides; prevent land use activities (roads and harvest) that will exacerbate sediment contribution from these areas • Restore resident fish passage at road-stream crossings. • Restore natural channel characteristics in gabion-controlled section of lower basin • Maintain >60% of watershed in a condition that provides hydrologic maturity (>age 25) (Wild Salmonid Policy) • Restore forest road density to <2.4 mi/mi 2 , which is the threshold density of concern identified in the Federal Watershed Analysis; confine roads to areas not sensitive to mass failures All recommendations are of equal importance. • Restore stability of slide prone areas; ensure road cross-drainage is maintained; consider abandonment of roads located on active and potential slide areas; provide sediment detention BMPs on active slides where practicable • Avoid future road construction on slide prone areas ______________________ Priorities: 1. Evaluate cause of channel instability and develop and implement a corrective plan 2. Reforest timber harvested areas in the rain-on-snow zone; ensure that future timber harvest is done in a manner that maintains hydrologic maturity in the upper watershed 3. Restore LWD presence and function from the mouth upstream to the mouth of Pederson Creek (RM 4.9) ; addition of LWD in upper watershed to provide channel and bank stability may also be beneficial 4. Monitor/restore landslides on USFS lands 5. Identify options to reduce/eliminate the influence of Dungeness River water, conveyed through the irrigation system, on homing ability of Dungeness and McDonald origin salmonids Priorities: 1. Reduce the flow energy increase that resulted from removal of the culverts at Old Olympic Highway 2. Develop and implement a short-term LWD strategy in lower Siebert Creek to restore LWD presence and pools, particularly from the mouth to Highway 101 3. Abandon/relocate the forest road on East Fork 4. Restore stability of slide prone areas; ensure road cross-drainage is maintained; consider abandonment of roads located on active slide areas; provide sediment retention BMPs on active slides where practicable Priorities: 1. Limit conversion of upper watershed to non-forest cover 2. Evaluate fish passage through logjams in lower Bagley Creek and implement remedial modifications, where warranted (Mike McHenry) 3. Provide unrestricted fish passage through the Highway 101 culvert and correct the additional two fish passage barriers upstream 4. Prevent animal access to channel upstream of Highway 101 and restore functional riparian zones through this area 5. Replace the lowermost culvert on Bagley Creek Rd. to prevent backwatering during peak flow events and bank erosion and sediment deposition upstream of the culvert 6. Restore LWD presence throughout the channel. Develop and implement a short-term LWD strategy to provide LWD presence and habitat diversity until full riparian function is restored. 7. Adopt and implement instream flow requirements These are ranked with equal importance, although it is recognized that floodplain recovery will likely be needed in order for LWD restoration efforts to be successful. LWD restoration could be locally successful upstream of Four Seasons Park independent of floodplain recovery efforts. LWD restoration efforts should focus on recruitment of key piece sized conifer capable of remaining stable in the channel, creating in-channel diversity, and retaining gravel and smaller LWD. • Restore floodplain function downstream of RM 1.7, including the removal/pull back of dikes, elimination of floodplain constrictions, and restoration of natural banks • Restore LWD presence throughout the channel downstream of the natural falls at RM 4.9; develop and implement a short-term LWD strategy to provide LWD presence and habitat diversity until full riparian function is restored; ensure that LWD is passed downstream of the railroad trestle • Reestablish estuarine characteristics and function similar to historic conditions • Restore riparian function by encouraging conifer regeneration in deciduous stands that historically had a conifer component • Restore drift processes and recruitment of marine sediments to the west of Morse Creek. These actions are ranked in order of salmonid habitat restoration importance. 1. Improve passage conditions, initially at Highway 101 and at RM 0.1, and subsequently at other locations 2. Restore riparian presence and function, develop and implement a short-term LWD recovery strategy, and fence livestock away from the channel in agricultural areas on both the East and West forks 3. Identify and remove/correct floodplain constrictions 4. Evaluate flow and water quality impacts of runoff from the mill landfills, Highway 101, and agricultural areas of concern; remediate identified problems 5. Educate landowners in the watershed on the importance of providing functional salmon habitat, particularly in regard to LWD, riparian vegetation, and preventing animal access to the channel These actions are ranked in order of salmonid habitat restoration importance. 1. Restoration of natural floodplain function in the lower channelized portions of Ennis Creek 2. Restoration of the Ennis Creek intertidal estuary 3. Secure passage through Highway 101 by maintaining fishway/replace culvert with bridge 4. Collect and treat stormwater from Highway 101 and other impermeable surfaces 5. Restore damaged riparian areas and LWD presence and function throughout the channel 6. County/City should monitor water quality in the vicinity of the golf course Although Peabody Creek historically supported coho and possibly chum salmon, the number and magnitude of limiting factors result in little restoration potential for the stream as it currently exists. Restoration would require extensive culvert removal, extensive stormwater retrofit, and property acquisition in heavily urbanized portions of Port Angeles. Restoration should be considered for continued support of cutthroat, water quality, and other salmonids but may rank low for salmon and steelhead in comparison to restoration benefits in other streams in WRIA 18. The following action recommendations are not ranked: • Correction of passage problems • Collection and treatment of stormwater • Removal of instream fill on ONP lands • LWD/Riparian improvement projects The TAG agrees with the recommendations of the conceptual restoration
plan for Valley • Improve passage conditions and eliminate large reaches of culverts • Restore the lower ¾ mile of stream by re-meandering , restoring LWD, and recreating pools to the maximum extent possible • Reestablish floodplain process by reducing or eliminating floodplain constrictions, particularly downstream of Highway 101 • Remediate stormwater management in the watershed to collect, treat, and discharge stormwater in a manner that avoids adverse impacts to Valley Creek and other surface waters • Restore riparian vegetation communities and instream large wood In addition to these goals, the TAG recommends obtaining natural floodplain easements or land acquisition downstream of Highway 101. Such easements or land acquisition would facilitate restoration by allowing enough physical space to accommodate floodplain and riparian rehabilitation measures. A critical piece of property, north of Highway 101 was recently donated to the City of Port Angeles in 1998. This property includes 0.5 miles of stream corridor that was previously platted for development. These actions are ranked in order of salmonid restoration importance. 1. Remediate stormwater management in the watershed to collect, treat, and discharge stormwater in a manner that avoids adverse impacts to Tumwater Creek and other surface waters; particular attention should be given to eliminating stormwater discharges that are creating major sediment contribution off Black Diamond Road, and taking measures to stabilize erosion from the gully 2. Restore functional estuary processes 3. Remove channel constrictions in the lower channel and restore functional floodplain processes 4. Develop and implement a short-term LWD strategy to provide LWD presence and habitat diversity until full riparian function is restored 5. Restore functional riparian zones throughout the watershed These actions are ranked in order of salmonid restoration importance. In addition, the effects of the pipeline crossing on sediment transport should be further investigated. 1. Remediate stormwater impacts to the channel; ensure that stormwater impacts resulting from future construction in the watershed are fully addressed at the time of construction 2. Prevent further head-cutting in relocated reaches of Dry Creek 3. Develop and implement a short-term LWD strategy to provide LWD presence and habitat diversity until full riparian function is restored 4. Restore functional riparian zones throughout the watershed The following represents updated Limiting Factor Analyses information on the Elwha River. The reader should note that these major recommendations are not ranked. • Implementation of the Elwha River Restoration Act • Perform significant restoration actions that help prepare the lower Elwha River for dam removal ? Identify solutions to selected dikes and other channel constriction
problems WRIA 18 Nearshore & Subtidal Marine Areas These marine habitat action recommendations are not ranked; all are considered important to support the anadromous salmonid resources of WRIA 18 and other major watersheds that use the nearshore areas. • Restore drift processes and recruitment of marine sediments from the Elwha River and between the Elwha River and the west-end of Ediz Hook. • Restore drift processes and recruitment of marine sediments to the west of Morse Creek. • Minimize the growth of Ulva (spp) by eliminating point and non-point source nutrient delivery to shallow embayments with limited tidal flushing • Evaluate the effects of shoreline armoring on shoreline sediment transport and nearshore sediment composition, and implement corrective actions, where appropriate • Modify log-booming practices in Port Angeles Harbor to eliminate the accumulation of wood debris on the bottom of the harbor and restore subtidal substrate conditions that are affecting dissolved oxygen in the waters of the harbor and benthic production in areas affected by accumulations of wood waste • Restore unrestricted tidal flow and flushing to the north end of Washington Harbor • Study the removal or reconfiguration of the Rayonier pier to provide unrestricted nearshore salmonid migration and longshore sediment transport |