North Olympic Peninsula Watershed Page
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WRIA 20 Limiting Factor and Action Recommendation PrioritiesTo download the entire WRIA 20 Limiting Factor Analysis, click here. The following are summaries 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 20, based on the limiting factor 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 in WRIA 20 can be found in the “Salmon and Steelhead Habitat Limiting Factors for WRIA 20” 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 the 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.
Blockages – Numerous fish passage problems exist throughout these basins with riparian road floodplain impacts for Snag Creek and Thirty Cent Creek in the Sooes. High Water Temperatures - Specific data to assess the cause of the warm temperatures were not found. Lack of Marine Derived Nutrients - Stock status for many species is depressed, suggesting a lack of marine-derived nutrients. Numerous “poor” habitat conditions exist in the Ozette Basin
and they appear to be • Lack of LWD - The Ozette River, which drains the lake to the ocean, has been cleared of LWD. This lack of LWD has been suggested to contribute to reduced water level fluctuations in Lake Ozette which could be linked to vegetation encroachment and loss of beach spawning habitat. “Poor” LWD conditions exist in the tributaries, e.g., Umbrella Creek, Big River, Siwash Creek, etc., that flow into Lake Ozette. • Invasive Plants - Invasive plants, such as Reed canarygrass, are found along the lakeshores of Lake Ozette. • Excessive Sediment - Sediment is a major habitat limiting factor in Lake Ozette, resulting in degraded spawning habitat for lake spawning sockeye, but the cause of the high levels of fines is uncertain. Fine sediment levels are high in Umbrella Creek, Big River, and Siwash Creek. • Channel Incision & Bank Hardening - Some of the larger tributaries draining into Lake Ozette (Umbrella Creek, Big River, Siwash Creek) are incised with banks hardened by Reed canarygrass. • High Road Densities - Road densities are high in this basin, likely contributing to the sediment loads. • Riparian Conditions – “Poor” • Warm Water Temperatures – Washington State Department of Ecology accounts for the fact that warmer water temperatures in the Ozette Basin are a natural condition. Warm water temperatures combined with a lack of LWD are believed to contribute to poor upstream migratory conditions for adult Lake Ozette sockeye. • Poor Hydrologic Maturity • Altered estuary • Lack of Marine-Derived Nutrients. • Altered Estuary - All four sub-basins, i.e., Dickey, Soleduck, Calawah, and Bogachiel, drain into the Quillayute mainstem, which has a significantly altered estuary at the mouth of the Quillayute system. The estuary is regularly dredged as a matter of federal law because it lies within a navigable port and has armored and diked banks. Estuarine habitat is extremely limited within WRIA 20, and the Quillayute estuary is the largest estuary in the WRIA. The Quillayute estuary is located near known surf smelt (salmonid food item) spawning grounds and kelp that are important for salmonid rearing. Many upstream habitat problems are translated to the estuary and near shore habitat. Of particular concern are increased sedimentation and water flows. The increased flows are likely a result of several upstream problems, notably incised channels, reduced levels of LWD, and a loss of hydrologic maturity. • Altered Estuary - All four sub-basins, i.e., Dickey, Soleduck, Calawah, and Bogachiel, drain into a significantly altered estuary at the mouth of the Quillayute system. The estuary is regularly dredged, and has armored and diked banks. Estuarine habitat is extremely limited within WRIA 20, and the Quillayute estuary is the largest estuary in the WRIA. The Quillayute estuary is located near known surf smelt (salmonid food item) spawning grounds and kelp that are important for salmonid rearing. Many upstream habitat problems are translated to the estuary and near shore habitat. Of particular concern are increased sedimentation and water flows. The increased flows are likely a result of several upstream problems, notably incised channels, reduced levels of LWD, and a loss of hydrologic maturity. • Excessive Sedimentation – Excessive sedimentation in the Dickey is predominantly due to roads. • Riparian Impacts - Riparian impacts occur throughout the Dickey and are worsened because of windthrow. The strong windstorms in the winter destroy the riparian buffers left after recent timber harvest in susceptible areas. • Warm Temperatures - Warm water temperatures are another “poor” habitat condition throughout the Dickey sub-basin, and may be contributing to an increased distribution of squawfish, known predators of salmon. • Blockages - Blockages, such as culverts, are another major habitat problem in this sub-basin. The naturally low-gradient conditions result in a lack of natural blockages for salmonids, yet numerous culverts exist and should be addressed. • Low Water Flows - Low water flows in the summer are thought to limit the production of salmon and steelhead. Impacts that worsen low flows include a reduction of fog drip due to a loss of older conifers within the watersheds, as well as altered wetlands due to increased road sedimentation and loss of wetland riparian vegetation. • Lack of LWD - While historically, LWD was very abundant in these streams due to the low-gradients and hence, lack of downstream transport, LWD levels in the mainstems, especially in the East Fork Dickey River have recently decreased to low levels. Flooding in December, 1999 not only washed out LWD in the East Fork, but has also resulted in signs of channel instability. • Poor Floodplain Conditions - Riparian roads impact the floodplain conditions in Coal and Colby Creeks. The Soleduck sub-basin lies partly within the Olympic National Park (upper reaches) and partly in timber-managed, agricultural, and residential development. The contrast between the pristine habitat conditions within the Park is sharp compared to conditions further downstream. Outside of the Park boundaries, numerous major habitat problems exist. These major habitat problems are summarized below: • Excessive Sedimentation - Excessive sedimentation is a problem and stems mostly from landslides. High road densities are associated with the sedimentation problems. High levels of fine sediments are found in many Soleduck tributaries, which degrade the quality of spawning habitat. • Lack of LWD • Poor Riparian Conditions • Loss of Wetlands • Loss of Off-Channel Habitat • Warm Water Temperatures and Low Summer Flows - Warm water temperatures are a problem in the summer, potentially impacting adult migration and spawning of summer chinook and a unique summer coho run. A large potential habitat problem is the over-allocation of water from the river. Contributing to summer low flows and warm water temperatures is the “poor” hydrologic maturity (loss of fog drip, change in hydrology) outside of the Park boundaries. • Blockages - Blockages are a known major problem within Gunderson and Tassel Creeks. Note: An assessment, currently being conducted on the Bogachiel, may require these recommendations to be updated. • Severe Data Need - The Bogachiel sub-basin is lacking in specific data regarding many of the habitat conditions assessed in this report. Considering the number of salmon stocks and extent of salmon production from this drainage, this is a major data need. • Poor Riparian Conditions – Poor riparian conditions exist particularly along the mainstem. • Lack of LWD - LWD conditions are poor in the mainstem • Excessive Aggradation – Mainstem aggradation worsens downstream. • Collapsing Banks – Collapsing banks are a problem along the lower mainstem, and fines from exposed clay layers likely degrade spawning habitat. • Warm Water Temperatures - Warm water temperatures are a documented habitat problem in the lower Bogachiel. • Excessive Sedimentation – An extensive landslide problem exists in the sub-basin, mostly due to older roads but in some cases because of steep slopes (as per Quileute Tribe). Side-cast roads are a particular concern, and in general high road densities are found in the South Fork Calawah and in the headwaters of the North Fork Calawah. The excessive sedimentation is thought to contribute to dewatering in Hyas Creek, the North Fork Sitkum River, and Rainbow Creek. • Channel Instability - Channel instability is a major problem throughout the sub-basin and is likely a result of the excessive sedimentation, low levels of LWD and riparian road impacts. • Floodplain Impacts - Floodplain problems such as incision and riparian roads are significant in the North Fork Calawah, Cool Creek, Devil’s Creek, the South Fork Calawah, and Hyas Creek. • Lack of LWD – Low levels of LWD can be found in many areas of the South Fork drainage. • Warm Water Temperatures - Warm water temperatures are a documented problem in the South Fork Calawah. • A significant portion of the Hoh basin lies within the Olympic National Park, but downstream of the Park, considerable habitat problems exist. These habitat problems are summarized below: • Debris Flows - Debris flows are common and devastating, resulting in scoured, incised channels with few spawning gravels and LWD. Channel incision has exposed clay layers that contribute fines into the streams, further degrading salmonid habitat. The sources of sediment loads are primarily mass wasting and road erosion. • Lack of LWD • Poor Riparian Conditions • Blockages - Access problems from culverts and cedar spalts are numerous within the Hoh basin and are a major limiting factor. The spalts have degraded water quality, riparian and channel conditions as well. • Floodplain Impacts - Floodplain complexes are vital habitats within the Hoh basin, providing excellent rearing and winter refuge habitat. The loss and degradation of these floodplain complexes are significant impacts. Riparian roads are another extensive floodplain problem in the Hoh basin. • Reductions in Hydrologic Maturity - Reductions in hydrologic maturity have occurred in areas of the middle Hoh basin, and contribute to degraded floodplain habitat as well as a potentially altered flow regime. The loss of fog drip is a major concern pertaining to low summer flows in the Hoh. Independent Streams (Goodman Creek, Mosquito Creek, and Steamboat Creek)
• Excessive Sedimentation - Biologists have noted that sedimentation is a problem in some reaches of these creeks. • Altered Riparian Areas – Biologists have noted that some of the riparian areas have been altered along some reaches of all of these creeks. • Blockages - Numerous blockages from either culverts or spalts have been documented in Cedar and Steamboat Creeks. • Lack of LWD - The middle reaches of Goodman Creek have low levels of LWD.
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