Water quality and riparian monitoring in the Lower Columbia

This project helped establish additional water quality monitoring sites within agricultural watersheds, monitor riparian vegetation along agricultural lands, and augment collaboration on monitoring activities with state and federal agencies and watershed councils. Data gathered through the water quality monitoring sites, riparian monitoring, and evaluation of other agencies’ and organizations’ information has been and will continue to be used to direct program efforts to maximize water quality and habitat improvements, habitat management and restoration, and action effectiveness evaluation.

This project addressed several limiting factors in the Lower Columbia River Conservation and Recovery Plan, including agricultural land management impacts to riparian vegetation, high water temperatures, and runoff of pollutants including nutrients and pesticides. Strategies identified in the recovery plan to address limiting factors include restore riparian condition and large woody debris recruitment, improve water quality, and identify and reduce sources of sediment.

The monitoring activities proposed as part of this project will help direct restoration activities. One of the proposed water quality monitoring sites are located within this ESU, on the Hood River. Riparian monitoring will also occur in the Hood River watershed. ODA will use these data, in addition to data gathered from state and federal agencies and watershed councils from other monitoring sites throughout the Lower Columbia ESU, to work with SWCDs to direct work strategically.

Goal is to achieve water quality standards to ensure that the Lower Columbia River and its tributaries can support healthy populations of salmonids and other aquatic life. Purpose is to work with SWCDs, watershed councils and other stakeholders to ensure restoration efforts are targeted at highest priority restoration needs and are effective at improving riparian conditions and water quality. ODA staff coordinate with federal, state and local partners to help ensure riparian restoration activities are coordinated with in-stream habitat restoration to make effective use of restoration resources and to restore stream function to meet water quality and fish management goals. Expected benefits include reduction in thermal loading to rivers, improved riparian condition and reduction in loading of agricultural chemicals and sediments to the river.