FY2016 Nooksack Tribe Priority Project Planning

This project helped advance planning and design of priority habitat restoration projects that benefit South Fork Nooksack and North Fork/Middle Fork Nooksack early chinook.
• NF Nooksack (Xwqélém) Boyd Reach Design. The Nooksack Tribe is developing preliminary restoration design for the North Fork Nooksack River, Boyd Reach (RM 62.1-62.9), near Glacier in Whatcom County to to address North Fork/Middle Fork Nooksack chinook limiting factors of high channel instability and low habitat diversity. Restoration will be designed to: (1) improve fish passage into Boyd and Cascade Creeks by removing a barrier culvert; (2) increase floodplain connectivity by removing road fill from the floodplain; (3) reduce redd scour by increasing secondary channel length and stability; (4) increase habitat unit diversity by creating wood-formed scour pools; and (5) increase wood recruitment and shade by relocating a forest road out of the riparian zone. Specific outputs of the project include: (1) conceptual design for up to three alternatives; (2) NEPA review of alternatives; (3) geotechnical review of road relocation; (4) preliminary design drawings for preferred alternative; and (5) preliminary design report. The SRFB awarded $211,973 in PSAR funding (RCO #16-2055), and PCSRF FY16 contributed $13,004 to the required 15% match of $37,419. Preliminary design is expected by December 2021. The full project area of 148 acres is reported in metrics.
• NF Nooksack (Xwqélém) Maple Reach Design. The Nooksack Tribe had planned to use this funding to support development of 90% design for restoration of instream habitat in the North Fork Nooksack River, Maple Reach (RM 49.8-50.6), near Maple Falls in Whatcom County. However, no match was required or needed. Design was funded by RCO Grant #16-2051. Metrics are reported as 0.
• SF Nooksack Fish Camp (Ts’éq) Reach Design. The Nooksack Tribe worked with an engineering consultant to develop and evaluate alternatives and develop preliminary design for the preferred alternative for restoration of instream habitat in the South Fork Nooksack River, Fish Camp Reach (RM 9.0-9.6), near Acme in Whatcom County. The goal is to address South Fork (SF) Nooksack chinook limiting factors of lack of key habitat and low habitat diversity by designing restoration to: (1) increase habitat unit diversity by constructing log jams to form pools; and (2) increase floodplain connectivity and reduce flood risk by removing, lowering or setting back hydromodications to increase floodplain connectivity. Specific deliverables of the project include: (1) conceptual design report with evaluation of three alternatives and selection of a preferred alternative; and (2) preliminary design report and drawings. Preliminary design was completed in March 2021, supported with SRFB PSAR funding $227,661 (RCO #16-2052) with $56,470 provided by PCSRF FY16 funding. Full metrics of 138 acres are reported in this project.

Both South Fork Nooksack and North Fork/Middle Fork Nooksack early chinook populations are essential for ESU recovery, but wild abundances and productivity are critically low. All projects will advance design of high priority actions in high priority reaches for Nooksack early chinook populations. Restoration will also benefit ESA-listed steelhead and bull trout; coho, chum, pink, and (in the South Fork) riverine sockeye salmon; and cutthroat trout. The primary objectives of chinook habitat restoration in the South Fork Nooksack River is to address South Fork Nooksack early chinook limiting factors of lack of key habitat (deep pools with complex woody cover), low habitat diversity, and high water temperatures by restoring the stable log jams that historically formed pools, created temperature refuges, provided complex cover, and connected floodplains. Restoration in the North Fork Nooksack River is designed to increase egg-to-emergence and early rearing survival by increasing edge habitat diversity and by restoring stable side channels for spawning and rearing by promoting the establishment and growth of stable forest islands.