Habitat Enhancement Effectiveness – Biological Monitoring & Evaluation VII

This project seeks to provide a cost share in order to allow survey training opportunities to better the crew members in their continued monitoring of the physical component complementary of the CTUIR Biomonitoring Plan (Stillwater, 2012) along with site level fish and macroinvertebrate response monitoring (Figure 1). Current monitoring includes Columbia Habitat Monitoring (CHaMP 2013) and BPA programmatic Action Effectiveness Monitoring (AEM) (Roni et al. 2013) habitat monitoring protocols in combination with biological data to provide detailed site scale fish/habitat relationship information comparable on a regional level. Continued emphasis on monitoring the physical limiting factors addressed by CTUIR restoration actions is critical in informing managers and implementers for guiding future restoration efforts.

The continuation of a long term macroinvertebrate study by Oregon State University (OSU) will also be funded under this project with a second year of increased emphasis on both aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates and their response to habitat complexity changes as a result of stream and floodplain restoration. In a continuation of efforts started under previous funding we propose to continue with the production of metrics identified from PHAMS that are suited for remote sensing methods (Table 2) for Meacham Creek (Figure 2) and another one to two sites to be determined at a later date.

Development of a coordinated monitoring effort at multiple scales will provide insightful information into the efficiencies of site, reach and segment scale metrics and their ability to inform fish population responses to reach and segment level physical processes. Implementation of habitat monitoring with methodologies outlined in PHAMS, consistent with the CTUIR River Vision, will create a process that is more fluent with the habitat assessment and prioritization framework in place. This could in turn build depth in monitoring datasets and potentially restructure the adaptive management feedback loop to be more timely and useful to implementers and provide a dissemination of information in a format that feeds back into the project design and implementation process.

Worksite #1 Proposed Work:
Proposed work for 2020 includes continued site level habitat monitoring of three sample locations within Meacham Creek (permanent technician time funded by BPA, training funded by PCSRF). Juvenile salmonid abundance surveys at each sample site during summer and fall seasons (permanent technicians funded by BPA). Collaboration of redd abundance surveys for spring Chinook and summer steelhead conducted throughout the Meacham tributary March-September (permanent technicians funded by BPA). Continuation of Meacham macroinvertebrate study through OSU subcontract (PCSRF funded). Continuation of the CHaMP/PHaMS methodology review and metric comparison with collection and processing of data (PCSRF funded).

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) is implementing a habitat restoration program with emphasis on reducing the effects of primary limiting factors (i.e. water temperature and habitat complexity) and restoring natural ecological processes. Biomonitoring sample sites have been selected for evaluating a biological response to habitat restoration; and the expected benefit is to improve habitat quality for adult holding and spawning, and juvenile rearing of fish species of interest. Monitoring habitat in parallel with fish surveys can provide valuable information regarding fish/habitat relationships.