Upper Salmon Basin Hydrologic Monitoring and Analyses

Salmonid Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RM&E)

Project ID	003 21 SA
Recovery Domains	Snake River
Start Date	04/01/2022
End Date	06/30/2023
Year	2021
Status	Completed
Last Edited	02/27/2024

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Description

Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) supported salmonid recovery efforts in the Upper Salmon Basin by providing mission-critical hydrologic data and analyses to the Upper Salmon Basin Watershed Program (USBWP) Tech Team and other stakeholders. This project aided the development and evaluation of habitat improvement and water transactions projects, helped explore potential future projects, and predicted the catchment-scale impacts of potential changes to land use and climate. Data collected under this project contributed to effectiveness monitoring at a watershed scale/Intensely Monitored Watershed (IMW) efforts in the Lemhi Basin. IDWR staff attended planning meetings and provided technical expertise on the hydrogeology of the Upper Salmon Basin.

Project actions to aid project managers included: 1) collecting surface water, groundwater, soil moisture, and water quality data, 2) analyzing spatiotemporal trends in the data and presenting findings to the USBWP Tech Team 3) updating and running the Lemhi River Basin Hydrologic Model to assess the hydrology and habitat implications of projects.

A final report, entitled “Upper Salmon Basin Hydrologic Monitoring and Analyses” has been provided to NOAA. Streamflow data can be accessed via the IDWR web portal, Aqua Info (https://research.idwr.idaho.gov/apps/hydrologic/aquainfo/Home/Data#!/), which is updated on an annual basis. Continuous Surface Water Temperature Data and soil moisture data is posted on an annual basis at https://idwr.idaho.gov/water-data/projects/upper-salmon/references/. Groundwater level data has been posted to the IDWR web portal https://idwr-groundwater-data.idaho.gov/applications/public.html?publicuser=public#waterdata/stationoverview

Project Benefit

This work supports the overarching objective to improve salmonid recovery efforts in the Upper Salmon Basin by measuring and analyzing streamflow and streamwater temperature, two of the limiting factors to salmon recovery. Salmonid habitat suitability is also dependent upon stream stage, flow rate, geomorphic conditions, substrate distribution, and riparian conditions according to the 2019 Upper Salmon Subbasin Habitat Integrated Rehabilitation Assessment (IRA). As such, this project supplies data and analyses that can be used to evaluate the efficacy of both ongoing and potential future salmonid habitat improvement efforts and water transactions projects. Additionally, as a member of the Upper Salmon Basin Watershed Program (USBWP) Technical Team, IDWR aims to provide technical expertise and advisement on all matters concerning the hydrogeology of the Upper Salmon Basin.

Accomplishments

Metric

Completed

Originally
Proposed

Research and Monitoring

Stream Miles Monitored

183.90

Source

Funds

PCSRF

$218,076

Other

$110,800

Report Total:

$328,876

Worksites

Lemhi Basin

Worksite Identifier: Lemhi Basin
Start Date: 04/01/2022
End Date: 03/31/2023

Area Description

No Area Description data was found for this worksite.

Location Information

Basin: Salmon (170602)
Subbasin: Lemhi (17060204)
Watershed: Lower Lemhi River (1706020408)
Subwatershed: Lemhi Valley-Lemhi River (170602040809)

State: Idaho
Recovery Domain: Snake River
Latitude: 45.187125
Longitude: -113.89165

ESU

Snake River Basin Steelhead DPS
Snake River Spring/Summer-run Chinook Salmon ESU

Map

Photos

Metrics

E.0 Salmonid Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RM&E)Y (Y/N)

. . E.0.a RM&E Funding 318,876.00

. . E.0.b

Complement habitat restoration project
1. Middle Lemhi River - Henry Reach, Phase 2, IDFG, 007 21 SA. 2. Lemhi River Mile 32 Restoration and Diversion Consolidation, LSWCD, 004 21 SA. Split River Project planning, USBOR.

. . E.0.c

Project identified in a plan or watershed assessment.
NOAA NMFS. (2017). ESA Recovery Plan for Snake River spring/ summer Chinook salmon (Oncorynchus tshawytscha) & Snake River Basin Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

. . E.0.d.1 Number of Cooperating Organizations 0
. . E.0.d.2
Name Of Cooperating Organizations.

None
. . E.0.e.1 Number of reports prepared 1
. . E.0.e.2
Name Of Report

2023. McCutcheon, Ryan; Carter, B. Upper Salmon Basin Hydrologic Monitoring and Analyses. Idaho Department of Water Resources, Boise ID.

. . E.1 MonitoringY (Y/N)

. . . . E.1.a Monitoring funding 205,938.00
. . . . E.1.b.1 Stream Miles Monitored 171.30
. . . . E.1.b.2 Acres of Watershed Area Monitored 65,000.0
. . . . E.1.c.8 Water quality monitoringY (Y/N)
- . . . . . . E.1.c.8.a # miles (to nearest 0.01 mile) of stream monitored for water quality 171.30
. . . . E.1.c.9 Water quantity (flow) monitoringY (Y/N)
- . . . . . . E.1.c.9.a # miles (to nearest 0.01 mile) monitored for water quantity (flow) monitoring 171.30
. . . . E.1.c.15 Intensively monitored watershed (IMW)Y (Y/N)
- . . . . . . E.1.c.15.a # miles (to nearest 0.01 mile) of stream or streambank monitored 171.30
- . . . . . . E.1.c.15.c # acres (to nearest 0.1 acre) monitored 65,000.0
- . . . . E.1.d
  Name Of Comprehensive Monitoring Strategy/Program
  
  None

. . E.2 ResearchY (Y/N)

. . . . E.2.a Research Funding 112,938.00

. . . . E.2.b.1 Modeling and data analysisY (Y/N)

. . . . . . E.2.b.1.a

Key issues addressed by modeling and data analysis research

- The Lemhi River Basin Model (LRBM) allows for evaluation of potential habitat and water transactions projects by helping to predict project outcomes. IDWR has been responsible for developing, maintaining, and running the Lemhi River Basin Model (LRBM) for hydrologic analyses and predictions from 2008 to present. The model has included the entire Lemhi River Basin since 2013 and is regularly updated and recalibrated with new data and hydrologic information to reflect the current state of the basin. The LRBM will be used to predict streamflow and salmonid habitat suitability based on desired conditions such as a new diversion, new groundwater recharge program, etc, and/or other scenarios submitted by project sponsors working in the Lemhi Basin. The model output data will be analyzed to evaluate the efficacy of future habitat and water transactions projects. - Using surface water and groundwater stable isotope data collected from the Lemhi River, its tributaries, and Lemhi Basin wells, IDWR will perform additional statistical analyses on this dataset to determine if there is isotopic distinction between these waters. A discussion piece will also be added to detail interpretation of the statistical analysis, including potential source waters and hydrologic pathways for the sampled bodies of water. - Surface water and groundwater quality data that has been collected in the Lemhi Basin will be aggregated and analyzed to characterize spatiotemporal trends, determine what surface water bodies are areas of concern for each water quality analyte, and develop an optimal long-term monitoring strategy. The results will be presented to the Upper Salmon Basin Technical Team to inform future habitat and water transactions project development. - Trends in surface water quality will be analyzed to identify problem areas and work with project managers to passively mitigate poor water quality issues. -Establish an intensely monitored study site near the confluence of the Mainstem Lemhi and Lower Hayden Creek to characterize the local hydrogeology, sediment transport, and water quality before, during, and after implementation of several fish habitat projects set to be implemented int eh next three years.

. . . . E.2.b.8 Climate change studiesY (Y/N)

. . . . . . E.2.b.8.a

Key issues addressed by climate change study

The Lemhi River Basin Model (LRBM) will be used to estimate Lemhi Basin streamflow under both the current natural flow conditions (no anthropogenic influence) and climate scenarios of least warm, hot, dry, wet, and middle as defined by the USFS in the Resources and Planning Act Assessments (Joyce & Coulson 2020). The intent of this research is to provide project managers with future projections of water resource availability and salmonid habitat health, given a variety of climate scenarios. The LRBM will guide restoration actions to account for a full scope of potential climate outcomes, resulting in resilient and effective long-term projects.