Upper Salmon Basin Hydrologic Monitoring and Analyses II

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

Monitoring Research
Project ID005 22 SA
Recovery DomainsSnake River
Start Date12/16/2022
End Date12/26/2025
Year2022
StatusCompleted
Last Edited04/03/2026
 
1 - 1

Description    


Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) supported salmonid recovery efforts in the Upper Salmon Basin by providing mission-critical hydrologic data, analyses, and expertise to the Upper Salmon Basin Watershed Program (USBWP) Technical Team and other stakeholders. The primary purpose of this study was to aid the development and evaluation of habitat improvement and water transactions projects. Products included hydrologic data, public tools for data analysis and visualization, and a final report detailing hydrologic analyses and modeling completed by IDWR. In addition to these products, IDWR staff provided technical expertise on the hydrogeology of the Upper Salmon Basin to the (USBWP) Technical Team.

Project actions taken to aid habitat improvement project managers included: 1) maintaining vital stream gages and measuring surface water flow in the Lemhi River and tributaries, 2) collecting and publishing hydrogeologic data including groundwater levels and water quality information, 3) characterizing and visualizing the data via summary statistics, trend analyses, and mapping, and 4) running the Lemhi River Basin Hydrologic Model (LRBM) and associated tools to predict the hydrology and habitat implications of habitat improvement projects, as well as changes to water management, land use, and climate.

This project completed two amendments to extend due to a delay in start of work, and changes to IDWR staff. This project was multi-grant year funded from FY20 and FY22. All work was expended to each grant year within that grant’s life cycle.

Project Benefit    


The Upper Salmon Basin Hydrologic Monitoring and Analyses II project supports the overarching objective to improve salmonid recovery efforts in the Upper Salmon Basin by measuring and analyzing streamflow and stream water temperature, two of the limiting factors to salmon recovery according to the Idaho Governors Office of Species Conservation (OSC) and collaborators. 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. As such, data and analysis products from this project are used to evaluate the efficacy of both ongoing and potential future habitat improvement efforts and water transactions projects. Additionally, as a member of the Upper Salmon Basin Watershed Program Technical Team, the Idaho Department of Water Resources aims to provide technical expertise and advisement on matters concerning the hydrogeology of the Upper Salmon Basin.

Accomplishments

Metric Completed Originally
Proposed
Research and Monitoring
  Stream Miles Monitored 183.90 183.90

Funding Details

SourceFunds
PCSRF$422,898
Other$195,093
Report Total:$617,991


Project Map



Worksites

Lemhi Basin, 1 of 2    


  • Worksite Identifier: Lemhi Basin, 1 of 2
  • Start Date: 04/01/2023
  • End Date: 03/31/2025
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

Metrics
  • E.0 Salmonid Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RM&E)Y (Y/N)
    •      . . E.0.a RM&E Funding 609,479.00
    •      . . E.0.b
      Complement habitat restoration project
    •      . . E.0.c
      Project identified in a plan or watershed assessment.
    •      . . 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 0
    •      . . E.0.e.2
      Name Of Report
      none
    •      . . E.1 MonitoringY (Y/N)
      •      . . . . E.1.a Monitoring funding 424,759.94
      •      . . . . E.1.b.1 Stream Miles Monitored 171.30
      •      . . . . E.1.b.2 Acres of Watershed Area Monitored 65,000.0
      •      . . . . 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
      •      . . E.2 ResearchY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . E.2.a Research Funding 184,719.00
        •      . . . . 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 LRBM allowed for the prediction and evaluation of the efficacy of water transactions and habitat improvement projects. In addition to specific projects, the model was used to estimate the streamflow impacts of changes to irrigation practices, project impacts of climate change, and estimate salmonid habitat suitability given a variety of flow predictions.
        •      . . . . E.2.b.8 Climate change studiesY (Y/N)
          •      . . . . . . E.2.b.8.a
            Key issues addressed by climate change study
            The LRBM and associated tool was used to predict both streamflow and salmonid habitat suitability given variable climate futures. These predictions will help inform project managers when planning for long-term positive outcomes.

Upper Salmon Basin, 2 of 2    


  • Worksite Identifier: Upper Salmon Basin, 2 of 2
  • Start Date: 04/01/2023
  • End Date: 03/31/2025
Area Description

No Area Description data was found for this worksite.

Location Information

  • Basin: Salmon (170602)
  • Subbasin: Middle Salmon-Panther (17060203)
  • Watershed: Carmen Creek-Salmon River (1706020305)
  • Subwatershed: Wallace Creek-Salmon River (170602030504)
  • State: Idaho
  • Recovery Domain: Snake River
  • Latitude: 45.312829
  • Longitude: -113.86318

ESU

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

Map

Photos

Metrics

Metrics
  • E.0 Salmonid Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RM&E)Y (Y/N)
    •      . . E.0.a RM&E Funding 8,512.00
    •      . . E.0.b
      Complement habitat restoration project
    •      . . E.0.c
      Project identified in a plan or watershed assessment.
    •      . . 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 0
    •      . . E.0.e.2
      Name Of Report
      none
    •      . . E.1 MonitoringY (Y/N)
      •      . . . . E.1.a Monitoring funding 8,511.83
      •      . . . . E.1.b.1 Stream Miles Monitored 12.60
      •      . . . . E.1.b.2 Acres of Watershed Area Monitored .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 12.60
      •      . . . . 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 12.60
        •      . . . . E.1.d
          Name Of Comprehensive Monitoring Strategy/Program
          none


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Version 2.1 February 24, 2014
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