Nason Kahler Instream Complexity Restoration

River Mile (RM) 7.6 - 6 of the Kahler Reach of Nason Creek has been severely altered from its historic condition by wood removal, highway construction, and construction and maintenance of transmission lines. Restoring natural river processes in Nason Creek has been identified as a high priority in the region for ESA species recovery. Nason Creek, a tributary to the Wenatchee River, is an important creek within the upper Wenatchee Subbasin in that it currently supports major spawning areas for ESA-listed Upper Columbia River (UCR) spring Chinook salmon, UCR steelhead, and is a Columbia River bull trout core area, and also has a high potential for habitat restoration (UCSRB 2007, UCRTT 2014). Nason Creek is the highest priority assessment unit within the Wenatchee Subbasin for habitat restoration (UCRTT 2017).
The purpose of this restoration project is to improve adult spring Chinook and steelhead holding habitat and increase winter rearing habitat for juvenile spring Chinook and steelhead by increasing instream complexity and increasing access to peripheral off-channel habitat the in the 1.6 Kahler Reach of Nason Creek. Project work will include removal of an old road that is acting as a levee between the river and potential off -channel habitat. Project work will include excavating starter pools at each large wood structure encouraging further pool development. This project will support the development of the Final designs for the entire 1.6 mile reach and construction at Site 1 (RM 7.2-7.6).

Specific restoration goals and objectives were developed in collaboration with the CCNRD, USFS, WDFW and Natural Systems Design team (NSD 2017, NSD 2020). They are as follows: Goal 1: Increase the quantity and quality of adult Spring Chinook holding habitat in Lower Nason Creek. Goal 2: Increase the quantity and quality of Spring chinook and steelhead juvenile rearing habitat in the Kahler Reach of Nason Creek. Goal 3: Reduce stream temperature impacts for the benefit of all life-stages with particular emphasis on late summer temperatures that impact Spring chinook holding and spawning. Goal 4: Improve floodplain connectivity to improve access to off-channel thermal refuge wetland habitat, improve water storage, and to improve overall riparian health. Goal 5: Remove relict infrastructure that impedes floodplain connectivity, channel migration, riparian habitat condition and contributes to sediment inputs.