WRIA 1 FY2005 Salmon Recovery Implementation

Project contributed towards: (1) the implementation of the WRIA 1 Salmonid Recovery Plan that was submitted to the Puget Sound Shared Strategy as part of the broader Puget Sound Chinook Recovery Plan; (2) the development of the adaptive management component of the WRIA 1 Salmonid Recovery Plan; and (3) participation in Puget Sound regional salmon recovery implementation. Specifically, this project funded the implementation of elements in the the Near-Term (10 Year) Action Plan, which was designed to focus and prioritize efforts in the near term to maximize benefit to North Fork/Middle Fork Nooksack early chinook salmon and South Fork Nooksack early chinook salmon. Activities included: (1) meetings of the Salmon Recovery Board and its subcommittees to coordinate and guide implementation efforts; (2) subbasin planning and assessment; (3) participation in local and regional technical and policy forums involved in salmon and watershed protection and recovery; and (4) coordination of restoration activities outlined in the Action Plan.

The ultimate goal of the WRIA 1 Salmonid Recovery Plan is to restore local salmonid populations to healthy, self-sustaining levels that can sustain treaty harvest. The more immediate goal is to recover the two Nooksack early chinook populations to viable levels; both of these populations are critical to recovery of the Puget Sound Chinook ESU. The Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment (EDT) model estimates that implementation of the Near-Term Action Plan will improve abundance (adult equilibrium), productivity (maximum), and diversity index (proportion of historic life history trajectories) of North Fork/Middle Fork Nooksack early chinook (NF/MF) by factors of 4.0, 2.6, and 2.4, respectively. Similarly, EDT estimates that implementation will improve abundance, productivity, and diversity of South Fork Nooksack early chinook (SF) by factors of 8.4, 3.5, and 2.1, respectively. Indeed, implementation of the Near-Term Action Plan is expected to recover the NF/MF population to 36% and the SF population to 28% of ultimate recovery goals for adult equilibrium abundance.

SALARIES: Natural Resources Director to provide policy input and leadership for local and regional salmon recovery and watershed planning efforts and manage technical departmental staff involved in salmon recovery; Watershed Biologist to provide technical support to local and regional salmon recovery, watershed planning, and resource protection projects and forums; Restoration Crew and other staff to conduct assessment, monitoring, and restoration activities leading to salmonid recovery.