Continued Salmon Recovery Planning and Coordination

Watershed and Salmon Recovery Planning: The project supported the Jamestown SKlallam Tribes (Tribe) continued leadership and coordinating role on the local watershed council (Dungeness River Management Team (DRMT)) by providing ongoing (as tribal entity and as DRMT member) staff support in regional salmon recovery planning forums. This included involvement in meetings related to Chinook salmon recovery, implementation of the Puget Sound Partnerships Action Agenda, and planning for recovery of ESA-listed Puget Sound Steelhead. With technical and inter-agency consulting assistance from our Natural Resources Consultant (former Jamestown Natural Resources Director of twenty years), the Tribe continued to participate in WRIA 18 in-stream flow and water management rulemaking sessions and related consultation meetings with DOE for both WRIAs 17 and 18. The Tribes Natural Resources Consultant provided written comments on related documents, and participated in inter-agency planning meetings, Federal/Tribal consultation meetings, as well as internal Tribal natural resources meetings. The Tribe provided input on WRIA 17 rulemaking where appropriate. This project also provided continued resources for the Tribe to partner/coordinate with Point-No-Point Salmon Recovery staff on planning activities in ESUs for Puget Sound Chinook, Hood Canal summer chum and steelhead species.

Riparian Habitat Protection/Restoration Planning: The project provided funded our habitat planning manager and restoration planner to continue to provide technical support in several planning processes related to riparian protection and restoration of the Dungeness River, Meadowbrook Creek, Jimmycomelately and Morse Creek. Below is a list of planning activities that occurred.
• Continued Kinkade Island/Dungeness Meadows restoration planning.
• Continued Meadowbrook Creek restoration planning (for reconnection to the Dungeness River).
• Continued Morse Creek restoration planning (in partnership with NOSC, WDFW, and Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe).
• Continued planning for Army Corps dike setback and channel reconstruction in lower Dungeness.
• Obtained aerial photo flights of Dungeness watershed, Jimmycomelately Creek, Sequim Bay, and Strait of Juan de Fuca for protection/restoration planning purposes. Used photos to track Dungeness riverside and marine shoreline development for compliance with the Clallam County Critical Areas Ordinance and Shoreline Management Plan; used this information in planning meetings; shared photos with other agencies and NGOs for their planning purposes including Clallam County, Clallam Conservation District, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and North Olympic Salmon Coalition.
• Began planning for a Dungeness Habitat survey.
• Provided input on analysis/report of Jimmycomelately monitoring data in conjunction with our consultant (Note: consultant paid for under separate grant).

Water Conservation Planning: Tracked water conservation planning processes occurring within WRIA 18, including aquifer storage/recharge possibilities and activities related to instream flow rule-making.

Watershed and Salmon Recovery Planning: The Tribes involvement in coordinating recovery projects with community members and local and federal agencies helps sustain partnerships and provide for efficiencies in accomplishing salmon recovery goals. Recommendations in the local watershed plan and the regional recovery plan are intended to improve water quality, in-stream habitat, in-stream flows, and aid in salmon recovery. Appropriate in-stream flows and water supply strategies set in rule can improve habitat for listed species. On a regional scale, our participation in activities related to the Puget Sound Partnership, and the many other ongoing planning and salmon management forums, will give us a stronger voice in decision-making related to regional salmon recovery.

Water Conservation Planning: Past water conservation efforts (including ditch piping and agreements established with irrigators) have resulted in documented, measurable increases in in-stream flows in the Dungeness River, but flows in the late summer are still insufficient for ESA-listed salmon during the spawning and migration portions of their life cycle. Further irrigation efficiencies projects and/or agreements reached with irrigators will improve in-stream flows. Agreed upon minimum instream flows will facilitate the implementation phase of watershed-wide planning, and help protect in-stream habitat. It is hoped that continued discussions/research on aquifer recharge may provide an alternative water supply option to that of uncontrolled drilling of exempt wells and/or may provide recharge to the water table and base flows during times of low instream flows.

Riparian Habitat Protection/Restoration Planning: This sub-task targets planning for critical habitat parcels and stream reaches to halt or reverse the decline of healthy riparian corridor habitat, including continued planning for lower river and estuary restoration. Much of the planning relates to projects listed in the North Olympic Peninsula Lead Entity Groups Three Year Plan. Benefits for the various subtasks include:
• Increased awareness and involvement by landowners in the Dungeness Meadows/Kincade reach about the implications of the restoration project (including flood modeling and other information) planned for this reach.
• Eventual reestablishment of the connection of Meadowbrook Creek with the Dungeness River would restore 40 acres of wetland and salt marsh associated with the Creek and with Dungeness Bay. All salmonid species and stock found in Meadowbrook Creek and Dungeness River would benefit.
• Morse Creek restoration is expected to restore high quality mainstem, side channel, and off-channel habitat historically used by all the imperiled Morse Creek salmonids and coastal Cuthroat trout.
• Further planning for and eventual implementation of lower river dike modifications will improve the spawning, rearing and refugia habitat that has been inhibited by lower river dikes and other floodplain alterations.
• Aerial photo flights of the various water bodies are instrumental in understanding habitat modifications and treatments, and for future protection and restoration planning.
• The eventual Dungeness habitat re-survey will help planners understand how habitat has changed over past 15 years.