West Fork Hood River Riparian Management Plan II

Salmonid Restoration Planning and Assessments

Salmonid Habitat Assessment / Inventory
Project ID2009-3-05
Recovery DomainsLower Columbia River
Start Date01/01/2010
End Date12/31/2011
Year2009
StatusCompleted
Last Edited01/26/2024
 
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Description    


Watershed Professionals Network (WPN) was contracted in May of 2009 to assess the potential for large woody debris (LWD) recruitment within the riparian corridor of the West Fork Hood River and major tributaries. Included was the development of site-specific treatment prescriptions that would enhance the volume and type of LWD recruitment within the upper West Fork watershed.

WPN derived twenty GIS data layers from seven data sources (including recently acquired LiDAR data) to characterize the geomorphic surfaces and vegetation within the West Fork watershed riparian corridor. Bare Earth and Highest Hit LiDAR data were used to map an accurate stream layer and canopy height. Geomorphic surfaces were then developed depicting active channel, flood plain, and terrace heights within the lateral extent of potential LWD contribution. Modeling applied to the derived layers provided stream shade and landslide probability. Further analysis produced fine scale maps of forest and non-forest, tree size, and individual trees for the approximately 500,000 trees within the West Fork riparian corridor. The number of trees by size class that could potentially be recruited for LWD were then enumerated and mapped.

To further define canopy composition for the purpose of tree growth and mortality modeling, 609 trees within 9 plots were measured within the upper West Fork watershed (focus area). This ground truthing data was used to calibrate the forest composition and tree size signatures previously derived. Modeling was employed to estimate growth and mortality potential for each tree within the focus area. The focus area was then partitioned into fourteen reaches (action areas) and potential LWD recruitment was enumerated for every one hundred feet within the action area and in ten year increments over a one hundred year period. Stream enhancement and silviculture opportunities were also identified for each action area.

A draft report was submitted in February 2010. WPN presented the findings to a select group of agency personnel on May 6, 2010 and comments were solicited. The final report incorporated any comments and was distributed upon request. WPN presented the results again to the Hood River Watershed Group during its September monthly meeting.

A second contract was entered into with WPN in September 2010 to continue the focus area modeling and identification of enhancement opportunities for the entire West Fork Hood River and tributaries. WPN has incorporated spawning survey data and proposed stream enhancement locations into the GIS layers and developed criteria for enhancement site identification. Ground truthing will focused on the enhancement sites and fine scale forest composition maps were generated. Modeling was applied to this data to determine growth and mortality for the entire watershed and prescriptions to obtain optimum yield and LWD recruitment was developed. The results underwent peer review. The West Fork Riparian Management Plan was finalize in December, 2011.

Project Benefit    


Long term large wood recruitment is expected to create and maintain salmonid habitat complexity and diversity for use by all life stages of salmon and steelhead. Large wood will provide instream and flood plain structure to create slow and fast water habitats, increase channel roughness and maintain the interaction between the river and its floodplain.

Accomplishments

Metric Completed Originally
Proposed

Funding Details

SourceFunds
PCSRF$43,163
Report Total:$43,163


Project Map



Worksites

West Fork Hood River    


  • Worksite Identifier: West Fork Hood River
  • Start Date:
  • End Date:
Area Description

No Area Description data was found for this worksite.

Location Information

  • Basin: Middle Columbia (170701)
  • Subbasin: Middle Columbia-Hood
  • Watershed:
  • Subwatershed:
  • State: Oregon
  • Recovery Domain: Lower Columbia River
  • Latitude: 45.55745
  • Longitude: -121.68722

ESU

  • Lower Columbia River Steelhead DPS
  • Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon ESU

Map

Photos

Metrics

Metrics
  • B.0 Salmonid Restoration Planning and AssessmentsY (Y/N)
    •      . . B.0.a Planning And Assessment Funding 43,163.00
    •      . . B.0.b.1 Area Encompassed 1,500.0
    •      . . B.2 Salmonid Habitat Assessment / InventoryY (Y/N)
      •      . . . . B.2.a Habitat Assessment Funding 43,163.00
      •      . . . . B.2.b.1 Watershed AssessmentY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . B.2.b.2
          Name of document(s)
          Chris Heider et al. “Alternative Riparian Management Plan: West Fork Hood River”. December 2011
      •      . . . . B.2.d Habitat surveysY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . B.2.d.1 Type of habitat survey/assessment (LOV)
        •      . . . . . . B.2.d.2 Amount of habitat assessed 1,500.0
        •      . . . . . . B.2.d.3 Amount of habitat assessed that needed restoration 250.0