Case Study 8. North Fork Nooksack River In-channel Project

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1 Case Study 8 Project Overview The North Fork Nooksack In-channel project was developed cooperatively between the USDA Forest Service and the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA), with the objectives of (1) decreasing egg-to-fry loss of native chinook, coho, cutthroat, pink, sockeye, steelhead, and char due to redd scour and (2) decreasing frequency of dewatering of side-channels, which are areas containing valuable spawning and rearing habitat. The 3-mile project reach marks the uppermost extent of anadromous use and consistently sees a high amount of use by spawning North Fork Nooksack River salmon. The reach is also used extensively for stock enhancement in the Nooksack Chinook salmon recovery program. The North Fork In-channel Project was completed in two phases in the summers of 2003 and It consists of 36 logjams (9 small unballasted and 27 large ballasted structures) through the 3-mile reach (figure 1). The Lummi Indian Nation s Natural Resources Department (LNR) has been working with the USDA Forest Service to monitor the habitat effects of the project, while NSEA has completed topographic surveys through the reach to help characterize the geomorphic response of the channel to the structures. We expect that differentiating the river response to the project from the natural range of conditions will take long-term monitoring. This report represents only the first year of post-construction monitoring. The project relies on the dynamic that exists between riparian forest, wood recruitment, and wood jams in the North Fork Nooksack. This project is the first stage in restoring a self-sustaining dynamic river morphology and habitat to a forested floodplain river. The following monitoring results only address the first stage of river development succession, hastening wood collection and bar development. Once the bars become more stable, vegetation colonization of bars can begin. Established vegetation is expected within 3 years, including effective vegetation filtering of floating wood during flood events. Finally, continued vegetation and wood collection will lead to periodical channel blockage and resultant shifting into overflow channels with a projected 25-percent increase in reconnected floodplain channels. Each of these developments takes time. This system averages a 4-year adjustment period from major storms due to limited stabilizing elements like large woody pieces. Six major events (greater than 10-year return interval) have occurred since 1989, and storms of this size are the trigger for the larger sediment pulses and wood recruitment (USDA Forest Service 1995). Since the storm of record for the North Fork Nooksack occurred in 2003, we project that it will be 2007 when the telling results and conclusions can be made. We expect that these changes in habitat- 3 89

2 Developing Monitoring Plans Chapter 3 forming processes will lead to reduced scour of redds and more stable side-channel habitat. A basin-wide report on redd scour in the Nooksack Basin found redd scour to be greatest in main-stem and braided reaches, and it suggested using wood to stabilize bars and increase side channel habitat as a means of reducing redd scour and limiting the dewatering of side channels (Hyatt and Rabang 2003). Project Methods, Design, and Monitoring The basic design for monitoring the results of this multiyear structureplacement project was to compare fish habitat changes between the preand post-project conditions. First, we used a five-level hierarchical habitat classification system (based on modifications of the habitat classification system described by Hawkins et al.1993) to describe habitat in the reach. The first-level classification identified the channel types as main channel, braided channel, or side channel, while levels 2 through 4 classify the main geomorphic units (pools, riffles) of the channel. For level 2, the water is classified as fast or slow moving. Level 3 further separates these two classes as turbulent or nonturbulent fast water, and scour pool or dammed pool. Level 4 divides these groups further. For example, turbulent riffles can be classified as falls, cascades, rapids, riffle, or chute; and scour pools can be classified as eddy, lateral, midchannel, trench, convergence, or plunge. We classified bank conditions by resistance to channel migration, either bedrock, boulder, or armored. If the banks fell in none of those categories, we classified them by the riparian stand characteristics (Duck Creek Associates 2000). Second, for each habitat we measured unit, length, width, maximum and average depth, bank angle, vegetation overhang, undercut banks, length and width of available cover, and dominant/subdominant substrate were measured. We measured depth with a stadia rod and recorded it to the nearest 0.1 meter. To characterize the bank angle, we measured the distance from the toe of the bed to the water edge (measured horizontally along the water surface) and the depth of the water at the toe. For example, a perfectly flat (horizontal) bank would be 0 degrees and a vertical bank would be 90 degrees. Undercut banks would have bank angle values of greater than 90 degrees. We measured vegetation overhang with a stadia rod and included only vegetation within 300 millimeters (1 foot) of the water surface. We estimated each cover component based on length and average width, or (in the case of substrate) as a percentage of the entire habitat unit. 3 90

3 Case Study 8 Figure 1. General location of the North Fork Nooksack in-stream project. Third, we mapped large woody debris as logjams and key-sized pieces. Since the bankfull width of the channel was greater than 20 meters (65 feet), we defined a key-sized piece as greater than 9 cubic meters (11.7 cubic yards) in volume (Washington Forest Practices Board [WFPB] 1997). In this assessment, the key-sized designation does not indicate the size for a single piece of wood to be stable in the channel. Instead, it represents the size of wood being contributed by the approximately 500- year-old riparian stands that exist in two locations in the reach. For wood accumulations, we located each logjam and described any geomorphic or habitat effects. The geomorphic and habitat effects included the following: l split low flow: The logjam was actively splitting flow around or through it during low-flow conditions. l split bankfull flow: The logjam would be splitting flow when the stage was approaching bankfull. l channel deflection: The logjam was actively turning or deflecting the channel at low flow. 3 91

4 Developing Monitoring Plans Chapter 3 l sediment storage: The evidence showed that the channel slowed velocity and deposited sediment adjacent to the logjam. l pool formation: The evidence showed scour adjacent to the structure. l cover: The logjam was providing hiding cover for juveniles during low-flow conditions. Monitoring Results and Interpretation We estimated the stability of the logjam from indicators such as persistent vegetation, effects on the channel, and persistence of the structure on aerial photos. We independently identified and described any key-sized pieces associated with the logjams. The main limitation of the mapping was that smaller pieces of drift were not characterized. Therefore, we could not characterize the total volume of wood in the reach. Project Reach Changes Although the reach has an average slope of 0.008, this slope varies considerably within the reach from to 0.02 (Indrebo 1998; GeoEngineers, Inc. 2001). The active channel width varies from approximately 50 feet, where it is confined between bedrock walls, to more than 650 feet, where it is often braided or has vegetated islands splitting the channel. The channel is dominated by riffle-pool morphology, with substrate, vegetation, and woody debris forming the dominant roughness elements, depending on the degree of channel confinement. We estimated the bankfull and 2-year return intervals for the discharge in the reach at 4,400 cubic feet per second for the bankfull interval and 6,000 cubic feet per second for the 2-year return (Indrebo 1998, GeoEngineers, Inc. 2001). Since construction, the project has been subjected to several flows greater than bankfull stage, which occurred in mid-october Although a U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geologic Survey gauge at road marker 63 and within the project reach was not reporting, the flow was estimated to have been approximately 14,000 cubic feet per second, with a secondary peak 5 days later of over 12,000 cubic feet per second (Gary Ketcheson, U.S. Forest Service, personal communication, May 2004). These were the largest floods since the gauge began operation in 1937, and both of these peaks were estimated to have been greater than the 100-year flood level. The flood appears to have had only a modest impact on the channel planform, largely in the unconfined sections of the project reach. In these areas, meander bends have migrated slightly downvalley, or sediment deposition has led to braiding of the channel. In other sections of the reach, the channel appears to have incised and narrowed during the flood. 3 92

5 Case Study 8 Fish Habitat-forming Processes Sediment Production and Transport In the project reach, sediment is supplied from tributaries within the reach and as bedload transported from upstream. A comparison of aerial photos, conducted by GeoEngineers, Inc. (2001), indicates the occurrence of frequent fluctuations in channel width episodes of accelerated lateral migration, bank erosion and channel avulsion (the removal of a piece of land from one property onto another as a result of a shift in the course of a boundary stream). The North Fork Watershed Analysis (USDA Forest Service 1995) found a relationship between channel widening and flood occurrence in the response (lower gradient and unconfined) reaches of the North Fork Nooksack. Evidence of past periods of aggradation and incision are present in the numerous terraces within the more confined portions of the reach, along with in-situ stumps (exposed in the channel) that represent a forest that was buried in sediment and is now being exhumed by the channel. Some charred stumps are attributed to the vast forest fires that burned in the region (R. Nichols, USDA Forest Service, personal communication, May 2002). Several large prehistoric fires have been documented near the reach including large fires in 1300, 1500, and 1700 (USDA Forest Service 1995). In one case, nearly 15 feet differentiate the charred stumps in the active channel and the younger stumps on an adjacent terrace. When viewed in context with one another, these observations suggest that the observed channel instability is a result of episodic sediment deposition and channel aggradation, followed by erosion, incision, and channel migration (GeoEngineers, Inc. 2001). The estimated stream power (the slope-discharge product) for this reach is roughly 1/4 that of the upstream reach, indicating an abrupt reduction in transport capacity (GeoEngineers, Inc. 2001). Therefore, large sediment pulses generated from tributaries upstream are transported into sections of the project reach and deposited, where they are temporarily stored as they move slowly through the reach. These sections are generally the unconfined areas where the channel is free to respond to the sediment by aggradation, channel migration, and braiding. In these areas, the channel is generally better connected to the floodplain than are the more confined reaches, and wood eroded from the banks remains more stable in side channels and on gravel bars. In these response areas, the habitat is most diverse and the gravel most suitable for spawning. Habitat mapping showed secondary channel development occurring primarily in these areas. While the secondary channels appeared to be more ephemeral, the graveldominated substrate in these areas was much more suitable for spawning than main channel habitat units (figure 2). 3 93

6 Developing Monitoring Plans Chapter 3 Figure 2: Substrate difference between secondary and main-stem channel types in Since the primary objective of the project was to decrease egg-to-fry loss of native salmonid species due to main channel scour and dewatering of side channels, the project will likely need to change local scour and deposition through the reach in places that maintain multiple channels. Increasing the flow resistance in the reach by adding stable accumulations of wood can slow the water velocity, lead to sediment deposition, and cause local scour where the structure constricts the flow. The increase in wood (associated with the project) in the more confined reaches has likely increased flow resistance for these areas, and in many cases, local effects of the engineered logjams on the channel were evident. We identified local sediment storage associated with the man-made structures for 16 of the 26 logjams, and, local scour for 13 of the 26 logjams. But we identified only 26 of the original 36 structures after the flood event. In cases where multiple-engineered structures were covered in accumulated debris or deposited together, we identified and mapped them as one structure. Fish Habitat-forming Processes Channel Migration and Wood Recruitment Bank conditions naturally inhibit wood recruitment in sections of the reach. In sections where the banks comprise large boulder deposits or bedrock, channel migration is slowed or halted and the mode of 3 94

7 Case Study 8 recruitment is dominated by slope failure and wind-throw, rather than by channel processes. This leaves approximately 64 percent of the channel length as areas in which recruitment from channel migration processes can occur (table 1). In these areas, we classified the recruitment potential according to stand type, size, and density (Duck Creek Associates 2000). We defined high wood recruitment potential as stands that were dense (less than 1/3 exposed ground) and either conifer-dominated or mixed, with trees greater than 12 inches in diameter (Washington State Forest Practices Board 1997). Since the high designation requires only a 12- inch-diameter tree, these stands do not necessarily reflect the size needed for stable large woody debris. Only about 1/3 of the high recruitment length (about 3,280 feet) comprises stands that generate the size of wood mapped in the channel. From this classification, we designated 34 percent of the riparian length as low or moderate. This designation is largely the result of floods and past timber practices where the riparian areas were harvested. With protection of the riparian areas, we expect that the stands should reach high status fairly rapidly depending on site conditions. This time lag may be important, because the river will rely on the limited amount of current high recruitment area until the regenerating areas fully recover. Once these areas recover, the more stable in-channel wood should rapidly increase in the wider sections of the valley. The more confined sections will likely continue to be dominated by wood transport and temporary storage. Table 1: Bank condition and wood recruitment potential of the project reach. Banks Length (feet) Percent Armored 2,950 9 Bedrock 4, Natural Boulder 4, High Recruitment 10, Moderate Recruitment 3, Low Recruitment 7, Before construction, key-sized piece distribution and habitat creation in the reach appeared to strongly reflect bank conditions. The highest density of large pieces was in an unconfined section of the reach immediately adjacent to a source of large diameter trees. The combination of largediameter riparian forest, unconfined channel, and unarmored banks make this section a natural place for large wood to have a longer residence time in the active channel and provide important habitat functions, such as 3 95

8 Developing Monitoring Plans Chapter 3 complex cover and pool-formation. In addition, because this reach is a less confined and lower energy reach, secondary channels can develop and substrate is better suited to spawning than in the higher-energy sections. In the more confined sections of the reach, pool formation is dominated by boulder banks and bedrock, while in the unconfined reach, pool formation was dominated by wood. Even under these conditions, much of the large wood was transported downstream during the October flood, some pieces as far as 4,000 feet (R. Nichols, USDA Forest Service, personal communication). Following construction, this unconfined section of the reach still had the highest density of key-sized pieces. However, sections more confined and sections that lacked recruitment potential saw an increase in key-sized pieces, because of structures sited in those sections. Channel migration and wood recruitment through the reach is largely unimpeded by human influences. The Mount Baker Highway lies on the boundary of the migration zone on the north side, and a USDA Forest Service road lies on the southern boundary of the migration zone (GeoEngineers, Inc. 2001). Both of these roads have armored sections where the river has migrated to the road. These locations have only a minor effect on habitat formation and provide little benefit for instream habitat. One of the seven main channel pools mapped in 2004 was attributed to bank protection. However, in this case, it was a series of logs cabled together between rock deflectors to protect the USDA Forest Service road. Because much of the project reach has natural banks comprised of large boulders, the rock bank protection projects are consistent with natural bank conditions but lack the streamside vegetation that characterize the natural boulder banks. Fish Habitat-forming Processes Large Woody Debris Large woody debris provides important functions to the channel through sections of the project reach. The preproject distribution of instream wood strongly reflected the channel bankfull width and entrenchment, as well as the proximity to recruitment areas. For much of its length, the project reach has no recruitment from bank erosion, because of bedrock outcrop, boulder lag deposits, or bank protection. About 37 percent of the left bank and 46 percent of the right bank do not actively contribute wood to the channel, except through wind-throw or landslides. Before the project, the wood in the active channel area was largely located immediately adjacent to recruitment areas in the unconfined reaches. Once the wood is transported from the unconfined areas to the more confined areas, it is likely to be rapidly moved downstream to the next unconfined area, where it has a longer residence time. 3 96

9 Case Study 8 In February 2002 and March 2004, we mapped key-sized pieces of wood throughout the project reach. We identified key-sized pieces as those greater than 9 cubic meters (11.7 cubic yards) in volume (WFPB 1997). Before construction, wood size appeared to have less to do with stability and function than the channel characteristics and the position of the wood in the channel. Stable pieces ranged in size from 2 feet to 6.1 feet in diameter, a size similar to unstable pieces (2 feet to 5.2 feet in diameter). Of the pieces identified as stable, nearly all were located in the braided reaches of the river. In addition, of those 38 pieces we identified as having a pool-forming function, only 6 occurred in a single thread main-stem channel. All others were functioning in braided channels or side channels. This observation further suggests that the wood is being moved more quickly through the confined areas and deposited in the unconfined reaches, where it functions to provide habitat. Once the wood is deposited in the unconfined areas, it may further contribute to creating bars and splitting the active channel into a braided or anastomosing system. After construction, the distribution of key-sized pieces in sections of the project area changed. The project which focused on increasing the residence time of the wood drift in the river treated the more confined portions of the project reach. The furthest downstream section saw a dramatic increase in the amount of key-sized pieces after construction. About half the key-sized pieces identified in the reach in 2004 were related to the project. The river deposited the other half. Aside from this increase in the amount of key-sized pieces in the furthest downstream section, the unconfined areas still contained the highest wood density. Before construction, two general types of accumulations occurred in the reach: Logjams formed via stabilized drift moving through the system, and logjams formed in-situ where the river has migrated into a forested terrace or floodplain. This second group of logjams tended to form in the unconfined reaches, where terraces and a wider floodplain exist. In areas with no local source for recruitment, only logjams formed by deposition and stabilization of drift occur. Logjams provide a variety of functions to the channel in the reach, including channel deflection, channel aggradation, pool formation, cover for fish, and bank protection. In general, the in-situ logjams provided bank stability and deflected flow away from the banks in several cases metering flow into side channels behind the logjams. In some reaches, where stumps are being exhumed in the channel, the drift-formed logjams are often formed by mobile wood racking up on the stumps. These logjams 3 97

10 Developing Monitoring Plans Chapter 3 are stable at low flows, but as the stage increases, wood buoyancy tends to lift the drift off the stumps and allow it to continue downstream. One accumulation was associated with a bank protection project, where large logs are cabled into the channel. This project has been successful in causing some aggradation along the bank and is providing protection for the USDA Forest Service road while providing cover for fish. After construction, the number of logjams in the project reach increased substantially. Of the 42 logjams in the reach after the flood, 26 were engineered structures. Five of the 27 large engineered structures moved or came apart in the flood, and we mapped these as engineered if they were still cabled together and functioning as a unit. They sere mapped as natural if they had come apart and were functioning more as a natural logjam. Most of the manmade and natural logjams that survived the October flood appeared to be stable, with 88 percent of the natural logjams and 96 percent of the engineered logjams showing stability. The big difference between the man-made and natural logjams was in the local geomorphic and habitat values associated with the structure. These values depend on the stage of the river (table 2). Evidently, the natural logjams had a much greater impact on habitat function than the constructed logjams, an effect that could be related to the different channel position of the man-made and natural logjams. Most of the natural logjams were at the same elevation as the active channel, while many of the engineered structures were sited high on terraces adjacent to the active channel, with the intent of capturing drift during flood stage. Many of those structures that were in the active channel area in confined reaches of the river were moved downstream to more unconfined reaches. If these structures came apart during transport, then we classified them as natural logjams and attributed their habitat values to natural accumulations. Table 2: Comparison of habitat functions provided by natural and man-made logjams in the project reach. Type(count) Percentage of Logjams Providing Function Split Low Split Channel Sediment Pool Cover Flow Bankfull Deflection Storage Formation Natural (16) Man made (26)

11 Case Study 8 Fish Habitat Habitat Distribution and Character Geology provides a strong control on habitat formation in the project reach. In areas where the valley bottom is wide, the channel is able to migrate and avulse across the floodplain, recruiting wood as it moves and creating multiple channels that increase the diversity of fish habitat in the reach. In these reaches, local accumulations of wood appear very important for gravel sorting and scour. In more confined reaches, the channel responds through channel aggradation and incision, forming and maintaining habitat through interaction of the river with the bedrock or large boulders that comprise the valley walls. We chose the low-flow period for habitat mapping, because these conditions should represent the minimum accessible habitat area for the reach. The discharge in 2002 was 233, 288, 289, and 540 cubic feet per second during 4 days of mapping, while in 2004 the discharge was 362, 438, 409, and 431cubic feet per second, which was representative of the average monthly discharge for that period (474 cubic feet per second in February and 408 cubic feet per second in March). Following the October flood, the reach saw a net increase in habitat area during the low-flow period (table 3). This increase in main channel area reflects an increase in length from 30,960 feet to 36,670 feet and an average increase in width from 78 feet to 94 feet. The main channel area increased by more than 300,000 square feet, while each of the secondary channel types showed a decrease in area, in spite of higher discharge during the 2004 mapping period than in the 2002 mapping period. The secondary channel location also changed as existing channels were abandoned and reoccupied following the flood. In one case, down-valley migration of a meander couplet has evidently opened 1,400 feet of side channel on the north side of the valley, while abandoning 2,600 feet of side channel on the south side of the valley. Table 3: Area of channel types from 2002 and Year Channel Type ( in square feet) Main channel Side channel Braided channel Total Area , , ,680 1,576, ,046, , ,950 1,790,530 Habitat mapping in the unconfined reach also showed a change in the distribution of habitat classes between the two years. The amount of area classified as rapid increased markedly, while the amount of area classified as riffle decreased. Pool and run area stayed nearly constant between the two years. Pools characteristics were measured during the 3 99

12 Developing Monitoring Plans Chapter 3 winter low-flow period of the North Fork Nooksack in February 2002 and March In 2002, we mapped only six channel-spanning pools in the project reach, comprising 7.5 percent of the main-stem habitat area (table 4) and yielding a pool-to-riffle ratio of 1:12.3 for the reach. Five of the pools were formed by scour along bedrock outcrops, and one was formed by woody debris a series of in-situ stumps. Complex woody cover for holding adults or juvenile rearing dominated none of the large pools. Channel spanning pools were spaced every 33 channel widths (based on a 95-foot average channel width). In all cases, the large pools were located far from the braided areas where the most suitable and stable spawning substrate is located. Habitat mapping in 2004 showed a reduction in pool habitat following the October flood. While seven of the main channel units were pools, they comprised only 4.3 percent of the main-stem habitat area (table 5). This yields a pool-to-riffle ratio of 1:17.4 for the reach. A big change occurred in the pool-forming features in the reach: While in 2002 bedrock dominated pool formation (table 4), in 2004 pool formation was dominated by wood (table 5). The mean residual pool depth decreased slightly, from 5.2 feet to 5.0 feet, from 2002 to While the change in dominant pool-forming feature from bedrock to wood may imply that the pool habitat is less stable than it was, the change also shows an improvement in cover quality (table 6). Cover, particularly from high water velocity, can be critical for rearing juvenile and holding adult salmon. Table 4: 2002 main channel pool statistics (LNR2002). Unit Forming Area Residual Number Feature (square feet) Depth (feet) 13 Bedrock 14, Bedrock 13, Bedrock 20, Bedrock 23, Wood 9, Bedrock 29,

13 Case Study 8 Table 5: 2004 main channel pool statistics (LNR 2004) Unit Forming Area Residual Number Feature (square feet) Depth (feet) 20 Wood 6, Wood 18, Wood 13, Wood 10, Wood 5, Bedrock 9, Bedrock 14, The presence of few large pools likely demonstrates the importance of small holding areas and pocket pools in the reach for salmon before spawning. Although generally small, pocket pools were prevalent through the reach and were created by either woody debris or large boulders. The pocket pools created by wood accumulation offered complex cover and, as they were often located in braided reaches, offered nearby gravel for spawning. Pocket pools created by boulders were generally located in the higher energy sections of the reach, where local scour resulted in little gravel sorting. Another change is the increase in pools in secondary channel areas. In 2002, none of the braided sections showed significant pool development, while in 2004 five pools were formed in braided sections of the river. In the lowest downstream section of the project reach, where we had done extensive wood placement, the braided portion of the channel now has three pools two formed by engineered logjams (figure 3). Of the five pools formed in secondary channels, large natural logjams on the outside of meander bends formed two, local scour adjacent to an engineered structure formed two, and bedrock formed the last

14 Developing Monitoring Plans Chapter 3 Figure 3: New pool development in braided section of the project reach following construction. Fish Habitat Cover We characterized cover for all habitat units in the project reach in 2002 and in For main channel pools, the dominant cover characteristics changed between 2002 and 2004, reflecting the change in pool-forming feature (table 6). Dominant cover type is defined as the most abundant cover present. In most cases, the units have multiple cover types of varying complexity. The change to wood as a dominant cover type should improve the use of the pools by rearing juveniles and holding adults, both of which show a strong preference for wood cover. Cover for juvenile rearing throughout the reach is mostly provided by the substrate, either nonembedded cobbles or boulders. Woody debris formed a larger portion of the cover in the side-channel and braided areas where the wood tended to accumulate and remain more stable

15 Case Study 8 Table 6: Dominant cover type in main channel pool units 2002 and Year Dominant Cover Type Bedrock Substrate Wood Riprap Fish Habitat Substrate Composition In general, cobble riffles dominate the main channel through the reach, even in the lower gradient, less confined sections. The cobbledominated reaches of the reach changed in character following the large flood in October 2004, when the subdominant class size went from being predominantly boulder to predominantly gravel (table 7). Before construction, 28 percent of the main and braided channel area (or about 409,680 square feet) was dominated by gravel-sized material at low flow (about 250 cubic feet per second). After construction, little change occurred in the gravel-dominated area, with 25 percent (or about 402,040 square feet) of the total main and braided channel area. Although we did not characterize substrate for the side channel areas, it was generally finer than that in the main channel, and gravel represented a larger proportion of it. Local sorting effects resulting from wood, boulders, and interaction with streambanks and bars yielded patches of spawning gravel throughout the reach, although, for the more confined areas, these were generally small and appeared ephemeral. Table 7: Substrate in habitat units (2002 and 2004). Substrate Percentage of Total Main and Braided Channel (Dominant/ Subdominant) Cobble/Boulder Cobble/Gravel Cobble/Sand 0 <1 Gravel/Boulder 2 <1 Gravel/Cobble Gravel/Sand 6 6 Sand/Cobble 0 <1 Total Area 1,450,505 ft 2 1,659,061 ft

16 Developing Monitoring Plans Chapter 3 Project Monitoring Partnerships and Costs Partners in this multiyear monitoring effort includes the Lummi Indian Nation, Nooksack Tribe of Indians, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, Whatcom County s USDA Natural Resource District, Whatcom County Conservation District, U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service, and Washington Department of Transportation. Table 8 shows the costs for this monitoring. Table 8. Costs for monitoring. Task(s) Organization Costs by Year ($) Habitat and wood Lummi Indian Nation 15,000 in 2002 mapping 10,000 in 2004 Ortho Photo and Cross Nooksack Tribe 7,800 in 2002 section/scour of Indians monitoring Cross sections; Nooksack Salmon 10,000 in 2002 GPS stationing Enhancement Association 5,000 in 2004 Aerial mapping and Whatcom County s 1,500 in 2003 GIS products; Natural Resource 4,000 in 2004 surveying traverse. Conservation District Aerial mapping and Whatcom County 1,500 in 2002 GIS products Conservation District 1,500 in 2003 Photo Point National Park Service, 1,000 in 2002 North Cascades 1,000 in 2003 National Park 3,000 in 2004 GPS Stationing Washington Department 1,500 in 2004 of Transportation Reports USDA Forest Service 4,000 in 2004 Mt Baker- Snoqualmie National Forest 3 104

17 Case Study 8 Lessons Learned Since the project was constructed, the project reach has undergone several changes that have implications for habitat quality. Much of the change that occurred in the reach was related to two floods in mid-october, both of which were greater than the previous flood of record. Changes that we observed and documented are: l Changes in dominant pool-forming feature from bedrock to wood in main channel reaches. l Increase in pools in braided channel areas. l Increase in wood as a dominant cover type in pools. l Increase in rapids, decrease in riffles. l Change in dominant substrate class in main and braided channel types from cobble/boulder to cobble/gravel. l Local effects of engineered logjams on channel including sediment deposition and scour. l Increase in key-sized pieces in confined portions of the reach. l Increase in number of logjams through the reach. l Reduction in secondary channel types (braided and side channels), increase in main channel area. Many of these changes directly relate to the engineered logjams constructed as a part of the North Fork Nooksack In-channel project, while others are more difficult to attribute to restoration activities. For more information contact: Roger Nichols, Mt Baker Ranger District, Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, 2105 Highway 20, Sedro Woolley, WA 98284; phone: References Cited Duck Creek Associates Nooksack River Watershed Riparian Function Assessment. Geoengineers North Fork Nooksack River Corridor Analysis. (Unpublished report prepared for the Washington State Department of Transportation). 56 p. Hawkins, C. P.; Kershner, J. L.; Bisson, P. et.al A hierarchical approach to classifying stream habitat features. Fisheries 18:

18 Developing Monitoring Plans Chapter 3 Indrebo, M Stream channel classification and historical channel changes along the North Fork Nooksack River, Washington. Prepared for Lummi Natural Resources, Bellingham, WA. 47 p. Lummi Natural Resources Habitat mapping and wood characterization data for the four-mile flats reach. GIS data. Lummi Natural Resources Habitat mapping and wood characterization of the North Fork Nooksack In-channel project reach. GIS data. Ketcheson, G Comments regarding the peak discharges experienced in the national forest at the U. S. Geological Survey gauge located at the Nooksack Powerhouse during the two October 2003 floods events; personal communication. Nichols, R Comments regarding the fire history that burned in the region over the past 500 years; personal communication. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Pilot watershed analysis for canyon creek. Sedro Woolley, WA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Mt Baker-Snoqualmie Forest, Mount Baker Ranger District. 276 p. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service North fork nooksack river watershed analysis. Sedro Woolley, WA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Mt Baker-Snoqualmie Forest, Mount Baker Ranger District. Washington Forest Practices Board Standard methodology for conducting watershed analyses. Version