Opportunity for Spill Management on the Dolores River in 2017: A Collaboration of 'Spill Science. Dolores River Downstream of McPhee Reservoir

Transcription

1 Opportunity for Spill Management on the Dolores River in 2017: A Collaboration of 'Spill Science Dolores River Downstream of McPhee Reservoir

2 Opportunity for Spill Management on the Dolores River in 2017: A Collaboration of 'Spill Science Dolores River Downstream of McPhee Reservoir 1. Dolores River Implementation Plan Monitoring and Evaluation 2. EXAMPLE: Geomorphological Findings 3. Preliminary Findings Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring in 2017

3 REMINDER: WHY WE ARE INTERESTED Range Wide Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Roundtail Chub Gila Robusta, Bluehead Sucker Catostomus Discobolus, and Flannelmouth Sucker Catostomus Latipinnis, (Three Species Agreement)

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5 1-Jan 7-Jan 13-Jan 19-Jan 25-Jan 31-Jan 6-Feb 12-Feb 18-Feb 24-Feb 1-Mar 7-Mar 13-Mar 19-Mar 25-Mar 31-Mar 6-Apr 12-Apr 18-Apr 24-Apr 30-Apr 6-May 12-May 18-May 24-May 30-May 5-Jun 11-Jun 17-Jun 23-Jun 29-Jun 5-Jul 11-Jul 17-Jul 23-Jul 29-Jul 4-Aug 10-Aug 16-Aug 22-Aug 28-Aug 3-Sep 9-Sep 15-Sep 21-Sep 27-Sep 3-Oct 9-Oct 15-Oct 21-Oct 27-Oct 2-Nov 8-Nov 14-Nov 20-Nov 26-Nov 2-Dec 8-Dec 14-Dec 20-Dec 26-Dec Discharge (cfs) 4000 Dolores River at Bedrock: Watershed Area = 2024 mi^ Ave Q 10% Exceedence 25% Exceedence 75% Exceedence 90% Exceedence

6 Ave Monthly Discharge (cfs) 1-Jan 11-Jan 21-Jan 31-Jan 10-Feb 20-Feb 1-Mar 11-Mar 21-Mar 31-Mar 10-Apr 20-Apr 30-Apr 10-May 20-May 30-May 9-Jun 19-Jun 29-Jun 9-Jul 19-Jul 29-Jul 8-Aug 18-Aug 28-Aug 7-Sep 17-Sep 27-Sep 7-Oct 17-Oct 27-Oct 6-Nov 16-Nov 26-Nov 6-Dec 16-Dec 26-Dec Discharge (cfs) 4000 Dolores River at Bedrock: Ave Q 10% Exceedence 25% Exceedence 75% Exceedence 90% Exceedence Dolores River near Bedrock McPhee Dam Completed 1984 Pre-McPhee Dam Post-McPhee Dam Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Aug 2010 Sept 1999-Aug 2010

7 Lower Dolores River Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for Native Fish - ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT CONCEPT 1A. Spring assessment of forecast data concurrent with assessment of Dolores River Opportunities as indicated in Dolores Native Fish Implementation Plan WHAT IS POSSIBLE? 1B. Fall-winter evaluation of monitoring data WERE THE OBJECTIVES MET? IMPLEMENT MONITOR & EVALUATE Spill Management Baseflow Management Geomorphic Processes Thermal Regime Modification Coldwater Invasives Warmwater Invasives Fish Stocking *NATIVE FISH METRICS OF VIABILITY* 2. OUTREACH to Local Communities and Constituents Feedback into Process

8 Year M&R Team Meeting? M&R Team Recommendations Made? Managed Release? Volume Temperature Suppression? Sediment Transport? Flushing Flow? Habitat Maintenance? Days of Recreational Boating Flows Recommendations Implemented? Sediment Transport Monitoring Done? Longitudinal Fish Monitoring Done? 2000 NA NA NO YES 2001 NA NA NO YES 2002 NA NA NO YES 2003 NA NA NO YES 2004 NA NA NO YES 2005 NA NA NO YES 2006 NA NA NO YES Historic Fish Monitoring Sites Done? Comments 2007 NA NA YES YES 2008 NA NA YES YES 2009 NA NA NO YES 2010 NA NA NO YES 2011 YES NA YES YES 2012 YES NA NO YES First raft EF trip done in below Snaggletooth; discovered SMB 2013 YES NA NO YES Documented fish kill below Disappointment Ck due to mud. Baseflow shortage Year (~40% Project supply) YES NA NO YES Small baseflow shortage year (~50% allocation; good fall flow) 2015 NO NA NO 0 NO NO NO NO 0 NA NO NO YES Fish Pool Only; full supply 2016 YES YES YES 28,011 NO YES YES NO 9 YES NO YES YES small spill; no opportunity for pro-active management; fill then spill scenario

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10 Fisheries monitoring Population Sampling Long-term MonitoringLarval Fish Sampling

11 2017 Fisheries monitoring Population Sampling Long-term Monitoring Larval Fish Sampling Riparian Vegetation Alluvial Groundwater Geomorphic Investigations Drone Photography (fine scale) Aerial Photography (reach scale)

12 Forecast McPhee Inflows (1000s of AF) CRBFC Spring Forecasts for McPhee Inflows FORECAST VOLUME (50%) FORECAST VOLUME (70%)

13 Year M&R Team Meeting? M&R Team Recommendations Made? Managed Release? Volume Temperature Suppression? Sediment Transport? Flushing Flow? Habitat Maintenance? Days of Recreational Boating Flows Recommendations Implemented? Sediment Transport Monitoring Done? Longitudinal Fish Monitoring Done? 2000 NA NA NO YES 2001 NA NA NO YES 2002 NA NA NO YES 2003 NA NA NO YES 2004 NA NA NO YES 2005 NA NA NO YES 2006 NA NA NO YES Historic Fish Monitoring Sites Done? Comments 2007 NA NA YES YES 2008 NA NA YES YES 2009 NA NA NO YES 2010 NA NA NO YES 2011 YES NA YES YES 2012 YES NA NO YES First raft EF trip done in below Snaggletooth; discovered SMB 2013 YES NA NO YES Documented fish kill below Disappointment Ck due to mud. Baseflow shortage Year (~40% Project supply) YES NA NO YES Small baseflow shortage year (~50% allocation; good fall flow) 2015 NO NA NO 0 NO NO NO NO 0 NA NO NO YES Fish Pool Only; full supply 2016 YES YES YES 28,011 NO YES YES NO 9 YES NO YES YES small spill; no opportunity for pro-active management; fill then spill scenario

14 Dolores River Downstream of McPhee Reservoir 2017 Geomorphological Investigations

15 The percent channel area within alluvial valley bottom areas decreased from 24.5% in 1937 to 15.6% in 2009 (Koenig/ TNC Fall 2013)

16 Flow hypotheses, native fish objectives, measurable indicators* Flow hypothesis Habitat Objective Measurable Benchmark Habitat Maintenance Flow (2,000 3,400 cfs for 7+ days) Habitat Maintenance Flow (>3,400 cfs) Maintain pattern and profile appropriate for reach Scour pools Mobilize riffle materials Interaction with floodplains in alluvial reaches Mobilize and re-set riffle habitats; create/maintain instream habitat (pool scour, backwaters; secondary channels) Maintain floodplain exchange and riparian community Energy/nutrient exchange between channel and floodplains Maintenance of alluvial aquifer Monitor changes in crosssection, assess plan-view changes Maintenance of pool depths Monitor mobile fraction of channel bed in riffle Cottonwood recruitment Document movement of D 84 ; assess instream habitat complexity. Assess cross section and longitudinal changes. Monitor diversity and density; cottonwood germination/recruitment Validate Q bkf ; Floodplain inundation depths, measure exchange of material (painted patches, scour stakes) Groundwater monitoring in floodplain * From Table 4 Lower Dolores River Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for Native Fish

17 1. Downstream Dove Creek Pump Station and BLM Box Elder Campground 2. Slickrock above Disappointment Creek 3. Slickrock below Disappointment Creek 4. Big Gypsum Valley BLM Recreational Site 5. Upstream BLM Bedrock Recreational Site Study Area (5 Sites) (March and July) Cross Section Type Scour Stakes? Painted Frame? Pebble Count? Dove Creek Pumps Riffle, Pool No No No Slickrock Upstream Pool No No No Slickrock Downstream Pool Yes Yes Yes Big Gypsum Pool Yes No No Bedrock Pool Yes No No

18 3/1 3/3 3/5 3/7 3/9 3/11 3/13 3/15 3/17 3/19 3/21 3/23 3/25 3/27 3/29 3/31 4/2 4/4 4/6 4/8 4/10 4/12 4/14 4/16 4/18 4/20 4/22 4/24 4/26 4/28 4/30 5/2 5/4 5/6 5/8 5/10 5/12 5/14 5/16 5/18 5/20 5/22 5/24 5/26 5/28 5/30 6/1 6/3 6/5 6/7 6/9 6/11 6/13 6/15 6/17 6/19 6/21 6/23 6/25 6/27 6/29 #Gaging Station: DOLORES RIVER BELOW MCPHEE RESERVOIR (DOLBMCCO) # USGS DOLORES RIVER NEAR SLICK ROCK, CO >3,400 for 5 days (5/3 5/7) >2,000 for 15 days (4/25 5/9) 2 nd Peak: 1,790 on 6/

19 Downstream Dove Creek Pump Station and BLM Box Elder Campground Confined, colluvial U-shaped valley type Relatively stable, moderate side slopes Moderate valley slope Narrow riparian corridor Large, woody debris Relatively low sediment supply, but areas of high sediment supply can occur

20 The Island Survey Area

21 Elevation (ft) Dove Creek Pump Station, Upstream Riffle Cross Section Morphological Parameters 97 March 20 July 6 Change 96 BKF Maximum Depth Bankfull Width Mean Bankfull Depth Width/Depth Ratio (0.5) (1.49) Cross- Sectional Area Distance (ft) 20-Mar-17 6-Jul-17

22 Elevation (ft) Dove Creek Pump Station, Upstream Riffle Cross Section BKF Distance (ft) 20-Mar-17 6-Jul-17 8/31/2004

23 Slickrock Upstream of Disappointment Creek Semi-confined, alluvial valley type: Alluvial Deposition & Narrow Floodplain Narrow floodplain Meandering, riffle-pool system Streambank erosional processes Productive riparian community

24 Slickrock Upstream of Disappointment Creek

25 Slick Rock, above Disappointment PHOTO POINT MONITORING Pre-Spill 3/24/17 #5661 Post-Spill 7/6/17 #1204 Slickrock Upstream Site

26 Slick Rock, above Disappointment Pre-Spill 3/24/17 #5661 See little change in general perimeter of diagonal bar Post-Spill 7/6/17 #1204 Slickrock Upstream Site

27 Slick Rock, above Disappointment Pre-Spill 3/24/17 #5661 But see deposition here And scouring/rock movement here Post-Spill 7/6/17 #1204 Slickrock Upstream Site

28 Slick Rock, above Disappointment Pre-Spill 3/24/17 #5661 But see sedimentation here And scouring/rock movement here And sediment movement here Post-Spill 7/6/17 #1204 Slickrock Upstream Site

29 Elevation (ft) Slickrock Pocket Water Pool Above Disappointment Creek BKF Morphological Parameters March 20 July 6 Change 96 Maximum Depth Bankfull Width (0.20) Mean Bankfull Depth (0.24) 92 Width/Depth Ratio Cross- Sectional Area (35.73) Distance (ft) 24-Mar-17 6-Jul-17

30 Slickrock Downstream of Disappointment Creek Semi-confined, alluvial valley type: Alluvial Deposition & Narrow Floodplain Narrow floodplain Meandering, riffle-pool system Streambank erosional processes Productive riparian community

31 Midchannel bar focus area Crosssection focus area

32 Elevation (ft) Slick Rock, Downstream Disappointment Creek, Pocket Water Pool 105 Morphological Parameters 100 BKF March 22 July 6 Change Maximum Depth Bankfull Width (4.60) Mean Bankfull Depth Width/Depth Ratio (3.27) Cross- Sectional Area Distance (ft) 22-Mar-17 6-Jul-17

33 Pre-Spill 3/22/17 #5475 Post-Spill 7/6/17 #1318 Slickrock Downstream Site

34 Pre-Spill 3/22/17 #5487 Post-Spill 7/6/17 #1322 Slickrock Downstream Site

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38 Big Gypsum Valley Semi-confined, alluvial valley type: alluvial deposition & narrow floodplain Narrow floodplain Meandering, riffle-pool system Streambank erosional processes Productive riparian community

39 Open sandbar

40 Elevation (ft) Big Gypsum Valley, Straight Dissipation Pool Cross Section BKF Morphological Parameters Maximum Depth Bankfull Width March 22 July 6 Change (4.60) 88 Mean Bankfull Depth Width/Depth Ratio (10.81) 84 Cross- Sectional Area Distance (ft) 21-Mar-17 7-Jul-17

41 Pre-Spill 3/20/17 #5311 Big Gypsum

42 Peak-Spill 5/6/17 #0660

43 Peak-Spill 5/6/17 #0660 Post-Spill 7/8/17 #1804

44 Bedrock Semi-confined, alluvial valley type: alluvial deposition & narrow floodplain Narrow floodplain Meandering, riffle-pool system Streambank erosional processes Productive riparian community

45 Stake #1 (closest to water) Pre-Spill 3/23/17 #5594 Post-Spill 7/8/17 #1819

46 Stake #1 (closest to water) Post-Spill 7/8/17 #1852 Post-Spill 7/8/17 #1821

47 Post-Spill 7/8/17 #1851 Stake #2 (next closest to water)

48 Stake #3 (next in line) Pre-Spill 3/23/17 #5597 Post-Spill 7/8/17 #1849 Dug hole to confirm stake not buried

49 Bank Erosion (Extreme) Study bank height 5.5 Bankfull height 3 Root depth 8 Bank length 125 Root density 5% Bank angle 80 Surface protection 2% Bank material Silt Estimated Material = 260 TONS, or about 13 truckloads

50 Flow hypotheses, native fish objectives, measurable indicators* Flow hypothesis Habitat Objective Measurable Benchmark Habitat Maintenance Flow (2,000 3,400 cfs for 7+ days) Habitat Maintenance Flow (>3,400 cfs) Maintain pattern and profile appropriate for reach Scour pools Mobilize riffle materials Interaction with floodplains in alluvial reaches Mobilize and re-set riffle habitats; create/maintain instream habitat (pool scour, backwaters; secondary channels) Maintain floodplain exchange and riparian community Energy/nutrient exchange between channel and floodplains Maintenance of alluvial aquifer Monitor changes in crosssection, assess plan-view changes Maintenance of pool depths Monitor mobile fraction of channel bed in riffle Cottonwood recruitment Document movement of D 84 ; assess instream habitat complexity. Assess cross section and longitudinal changes. Monitor diversity and density; cottonwood germination/recruitment Validate Q bkf ; Floodplain inundation depths, measure exchange of material (painted patches, scour stakes) Groundwater monitoring in floodplain * From Table 4 Lower Dolores River Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for Native Fish

51 Year M&R Team Meeting? M&R Team Recommendations Made? Managed Release? Volume Temperature Suppression? Sediment Transport? Flushing Flow? Days of Habitat Recreational Maintenance? Boating Flows Recommendations Implemented? Sediment Transport Monitoring Done? Longitudinal Fish Monitoring Done? 2000 NA NA NO YES 2001 NA NA NO YES 2002 NA NA NO YES 2003 NA NA NO YES 2004 NA NA NO YES 2005 NA NA NO YES 2006 NA NA NO YES 2007 NA NA YES YES 2008 NA NA YES YES 2009 NA NA NO YES 2010 NA NA NO YES 2011 YES NA YES YES 2012 YES NA NO YES 2013 YES NA NO YES 2014 YES NA NO YES Historic Fish Monitoring Sites Done? Comments First raft EF trip done in below Snaggletooth; discovered SMB Documented fish kill below Disappointment Ck due to mud. Baseflow shortage Year (~40% Project supply). Small baseflow shortage year (~50% allocation; good fall flow) 2015 NO NA NO 0 NO NO NO NO 0 NA NO NO YES Fish Pool Only; full supply 2016 YES YES YES 28,011 NO YES YES NO 9 YES NO YES YES 2017 YES YES YES 208,190 YES YES YES YES 63 days over 800 cfs YES YES YES YES small spill; no opportunity for pro-active management; fill then spill scenario Big spill year but wavering forecasts allowed for multiple opportunities to be met but with specific monitoring and recreational challenges. Implemented multi-disciplinary pre- post-spill monitoring program.

52 Monitoring Riparian Vegetation Condition after the Dolores River 2017 Spill Dr. Cynthia Dott, Fort Lewis College - Biology Julie Knudson, Restoration Services Consulting

53 A typical willow transect

54 Average Willow Stem Density Stem Density/m BG SR.no significant difference between years (or sites)

55 Litter and Bare Ground: Significant changes post-spill % Cover Bare Grnd Big Gyp Litter CONCLUSIONS Bare ground increased Litter decreased

56 Gigi s note: Upstream view from Base Pin bluff. on left bank 2003

57 2017 #2 Photo taken from river left, looking upstream 6/26/2017

58 2017 Groundwater Monitoring of the Dolores River Gary Gianniny, Cynthia Dott, & Amanda Webb Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO NATIVE FISH MONITORING AND RECOMMENDATION TEAM MEETING, OCTOBER 27 TH, 2017

59 3,610 cfs on 5/6/17 1,780 cfs on 6/11/ cfs on 7/13/

60 2017 Big Gypsum Wells Groundwater Monitoring Response 4-ft groundwater depth - cottonwood GW threshold 2017

61 1,540 cfs on 6/6/

62 1,190 cfs on 7/28/12 Depth below surface always greater than 4ft Dry well Dry well 2012

63 Dolores River Ecological Response Monitoring Aerial Imagery Preliminary Results October 27, 2017

64 Before peak 3/27/2017 3:58 PM Dolores: 725 cfs McPhee: 61.2 cfs Slickrock: 450 cfs Bedrock: 342 cfs Big Gypsum After peak 6/5/ :13 AM Dolores: 2810 cfs McPhee: 1220 cfs Slickrock: 814 cfs Bedrock: 138 cfs

65 Lower Dolores River 2017 Monitoring Program Boater Response

66 2017 Boater Survey: Final Results Respondents: N= % 10+ years 68% Advanced/Expert 91% non-commercial 74% Class IV or higher

67 Flow Evaluations: - Bradfield Dove Creek cfs - too low (1.01%) - low-acceptable (42.42%) - just right (50.51%) cfs - too low (n/a) - low-acceptable (16.67%) - just right (70.83%) cfs - too low (n/a) - low-acceptable (3.51%) - just right (47.37%) - High acceptable (43.86%)

68 Sediment Mobility on the Dolores River, 2017 Dominique M. Shore, Jon E. Harvey, Gary L. Gianniny Fort Lewis College, Geosciences Department, Durango, CO

69 Methods Cross Sections Cross Sections Reworking of Reworking channel of channel features? features? Structure From Motion Reworking of floodplain?

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72 2017 Dolores River Fish Monitoring Dolores Monitoring and Recommendation Team Meeting October 27 th, 2017

73 Objectives 1. Add to understanding of longitudinal distribution and abundance of native and non-native fishes in the Dolores River 2. Remove warm and coldwater invasive fish in native fish habitat 3. Assess native and non-native fish reproduction 4. Mark native fishes with PIT tags and assess movement patterns 5. Monitor coldwater sportfish and warmwater natives at historic stations

74 Number of SMB Smallmouth Bass Demographics : Pyramid James Ranch 80 SMB Length Frequency Total Length (mm)

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76 pounds per surface acre Annual Discharge (Acre Feet) Coldwater Fishery Trout biomass (lbs/ac) Annual discharge (AF)

77 Total number of fish captured 180 Roundtail Chub Trend Dove Creek Pump Site RTC Year

78 QUESTIONS? Yes.