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Watershed Assessments by John Hudson
The document discusses watershed assessments and their importance for effective watershed restoration. It provides a framework for conducting assessments that includes establishing the geographic scope, identifying resources, assessing existing conditions and threats, developing solutions, prioritizing actions, implementing projects, and monitoring. Examples of completed assessments are summarized, including those focusing on Pullen Creek, Auke Lake Watershed, fish passage in Haines, invasive plants in Juneau, and road conditions in Klawock. The role of assessments in identifying restoration opportunities and guiding restoration efforts is highlighted.
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- 1. Watershed Assessments An essential toolfor effective watershed restoration John Hudson Habitat Restoration Biologist U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Juneau Fish and Wildlife Field Office Created Wetland Duck Creek, Juneau
- 2. A Framework for Project Development 1. Established geographic scope 2. Identify resources 3. Assess existing conditions & threats 4. Develop solutions (i.e. actions) 5. Prioritize actions 6. Implement projects 7. Monitor Assess: to determine the importance, size, or value of <assess a problem> Nossuk Creek
- 3.
- 4. Assessment (“Background”) •Historical information •Importanceof Pullen Creek • Public perceptions • Economics • Fish and wildlife habitat • Ecosystem values • Current conditions • Fish habitat • Hydrology Problems & Solutions (“Action Plan”) •Problem identification • Known problems • Potential problems •Solutions •Plans • Management • Restoration • Education plans Taiya Inlet Watershed Council, 2006 •Current and future Projects
- 5. Selected projects Pullen Creek before after Stormwater Mapping and Mgmt. Plans “Healthy Streamside, Healthy Stream” Fish Passage Improvement Brochure
- 7. Auke Lake WatershedAssessment TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 1.1 Watershed Description 1.2 Geology, Vegetation and Fauna 1.3 History of the Auke Lake Watershed 2. Hydrology, Water Rights and Wetlands 2.1 Auke Lake and Auke Lake Tributaries 2.2 Surface and Ground Water Rights 2.3 Wetlands 3. Fish and Fisheries Habitat 3.1 Fish Populations 3.2 History of Fish Propagation 3.3 Habitat Condition Summary 4. Water Quality 5. Land Use and Lake Management 5.1 Land Ownership 5.2 Land Use Designations 5.3 Zoning 5.4 Lake Management 5.5 Proposed Development in the Watershed 6. Community Uses of the Auke Lake Watershed 6.1 Auke Lake User Survey 6.2 Motorized Watercraft on Auke Lake 6.3 University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) 7. Watershed Condition Summary 8. Watershed Protection and Enhancement Opportunities 9. References 8. Appendices Juneau Watershed Partnership, 2009
- 8. Auke Lake WatershedAssessment Wetlands Fish Habitat Land ownership
- 9. Auke Lake Watershed Action Plan ResourceInventory and Mapping Recommended Actions: 1.Locate wildlife travel corridors 2.Assess and map aquatic habitats 3.Conduct wetland delineations on borough and university lands 4.Examine relationships between habitat, zoning, and proposed development 5.Share maps and data with land managers and stakeholders
- 10. Fish Passage Inventory& Habitat Assessment in Haines Summer 2012: Upstream Habitat Assessment
- 12. Alaska Exotic PlantInformation Clearinghouse (AKEPIC)
- 13. Montana Creek Invasive PlantSurvey (Juneau) Invasiveness ranks > 80 = Extremely Invasive 70-79 = Highly Invasive 60-69 = Moderately Invasive 50-59 = Modestly Invasive 40-49 = Weakly Invasive < 40 = Very Weakly Invasive
- 14. Juneau Invasive PlantSpecies Prioritization: ABC List EDRR—Near Juneau Ideally Assisting Neighboring Communities in the Management Area with Control Efforts, preventing spread to the Juneau area. ABC Species Ranking (0-100) Found in Juneau? How much is in Juneau? Control Ranking ABC Species Ranking (0-100) Found in Juneau? Control Ranking A/B Bohemian Knotweed 87 yes + ~34 Acres 7/7 A Leafy Spurge 84 No 9/10 in Juneau Polygonum X bohemicum U,3,4 Euphorbia esula 3,2,4 A Japanese Knotweed 87 Yes 1 known 7/7 A *Giant Hogweed 81 No 9/10 location Heracleum mantegazzianum Polygonum cuspidatum U,3,4 3,2,4 A Purple Loosestrife 84 Yes 8/10 A American wht.waterlily 80 ? 6/7 Lythrum salicaria 2,2,4 Nymphaea odorata ssp. odorata U,2,4 A/B Reed Canarygrass 83 yes + 6/10 A Himalayan Blackberry 77 No 9/10 Phalaris arundinacea 0,2,4 Rubus discolor 2,3,4 A Ornamental Jewelweed 82 Yes > 6 locations 5/10 A Scotch broom 69 No 8/10 Impatiens glandulifera 2,1,2 Cytisus scoparius 3,2,3 A White Sweetclover 81 Yes One location 8/10 B Pale Yellow/Yellow Flag Iris 66 yes 6/10 Melilotus alba 3,1,4 Iris pseudacorus 0, 2, 4 A/B Orange Hawkeed 79 yes + 8/10 B Foxtail Barley 63 Yes? 9/10 Hieracium aurantiacum 3,2,3 Hordeum jubatum 2,3,4 A Yellow/ Meadow Hawkweed 79 yes Eagle beach 8/10 A Bull Thistle 61 No 3/10 Hieracium caespitosum 3,2,3 Cirsium vulgare Ten 0,0,3 A Cheatgrass 78 Yes 1 known 6/10 C Narrowleaf Hawksbeard 54 No 3/7 Bromus tectorum location 2,0,4 Priority ABC’s Crepis tectorum U,0,3 A Canada Thistle 76 No One known 10/10 ? Fall Dandelion/Hawkbit 51 Cirsium arvnese Location 3,3,4 Leontondon autumnalis A European Bird Cherry 74 yes 5/10 C A - invasiveness rank ≥ 70 and Prostate Knotweed 45 ? 7/10 locally rare Prunus padus 0,2,3 Polygonum aviculare 3,2,2 A Bird Vetch 73 Yes 3 known 9/10 locations Vicia cracca 3,2,3 A Perennial/Moist Sowthistle 73 Yes 4 known 8/10 Sonchus arvensis locations 3,2,4 B - invasiveness rank ≥ 70 and A Garlic Mustard 70 Yes 2 known 7/10 Alliaria petiolata locations 2,2,3 widespread A Herb Robert 67 yes Threat to forest understory and 5/10 spreading Geranium robertianum 3,0,2 A Siberian Pea Shrub Caragana arborescens 66 yes Arboretum + 5/7 U,2,3 C – invasiveness rank <70, rare or widespread.
- 15. Summer 2012 Early Detection/ RapidResponse Project Orange hawkweed (79, B) Ornamental Jewelweed (82, A) Bohemian Knotweed (87, B) Montana Creek Watershed
- 16.
- 17. Klawock Watershed ConditionAssessment
- 18. Klawock Watershed ConditionAssessment - Restoration Opportunities
- 19. Klawock Watershed Road Condition Survey Fishpassage barriers Hatchery Creek Fish Passage Improvement
- 20. Taiya Inlet StreamCondition Assessment
- 21. Finding your niche Issuesthat POWWA has the capacity to address: • Invasive plant management • New growth management in riparian and upland areas • Directing permittee responsible mitigation • Restoration monitoring • Ditch maintenance on state right-of-way • Stormwater management • Fish passage improvement
- 22. Thank you Twelvemile River
Editor's Notes
- #2 Work history on POW
- #3 Support and initiation of watershed councils Juneau Cooperative Weed Management Area Technical assistance to landowners Use of EQIP and WHIP to implement fish passage, wetland enhancement, riparian improvement, and second growth management projects
- #6 Pullen Creek Projects > $500,000
- #7 Avoid Project Fever Watersheds are restored one project at time; however, some should have priority over others
- #9 Or fish dist. Maps or land use maps
- #12 Support and initiation of watershed councils Juneau Cooperative Weed Management Area Technical assistance to landowners Use of EQIP and WHIP to implement fish passage, wetland enhancement, riparian improvement, and second growth management projects
- #13 Juneau Cooperative Weed Management Area Technical assistance to landowners Hoop-houses Forest thinning on private and corporate lands (works with individual landowners to design and implement thinning projects) Use of EQIP and WHIP to implement fish passage, wetland enhancement, riparian improvement, and second growth management projects
- #14 Support and initiation of watershed councils Juneau Cooperative Weed Management Area Technical assistance to landowners Use of EQIP and WHIP to implement fish passage, wetland enhancement, riparian improvement, and second growth management projects
- #15 Support and initiation of watershed councils Juneau Cooperative Weed Management Area Technical assistance to landowners Use of EQIP and WHIP to implement fish passage, wetland enhancement, riparian improvement, and second growth management projects
- #16 Support and initiation of watershed councils Juneau Cooperative Weed Management Area Technical assistance to landowners Use of EQIP and WHIP to implement fish passage, wetland enhancement, riparian improvement, and second growth management projects
- #17 Klawock Lake projects – fish barrier removal, road closures, forest thinning, etc. Look for and use existing resources
- #18 Proper Functioning Condition (PFC) Assessment A Proper Functioning Condition Assessment (PFC) that quickly and efficiently determines the functionality of riparian and wetland areas. The Proper Functioning Condition assessment involves using a standard checklist to consistently assess the hydrology, soils and vegetation of riparian areas. The checklist and its summarization are used to classify the health or state of physical processes of the riparian-wetland area. The PFC assessment method was chosen because it could provide a quick and defensible method for assessing riparian and stream channel condition.