Fish Habitat Rehabilitation Effectiveness Monitoring | |
|
Year
|
 |
2009 |
|
Proponent
|
|
BC Conservation Foundation |
|
Project type
|
|
Habitat |
|
FSWP funding source
|
|
DFO Fraser Basin Initiative |
|
Grant amount
|
|
$10,000 |
|
Total project value
|
|
$35,500 |
|
ID number
|
|
09-D22-H |
Location:
Basin wide
Project Summary
Overview
An integral, but often neglected part of habitat restoration projects is post-construction effectiveness monitoring (Roni 2005). Effectiveness monitoring is essential because it can play an integral role in adaptive management for future restoration projects, as well as demonstrate the value of habitat restoration investments as a method for recovering depressed fish stocks.
This proposal is intended to acquire critical partnership funding for the continued efforts of monitoring the effectiveness of fish habitat restoration projects implemented by BCCF. We propose to conduct seasonal biophysical assessments associated with Large Woody Debris (LWD) habitat structures and restored off-channel habitat on a subset of Fraser Valley restoration projects (Alouette, Silverhope, and Chehalis rivers). This project is designed as a direct assessment of previously funded Fraser Salmon and Watersheds Program (FSWP) project investments.
It will make up year two (final year) of a multi-year project. The project is integrated and collaborating with fish and habitat monitoring work concurrently being conducted through other BCCF staff on Vancouver Island projects. The combination of project data sets (replicates), once collected, compiled, and analyzed, will produce an instructive and publication quality evaluation of habitat restoration works; beneficial to re-assure past and future project funders of their instream restoration investments.
Objectives
1. Identify and quantify seasonal habitat preference of juvenile fish in mainstem LWD habitat structures. Evaluate: a) treated LWD and boulder sites; b) control sites; and c) natural woody debris control sites
2. Monitor the use by salmonids of restored or newly developed side-channel habitat restoration; juvenile fish species composition, distribution and abundance will be measured
3. Confirm the structural integrity of past investments including LWD habitat structures and side-channel restoration projects to prevent unexpected structure failures, liability issues, and maintain investments
4. Capitalize on the opportunity to assimilate multi regional monitoring projects and results to make statistically based conclusions
Methods
Seasonal assessments of juvenile fish abundance associated with treated vs. control habitat will occur on a subset of rivers including: Alouette, Seymour (other funders involvement), and Silverhope River systems. The outcome will be a quantitative evaluation of juvenile salmonid usage of: a) treated LWD and boulder sites; b) control sites; and c) natural woody debris control sites. Summer snorkel surveys will be completed in August (2009) when water temperature and discharge promote typical summer foraging behavior. Winter snorkel surveys (replicate of summer surveys) will be completed in February (2010) when flows are moderated by snow-packs, and parr still inhabit over-wintering habitats before spatial re-distribution. Similar studies on the Thompson and Skagit Rivers have successfully employed the use of night-time underwater surveys (Hagen et al. 2004). Winter underwater fish counts are critical, because harsh over-wintering conditions have been shown to cause the highest juvenile mortality rates in coastal streams (Ward and Slaney 1988) and this is a period when steelhead parr maximize mainstem LWD habitat (Roni and Quinn 2001).
To monitor the physical durability and performance of structures over time, the Watershed Restoration Program Đ Forest Investment Account protocol Routine Effectiveness Evaluation (Anonymous 2003) will be used. It records physical stream changes (pool scour, wood accumulation, etc) resulting from the structures function and interaction with the natural environment. Physical assessments will also evaluate LWD structural integrity and habitat characteristic evolution, and provide opportunities for maintenance, remedial work, or habitat improvement recommendations.
This Lower Mainland project is designed and collaborating with fish and habitat monitoring work concurrently being conducted through BCCF; Vancouver Island. Once the data has been collected, compiled, and analyzed, an instructive and publication quality evaluation will be produced; beneficial to re-assure past and future project funders of their instream restoration investments. Results from the multi-year, multi-region effectiveness monitoring report will then be compared to published effectiveness monitoring studies.
Final Results
The final report for the study is posted in the orange resource box to the right.
EMAIL
PRINT
Be the first to leave a comment on this page!