DESCRIPTION
Our proposal would be for measuring pocket estuary indicators (e.g., count, extent of habitat by types, and landscape position and connectivity) for a contemporary time period (i.e. 2013/2014 depending on the imagery available). This would complement the work being done by the PSP sponsored Skagit Monitoring Pilot Project we are already doing. In the Skagit Pilot, we are measuring Whidbey Basin pocket estuaries using remote sensed imagery. The Skagit Pilot time period is 2003/2005. With monitoring for both time periods, the Whidbey Basin Lead Entities (including Island County) would have a trend result for Whidbey Basin pocket estuary habitat from Puget Sound Chinook Plan adoption (~2005) to present. Monitoring methods will be consistent with the Skagit Pilot and follow the RITT Common Framework. The Skagit Pilot is being used to help develop regional guidance for monitoring of Common Indicators for Puget Sound Lead Entities. Pocket estuary metrics are included in the list of Common Indicators.
Our project census nearshore pocket estuary pocket within the Whidbey basin and west Whidbey shoreline using remote sensing imaging. Indicators measured included: 1) count of pocket estuaries accessible to juvenile salmon, 2) the extent of habitat by types, and 3) their landscape position (i.e., connectivity). The time period was 2014. This project complements work done by the Puget Sound Partnership Skagit Monitoring Pilot Project. Monitoring methods from this project followed the Skagit Pilot and RITT Common Framework, but added four additional steps to improve accuracy. The Skagit Pilot was being used to help develop regional guidance for monitoring of Common Indicators for Puget Sound Lead Entities. Pocket estuary metrics are included in the list of the Puget Sound Common Indicators. The Skagit Pilot measured Whidbey Basin pocket estuary habitat for a time period representing habitat conditions around the time the Puget Sound Chinook Recovery Plan was adopted (~2005). This project provided the Whidbey Basin Lead Entities (including Island County) with a trend result for Whidbey Basin pocket estuary habitat for the first decade of Puget Sound Chinook Recovery Plan implementation. This project also provided a baseline result for pocket estuaries for the west Whidbey shoreline for 2014.
