DESCRIPTION
WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) constructed new wood structures and supplemented the amount of wood in existing wood structures in three streams within the Asotin Creek Intensively Monitored Watershed (IMW) project in southeast Washington. The goal of the IMW is to determine the effectiveness of restoration using large woody debris (LWD) at increasing the productivity and capacity of Snake River Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU) wild steelhead. We conducted pre-restoration monitoring of fish and habitat from 2008 to 2012. The experimental design has three 4 km long sections in each of three streams: Charley, North Fork, and South Fork. Fish and habitat monitoring takes place in each section. We initiated a trial of the restoration method in 2011 by installing five post-assisted log structures (PALS) in the three streams. After assessing the trial structures, full implementation of restoration began in 2012. Using funding from SRFB #11-1573 and 12-1637, we restored one 4 km treatment section in South Fork (2012), one 4 km treatment section in Charley Creek (2013), and one 4 km treatment section in North Fork Creek (2014). Using the current grant, WDFW constructed 116 PALS in an additional 2 km of South Fork Asotin Creek and added approximately 400 pieces of LWD to previously treated sections of North Fork Asotin Creek, 400 pieces of LWD to South Fork Asotin Creek, and 200 pieces of LWD to Charley Creek. We also acquired a permit from WDFW to fell 50 live trees into the streams to increase wood densities. The added wood is expected to increase channel width and bed variability, fish cover, pool frequency and depth, sediment sorting, and floodplain connection to benefit ESA listed steelhead as well as Chinook Salmon and Bull Trout.
Monitoring funded by the IMW shows that the existing and new restoration structures are producing positive habitat responses. The structures are forcing floodplain connection, creating pools, backwaters, sediment deposition, gravel bars, and recruiting trees as the channel increases in sinuosity. We will continue to monitor and analyze fish and habitat responses of these restoration actions as part of the Asotin Creek IMW. We expect to continue the effectiveness monitoring for the IMW until at least 2021 through Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) and SRFB funds.