DESCRIPTION
This project is a continuation of the Asotin Creek multi-year IMW project. The project is an Intensively Monitoring Watershed monitoring project. The project focuses on three tributaries to the Asotin Creek in Southwest Washington. The tributaries are: Charley Creek, North Fork Asotin Creek, and South Fork Asotin Creek. The purpose of the project is to link salmon and steelhead responses to specific mechanisms related to habitat restoration. The fundamental approach is to treat restoration as an experiment and concentrate a large restoration effort in order to increase the likelihood of detecting a population increase. This type of project will increase our understanding of wh at restoration activities are most effective, demonstrate how chnages in habitat influence survivial of various life stages of salmon and steelhead, determine what mangitude of restoraiton is required to cause a significant population response, and ultimately provide information to better evaluate the efficacy of habitat restoration. The restoraiton effort is focused on summer run steelhead habitat. The funds for this grant award will focus on continuing the IMW effort in the Asotin. This phase will include:
1) Continue baseline monitoring of 12 permanent sites for fish abundance and habitat condition,
2) Implement restoration treatment plan based on approval of the plan by the Regional Technical Team,
3) Monitoring a wide variety of response variables