DESCRIPTION
Lummi Nation will use this grant to design an instream restoration project on the South Fork Nooksack River southeast of Saxon, Washington in Whatcom County (RM 12.9 to 13.9). The goal is to restore SF Nooksack early Chinook spawning, rearing and holding habitat to recover self-sustaining runs to harvestable levels by addressing limiting factors of high temperature, low habitat diversity, and lack of key habitat. The LNR will hire an engineering firm to design a project that will use engineered logjams (ELJs) that restore habitat-forming processes to increase the number of primary pools within 5 years, cover over 2,000 feet of riprap with wood, and improve floodplain-channel connectivity by connecting off-channel habitat. Hydraulic modeling, channel & biologic response to proposed treatments will lead to a preliminary design. The LNR will present alternatives to co-managers to select the preferred alternative and preliminary design.
The 2005 WRIA 1 Recovery Plan identified South Fork early Chinook as one of the highest priority populations; it is essential for recovery of the Puget Sound ESU, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The project enhances benefits of the SF Chinook Rescue Program, a native broodstock hatchery program supporting recovery, and addresses a temperature TMDL on a river threatened by climate change. The project will also benefit ESA-listed steelhead and bull trout; coho, sockeye, and pink salmon; and the Southern Resident
Lummi Nation used this grant to study feasibility and develop conceptual designs for an instream restoration project on the SF Nooksack River southeast of Saxon, WA in Whatcom County (RM 12.8 to 13.9). Preliminary designs were developed with other grant funding. The goal is to restore SF early chinook spawning, rearing and holding habitat to recover self-sustaining runs to harvestable levels by addressing limiting factors of high temperature, low habitat diversity, and lack of key habitat. LNR hired an engineering firm to hydraulically model design alternatives for a project that restores habitat-forming processes. Alternatives were evaluated on benefits to chinook per hydraulic modeling and expected channel and biological response. Stakeholders helped select a preferred alternative to be developed into a preliminary design, basis of design report and construction cost estimate. The preliminary design includes construction of 46 ELJs, creation of 25 pools, excavation of up to 2,275 feet of new side channels, removal of 250 feet of riprap, covering over 1,350 feet of riprap with logs and other earthen material, reconnecting 4.7 acres of floodplain habitat, and planting 5.4 riparian acres.?South Fork early chinook are one of the highest priority populations essential for recovery of the ESA-listed Puget Sound ESU (WRIA 1 2005). The project will benefit LNR's native chinook broodstock hatchery program supporting recovery and address a temperature TMDL on a river threatened by climate change. It will also benefit ESA-listed steelhead and bull trout, other salmonids, and the Southern Resident Killer Whale.
