Aquatic Habitat Projects and Opportunities

1
Aquatic Habitat Projects and Opportunities

• Aquatic habitat concepts
• Methods and Projects
• Funding
• Opportunities

2
BEAVER .. Habitat Experts
3
Concepts of aquatic habitat restoration and
enhancement

• Fish populations are controlled by their most
  limiting habitat condition
• Habitat views
• Think Watershed work the Reach
• Restoration or Enhancement
• Passive vs. Active Restoration

4
Look for the most limiting condition
5
The Natural Condition
Can we do better than Nature?
6
The Natural Condition (not always what we think
it should be but, do we know better?)
7
Look to the Watershed for clues
8
Know what is going on in the watershed that
affects the reach

• Fix the impact before fixing the habitat

9
We want to emulate what works not make it worse.
10
Natural Channel Stability

• Dimension (width/depth)
• Pattern (meander geometry)
• Profile (gradient, pool, riffle, run)

Stability is achieved when these are maintained
and the channel neither aggrades or degrades.
11
Vegetation is the glue of channel stability
Erosion is minimized
Channel is narrow and deep
12
When the vegetation buffer is removed
Habitat quality and diversity
Erosion potential
Water depth
Channel and stream width
13
Aquatic Habitat The Goal

• Restoration (Restoring stream channel form and
  function)
• Passive Restoration
• Active Restoration

• Enhancement
• Enhancing habitat features (pools, riffles, cover)

14
Passive Habitat Restoration

• Protect the habitat from impact
• Let stream and riparian area restore channel form
  and function
• Takes time but highly effective
• Low cost nature does the work
• Most natural esp. if flows are not limiting
  factor

15
Passive Restoration

April 1993
Riparian Buffers
April 2006
16
Note un-vegetated point bar
Clear Creek Site 2 (CCRP) September 13, 2000
Before
17
Healthy riparian greenline along old eroding bank
Point bar developing vegetation and collecting
sediment
Stream narrowing and deepening
Clear Creek Site 2 September 18, 2006
After
18
http//gf.state.wy.us/habitat/Riparian/RiparianBuf
fer_Rept_Final.pdf
19
After grazing change
Before grazing change
Willow restoration due to changing grazing timing
and intensity (note improved channel stability
and riparian water table)
20
Active Restoration

• Can speed recovery
• More costly and involved
• Needed when resource cannot restore itself
  (altered watershed)
• Can jump-start with active restoration finish
  with passive

21
Watershed Restoration Aspen Treatment

• Water yield ¼ to ½ acre feet per acre of aspen
  over conifer.

• 2nd most productive and diverse habitat after
  riparian

22
Restored stream flows due to headwater vegetation
treatment (4,000 acre burning of conifer
encroached aspen)
Before No stream flow
After Water Flow returns
23
Active restoration bank stabilization
Captures sediment and rebuilds bank channel
narrowing
24
From Rosgen (2006)
J - HOOK
25
The J Hook
Flow
26
ACTIVE RESTORATION
Using structure to aid restoration
Clear Creek (Buffalo) Stream channel
restoration fish habitat enhancement
Bankfull
Rock Sill
Flow
27
Cross-Vane structure
From Rosgen (2006)
28
Restoring the right dimension, pattern and
profile to reach stability transport water and
sediment without degrading or aggrading.
29
It takes careful planning and construction and
let the stream maintain
Water is still the most limiting factor
30
Habitat Enhancement
31
(No Transcript)
32
FISH PASSAGE/ Removing Barriers
Irrigation Diversion
33
From Rosgen (2006)
34
Low and open sills assure all fish species pass
Diversion
Flow
35
FISH ENTRAINMENT
36
Irrigation Diversion Screening
37
Self-cleaning fish screen
38
Take the Watershed view
What happens in the uplands affects the stream
Conservation Easements Preserving landscapes
39
Partnerships in funding-WGFD

• Popular 4.5 million in projects 2006
• Leverage 2.3 per 1 in WGFD funds

40
Funding Sources

• WGFD
• Wildlife Trust Fund (WTF)
• Landowner Incentive Program (LIP)
• WY Gov. Big Game License Coalition (WGBGLC)
• WWNRT Wyoming Wildlife Natural Resource Trust

MORE.....
41
Funding Sources (cont.)

• NRCS USDA (WHIP, CCRP, EQIP, etc.)
• Conservation Districts
• USFS, BLM, BOR, USFWS, EPA
• Non-Govt. sources (DU, TU, RMEF, TNC, Wildlife
  Heritage Foundation, etc.)
• Private funds (landowner) and in-kind matching

42
Where to start?

• Consider what you want to accomplish and the
  scope
• Improve habitat for all species?
• Multiple benefits (improvements for landowner and
  wildlife)
• Adjoining landowners involved?
• How long are you willing to be invested?
• Willing to accept conditions/ monitoring?
• Public access allowed?

43
Seek advice

• NRCS Conservation Districts
• WGFD Regional Habitat Biologists and Habitat
  Extension Biologists
• Other landowners or agencies that have been
  involved
• Private consultants (hydrologists, engineers)
• Publications NRCS WGFD Habitat Web site
  extension bulletins

44
Look for the Opportunities Match Your Needs
with Wildlife Habitat Needs

• Passive Restoration Riparian Buffers
  Vegetation Improved Flows Fix Impacts
• Active Restoration Watershed Treatments
  Restoring Channel Form and Function
• Enhance Habitat Features
• Fish Passage/ Irrigation Diversions
• Preserve Open Space and Wild Land CEs
• Seek Partnerships

45
Habitat is the Foundation

• The Future
• More and Larger Projects (Watershed Scale)
• Multiple Partners, Species and Benefits
• Focus on Landscape Health and Integrity

46
THANKS

• WGFD Regional Habitat Biologists
• Wildland Hydrology Dave Rosgen
• NRCS, Conservation Districts, cooperative
  landowners, WY legislature, and all those
  interested in good habitat

47
(No Transcript)