BASIN
SALMON AND STREAM HISTORY
For natural spawning salmon, the competitive battle determining the genetic heritage of a particular salmon run consists of females competing for the best spawning sites and males competing for access to spawning females. In this way, they each insure the carrying of their seeds, the seeds of the strongest survivors, to future generations. The degree to which an individual male is able to outcompete smaller, less dominant males for the opportunity to position next to as many spawning females as possible lays the groundwork for his ability to influence the genetic legacy of his population. The degree to which a given female successfully locates those hydrologic and geophysical features that can provide optimum survival conditions for her offspring helps determine both the male and female's ability to influence the genetic legacy of their population and pass on their "survivor" traits. The trip is a long and treacherous one. From their natal stream, survivors will travel thousands of kilometers out to sea and back to their natal stream to spawn. Although, a chum female may lay ~3,000 eggs, the survival of fry to maturity averages a survival rate of only 0.3% to 3.2% for wild chum, varying with the region and the year. The impacts of harvesting, hatcheries and habitat degradation have combined to reduce their survival rate to a level where the ability of some Puget sound populations to sustain their own populations are threatened (NMFS 1995; 1997; 1998). Given these tough survival odds, it is essential that all survival impacts be addressed. As we become aware of decadal and interannual fluctuations in climatic conditions, ocean productivity and estuarine productivity, the need to reverse habitat degradation that compromises any part of the salmonid life-history becomes apparent. When ocean productivity is reduced, freshwater and estuarine systems cannot also be compromised and still retain self-sustaining populations.
CHIMACUM COHO
The channelization of Chimacum creek goes back to the early twentieth century. A diagram overlaying the creek's 1920 shape with its 1956 shape demonstrates a history of efforts to channelize the creek's shape and straighten its natural meandering shape. The combined effects of stream channelization, removal of native riparian vegetation, beaver ponds, and drainage of swamp areas have reduced the area and quality of rearing habitats within the stream. Vegetation removal reduces stream complexity and prey abundance by removing inputs of large woody debris and its associated insect prey and holding pools. This combined reduction in prey abundance and holding pools increases the energy expense associated with prey capture. Coho abundance is believed to be limited by the number and availability of suitable territories (Larkin 1977). Structurally complex streams with logs, bushes and stones for fish to use for holding, rest and shelter have shown to support larger numbers of fry than streams without such complexities (Scrivener and Andersen 1982).
Compared to historical levels, the stream's available high quality habitat have been reduced by over 90% by the history of land use practices along the stream (Bahls and Rubin 1996). This reduced channel complexity, once provided by stream meandering and woody debris combined with increased deposition of fine sediments to the spawning beds has greatly reduced the ability of the coho to naturally recover. When key elements to a stream’s habitat elements are depleted by the loss of woody debris and an increase in fine sediments, its carrying capacity will most likely remain depressed until those key elements are restored (Bilby 1988; Gore and Shields 1995). The stream’s carrying capacity for coho is measured by its ability to offer diverse rearing habitat for different seasons, winter and summer, and spawning grounds that can support abundant emerging alevins. Compared to historical levels, the stream’s coho summer and winter rearing habitat have been reduced by over 90% (Bahls and Rubin, 1996). The increased fine sediment deposition from upstream road failures has also reduced the stream’s coho spawning area. The lack of surrounding vegetation has also degraded the quality of stream habitat with high stream temperatures and low dissolved oxygen levels. Increased stream temperatures coupled with the invasion of non-native plants, such as reed canary grass, increased nutrient loads from farming and decreased wetlands, available for nutrient exchange, have very likely contributed to the existing low levels of dissolved oxygen. In addition to such habitat degradations, impassable culverts block migrating adults from potential spawning habitat and juveniles from potential rearing habitats. Fish production is dependent upon both food availability and suitable habitat (Chapman 1966). Higher levels of production occur when both prey resource abundance and habitat quality are simultaneously high rather than one being depressed and the other elevated (Warren et al. 1964, Mason 1976). Although salmon consistently show a strong adaptive capacity to recover from natural episodic events, this cumulative degradation of habitats required to support critical life history periods blocks their ability to recover without well coordinated restoration efforts.
CHIMACUM SUMMER CHUM
Prior to 1991, following the combined effects of these two episodic events, the stream’s native chum run was extirpated It is believed that the history of the cumulative effects of chronic fine sediment deposition to this downstream spawning area from upstream land use practices made the chum spawning beds particularly vulnerable to these two large episodic events. These large episodic events, a logging road failure in the upper watershed and a road culvert failure at Rivermile 2 raised the percentage of fines to over 20%. Studies have demonstrated that high levels of chum egg survival and alevin emergence require that less than 20% of the spawning bed substrate consist of fine sand or silt sediments (Koski 1966,1975). In 1996 Bahls and Rubin (1996) estimated, by visual stream survey, that the fines in the chum spawning area consisted of 40-60% of fines, sand or silt, in the chum spawning areas. In 1993 sediment studies sediment studies using a McNeil sampler and Timber, Fish and Wildlife guidelines (TFW) was undertaken to sample riffle crests in the chum spawning area used the definition of fines as 0.0mm-0.84mm and found the mean percentages to range from 19.7% to 28.1%. They also found the percent of fines less than 0.106mm in size to range between mean values of 27.5% and 32.9% (Kennedy 1993). In studies at Big Beef Creek on Hood Canal, Koski (1966, 1975) found that alevin survival in gravels with sands between 3.327mm and 0.105mm, was highest in gravels containing 11-30% sand. He found each 1% increase in sand to reflect a 1.26% decrease in survival to emergence. Koski considered the amount of fines to reflect an index of the "living space" or percentage of voids available for the developing eggs and alevins. Koski found intragavel dissolved oxygen content reduced when fines exceeded 35%. A higher percentage of sand in the gravel resulted in an earlier emergence, a higher level of prematurity and smaller fry size. Similarly, studies have found that a substrate composition of 60% in fine sediments reduces embryo survival to near zero for at least five species of Pacific salmon (Tappel and Bjornn 1983; Irving and Bjornn 1984).
THE ESTUARY - PORT TOWNSEND BAY EELGRASS HABITAT
The immediate outmigation of small juvenile chum from Chimacum Creek make them particularly reliant upon the shallow nearshore habitat just off the shores of the creek mouth in the Port Townsend Bay estuary. The eelgrass beds of Port Townsend Bay are an integral part of the estuary's carrying capacity for juvenile chum. The importance of existing eelgrass beds is magnified by Puget Sound's natural fjord bathymetry and increasing shoreline development. The glacier-carved steep sloping shoreline bathymetry of Puget sound naturally limits the shallow vegetated habitat supporting juvenile salmon prey resources to a narrow band parallel to the shoreline. This natural limitation to the areal extent of the shallow nearshore habitat has been exacerbated by the impacts of shoreline development that appear to have further reduced the type and quantity of available nearshore habitat (Thom and Hallum 1991; Saunders et al. 1991).
Shoreline development can impact eelgrass beds by changing the nature of nearshore vegetation and its associated communities. Hard sea walls and riprap change the slope of the beach by changing wave energy patterns and stopping the addition of sediments to the beach. These hard systems of erosion control actually increase the loss of sediments and beach in front of them. This increase in slope results in increased water depth at the shoreline and reduces the area of exposed beach on low tide. Such changes in slope in turn change what plants and animals can make a living along the beach. This reduces the ability of eelgrass to grow and reproduce along the shoreline (Shreffler et al.1995). This loss of eelgrass communities has a ripple effect on the biologic communities available to juvenile chum as they forage in this nearshore habitat. Aerial photos of the shoreline adjacent ot the creek's mouth display development encroaching towards the shoreline area.
Fine sediments transported downstream and deposited in nearshore habitat at the mouth of the stream can bury eelgrass beds. Excess nutrients deposited in nearshore estuarine habitats can stimulate epiphytic growth on eelgrass shoots limiting the availability of light for plant growth and survival. Excess nutrients also set up conditions favorable to the increased growth of ulva which is known to deprive eelgrass plants of the necessary light and oxygen required for growth and reproduction setting up an anoxic condition that limits the survival and reproduction of eelgrass and favors the spread of ulva. Monitoring changes in nutrient loads to the estuary, eelgrass versus ulva ratios, sediment deposition loads and tidal prism parameters are important elements to include in a comprehensive stream monitoring system.
Data collected by the Washington State Department of Health over the
past 5 years show that the marine waters at the mouth of Chimacum Creek
meet water meet the water quality standards required for approved shellfish
growing. Similarly, water quality data for the year 2000 collected by the
Jefferson County Conservation District demonstrated that the station immediately
downstream from agricultural areas on Chimacum Creek passed the fecal coliform
standard for "Class AA waters" - a very high water quality standard.
REGIONAL SALMON DATA
CHIMACUM RESTORATION COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Wild Olympic Salmon and the Jefferson County Conservation District have also successfully completed a number of watershed restoration projects that include: widening channels to increase stream area, adding large woody debris to add stream complexity and variety of habitat, increasing vegetation to enhance the integration of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems that over time will stabilize streambanks, absorb nutrient loads, and provide shade and woody debris. As the property along the creek is privately owned, these efforts have been opportunistic in nature (i.e. doing it when you can and where you can). As a land conservation organization, the Jefferson Land Trust (JLT) has also joined these community efforts to promote conservation in the watershed through acquisition of targeted conservation easements at strategic points along the watershed.
West Fork-protect forested headwater and fence off livestock
Mainstem Wetland- protect extensive wetlands and beaver pond complex over multiple parcels
Lower Mainstem- protect pristine forested lower river ravine surrounding chum spawning habitat
Mouth - protect estuarine habitat serving as important chum rearing areas
Conservation Easement Acquisition
Advantages:
Disadvantages
MONITORING
Building a monitoring plan for targeted streamside acquisitions
References
Bahls, P. and J. Rubin. 1996. Chimacum watershed coho restoration assessment. report for Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe.
Bax, N.J. 1983a. The early marine migrtion of juvenile chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) through Hood Canal - its variability and consequences, Ph.D. thesis. University of Washington, Seattle, WA. 196 p.
Bax, N.J. 1983b. Early marine mortality of marked juvenile chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) released in Hood Canal, Puget Sound, Washington, in 1980.Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 40:426-435.
Bilby, R.E. 1988. Interactions between acquatic and terrestrial systems. p. 13-29. In: K.J. Raedeke (ed.), Streamside Managemenet: Riparian Wildlife and Forestry Interactions, University of Washington, Institute of Forest Resources, Contribution No. 59, Seattle.
Bjornn, T.C. and Reiser, D.W. 1991. Habitat requirements of salmonids in streams. In: Influences of Forest and Rangeland Management of Salmonid Fishes (ed.) W.R. Meehan, 1991. American Fisheries Society Special Publication 19.
Bledsoe, L.J., D.A. Somerton, and C.M. Lynde. 1989. the Puget Sound runs of salmon: An examination of the changes in run size since 1896. In: C. Levings, L. B. Holtby, and M.A. Henderson (eds.), Proceedings of the National Workshop on Effects of Habitat Alteration on Salmonid Stocks, May 6-8, 1987.
Chapman, D.W. 1965. Net production of juvenile coho salmon in three Oregon streams.Trans. Am. fish. Soc. 94:40-52.
Chapman, D.W. 1966. Food and space as regulators of salmonid populations in streams. American Naturalist 100:345-357.
Crone, R.A., and C.E. Bond. 1976. Life history of coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch, in Sashin Creek, southeastern Alaska. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 74:897-923.
Gore, J.A. and F.D. Shields. 1995. Can large rivers be restored? BioScience 45: 142-152.
Irving, J.S., and T.C. Bjornn. 1984. Effects of substrate size composition on survival of kokanee salmon and cuttthroat and rainbow trout. Idaho Cooperative Fisheries Research Unit. Technical Report 84-6, University of Idaho, Moscow.
Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, Coordinating Entity for the Regional Planning Group. 1994. The Dungeness-Quilcene Water Resources Management Plan. A plan submitted to the Department of Ecology under the Chelan Agreement.
Kennedy, M. 1993. Sediment study of lower Chimacum Creek, unpubl.
Koski, K.V. 1966. The survival of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) from egg deposition to emergence in three Oregon coasteal streams. M.Sc. thesis. Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 84p.
Koski, K.V. 1975. The survival and fitness of two stocks of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) from egg deposition to emergence in a controlled-stream environment at Big Beef Creek. Ph.D. thesis. University of Washington, Seattle, WA. 212 p.
Larkin, P.A. 1977. Pacific salmon, p. 156-186. In: J.A. Gulland (ed.). Fish population dynamics. J. Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.
Lichatowich, J.A. 1989. Habitat alteration and changes in abundance of coho(Oncorhynchus kisutch) and chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) in Oregon's coastal streams. In Levings, C.D., L.B. Holtby, and M.A. Henderson (eds.), Proceedings of the National Workshop on Effects of Habitat Alteration on Salmonid Stocks. Can. Spec. Publ. fish Aquat. Sci. 105:92-99.
Lichatowich, J.A. 1993. The status of anadromous fish stocks in the streams of eastern Jefferson County, Dungness-Quilcnee Pilot Project. Jamestown S/Klallam Tribe publ., Sequim, WA.
Mason, J.C. 1976. Response of underyearling coho salmon to supplement feeding in a natural stream. Journal of Wildlife Management 40: 775-788.
Mundie, J.H. 1969. Ecological implications of the diet of juvenile coho in streams, p. 135-152. In: T.G. Northcote (ed.). Symposium on Salmon and Trout in Streams. H.R. MacMillan Lectures in fisheries. Institute of Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
Nehlsen, W., J.E. Williams, and J.A. Lichatowich. 1991. Pacific salmon at the crossroads: Stocks at risk from California, Oregon, Idaho and Wshington. Fisheries (Bethesda) 16(2):4-21.
Nichelson, T.E., M.F. Solazzi, S.L. Johnson and J.D. Rodgers. 1992. Seasonal changes in habitat use by juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in Oregon coastal streams. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 49:783-789.
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) 1995, Status Review of coho salmon from Washington, Oregon and California. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC-24.
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) 1997, Status review of chum salmon from Washington, Oregon, and California. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC-32.
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) 1998. Status review of chinook salmon from Washington, Idaho, Oregon and California. NOAA Tevchnical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC-35.
Oregon Trout, Portland Audobon Society and siskiyou Regional Education Project. 1993. Petitions for listing species of Pacific Coast Oncorhynchus kisutch pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as amended. Petition to U.S. Dep. Commer. Natnl. Mar. Fish. Serv., Northwest Region, Seattle, Washington, July 1993. 17 pp. plus appendices.
Pacific Rivers Council and 22 co-authors. 1993. Petition for a rule to list, for designation of critical habitat, and for a status revidw of coho salmon throughout its range under the Endangered Species Act. Petition to U.S. Dept. commer., Natnl. Marine Fish. Serv., Northwest Region, Seattle, Washington, October 1993, 33 pp. (available from Pacific Rivers Council, P.O. Box 309, Eugene, OR 97440).
Reeves, G.H., Everest, F.H., Nichelson, Thamas E. 1989. Identification of physical habitats limiting the production of coho salmon in western Oregon and Washington. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-245. U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR.
Scrivener, J.C., and B.C. Andersen. 1982. Logging impacts and some mechanisms which determine the size of spring and summer populations of coho salmon fry in Carnation Creek. p.257-272. In: G.F. Hartman (ed.). Proceedings of the Carnation Creek Workshop: a ten year review. Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, BC.
Shreffler, D.K., R.M. thom and K.B. Macdonald. 1995. Shoreline armoring effects on biological resources and coastal ecology in Puget Sound. In: Puget Sound Research '95. p. 121-131.
Shreffler, D.K. 1999. personal communication.
Simenstad, C.A. and W.J. Kinney. 1978. Trophic relationships of outmigrating chum salmon in Hood Canal, WA 1977. Report to the Washington Department of Fisheriees. University of Washington. Fisheries Research Institute. FRI-UW-7810.
Simenstad, C.A., W.J. Kinney, S.S. Parker, E.O. Salo, J.R. Cordell, and H. Buechner. 1980. Prey community structure and trophic ecology of outmigrating juvenile chum and pink salmon in Hood Canal, WA. A synthesis of three years' studies 1977-79. University of Washington. Fisheries Research Institute. FRI-UW-8026.
Simenstad, C.A. K.A. Fresh, and E.O. Salo. 1982. The role of Puget sound and Washington coastal estuaries in the life history of Pacific salmon: an unappreciated function, p. 343-364. In V.S. Kennedy (ed.) Estuarine Comparisons. Academic Press, New York, NY. 709 p.
Tapple, P.D., and T.C. Bjornn. 1983. A new method of relating size of spawning gravel to salmonid embryo survival. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 3:123-135.
Thom, R. M. and L. Hallum. 1991. Long-term changes in the areal extent of tidal marches, eelgrass meadows and kelp forests of Puget Sound. University of Washington. Fisheries Research Institute. FRI-UW-9008. June 1992.
WDF, WDW and WWTIT (Washington Department of fisheries, Washington Department
of wildlife and Western Wshington Treaty Indian Tribes. 1993. 1992 Washington
state salmon and steelhead stock inventory (SASSI). Wash. Dep. Fish Wildl.,
2112 p. + three appendices. appendix 1: Hood Canal and Strait of Juan de
Fuca (December 1994, 424 p.), North Puget Sound (June `994, 418 p.), and
South Puget Sound (September 1994, 371 p.) volumes.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife..
Warren, C.E., J.H. Wales, G.E. Davis, and P. Doudoroff. 1964. Trout production in an experimental stream enriched with sucrose. Journal of Wildlife Management 28: 617-660.
Whitmus, C.J., Jr. 1985. The influence of size on the migration and
mortality of early marine life history of juvenile chum salmon (Oncorhynchus
keta). M.Sc. thesis. University of Washington, Seattle, WA. 69 p.