Habitat Mapping of High Level Indicators at Multiple Scales for Fish and Wildlife

Multi-Scale Approach

• LEVEL 1: Map area of focus Floodplain + adjacent upland

• LEVEL 2: Map projects collecting habitat variables

• LEVEL 3: Map surrogates for habitat variables

• LEVEL 4: Focal habitats and focal species

What habitat data to map?

LEVEL 1 Map FLOODPLAIN plus adjacent upland habitat in subbasins

GIS maps to include:

•Stream channels

•FEMA flood plain data layer (100 & 500 year)

•Riparian

•Wetlands

•Roads

•Upland habitats adjacent (1/2 to 3 miles) to floodplain

•Digital Elevation Model

•Channel data

•Soils (NRCS hydric soils data)

•National Wetlands Inventory

•Other pertinent data

How to map floodplain habitat?

USE:

•Current habitat types using existing fish and wildlife habitat mapping protocols

MAP:

PRODUCT:

•GIS map with multiple data layers•Floodplain delineated (using above data)•Habitat types mapped within floodplain

and adjacent upland areas

•Soil data layer including:

•Erosion potential

•Compaction

•Floodplain gradient

•Grazing (may have to be surrogate for soil compaction)

•Agricultural practices/tillage (may have to be another surrogate for soil compaction)

•Point-Source Pollution sites

Additional habitat measures

Potential data layers to add to LEVEL 1 map:

LEVEL 2 Map Projects that collect specific Habitat Variables and Enhancements in subbasins

Projects that collect or conduct:

•Water temperature

•Sedimentation

•Large Woody Debris (LWD)

•Fence Installation/Removal

•Vegetation Plantings

•Invasive species Control

•Instream flow

•Nutrient inputs

What habitat data to map? Wildlife Managers should be the leader here!

What habitat data to map?

LEVEL 3 Map Surrogates for specific Habitat Variables subbasins

Variables – Surrogates:

•Sedimentation – areas susceptible to landslides, mining locations, recent logged areas

•Large Woody Debris (LWD) – recent logged areas, and riparian areas with medium to large trees

•Nutrients – salmon carcass/spawning areas, agricultural land use

Why were these LEVEL 2 habitat variables chosen?

• Large Woody Debris– Found often in habitat classification systems– Influences other instream elements with high occurrence in classification systems

(e.g. pools, riffles)– Included in Lower Columbia Salmon Recovery and Subbasin Plan (Dec 2004)– Included as habitat actions in NOAA report

• Temperature– Although not occurring frequently in classification systems (likely this is captured in

water quality assessments), a critical habitat element for salmonids and wildlife– Influences other water quality variables, and strongly associated with riparian habitat– Included in Lower Columbia Salmon Recovery and Subbasin Plan (Dec 2004)

• Sedimentation– Although not occurring frequently in classification systems (likely this is captured in

water quality assessments), a critical habitat element for salmonids and wildlife– Acts as surrogate for turbidity and embeddedness– Strongly associated with riparian and upland habitat and land-use practices– Included in Lower Columbia Salmon Recovery and Subbasin Plan (Dec 2004)– Included as habitat actions in NOAA report

• Instream Flow– Included in Lower Columbia Salmon Recovery and Subbasin Plan (Dec

2004)– Included as habitat actions in NOAA report

• Nutrient Inputs– Included in Lower Columbia Salmon Recovery and Subbasin Plan (Dec

2004)– Included as habitat actions in NOAA report– Associated with riparian and upland habitat and land-use practices

• Habitat Enhancements– These are part of recorded projects, therefore would be fairly easy to

map (i.e. should already be recorded)

Why were these LEVEL 2 habitat variables chosen? (con’t.)

Other habitat variables could be added, such as obstructions to fish passage, including:

•Dams (natural and man-made)

•Culverts

•Water diversion structures

•Large waterfalls

•Channel gradient

Additional LEVEL 2 habitat variables

Photo courtesy of Dr. Richard Forbes

LEVEL 4 Map Focal Habitat and Species information in subbasins

Components:

• Big Game Winter Range• Focal Species Range Maps• Location of Focal Habitats• Link Population Information – e.g. Breeding Bird Survey

What habitat data to map?

TemperatureSedimentation Large Woody Debris

Riparian Veg.

Pools, Riffles, Glides

Sediment Sorting

Dissolved OxygenTurbidity

Embeddedness

Hig

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Lev

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Ind

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Infl

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Habitat Variables of

Interest

Very Fine-scale Variables

Fine to Coarse-scale Variables

Habitat Mapping

Habitat Enhancements

Riparian Veg.Riparian Veg.

Upland habitat

Grazing

Tillage/Ag. Practices

Soil erodability

Soil compaction

Topography/ gradient

Recent logging

Veg. Planting

Recent logging

Install / Remove Fencing

Effluent (point-source pollution)

Veg. Planting

Invasive Species Control

Recent logging

Veg. Planting

Invasive Species Control

Water withdrawal

Roads

Nutrient Input

Riparian Veg.

Upland habitat

Grazing

Tillage/Ag. Practices

Water Quality

Recent logging

Veg. Planting

Install / Remove Fencing

Riparian Veg.

Instream flow

In-stream habitat complexity

Instream habitat

Instream habitat

Invasive Species Control

Upland influences• Include a Buffer Strip ranging form

½ mile to 3 miles adjacent to the Floodplain to address direct and indirect influences that may be occurring

• Upland habitat data could be used to determine desired riparian condition in adjacent areas– E.g. Upland area with clear-cut,

compacted soils, high erosion potential, steep gradient requires greater (i.e. wider) riparian corridor to offset impact

Habitat Mapping Needs

Data we have or can get:

• DEM• FEMA flood plain• Hydric soils• Channels• Grazing• Some upland

habitat types• Some coarse-scale

physical obstructions

• Habitat enhancements

Data we need:• Riparian habitats• Wetland habitats• Instream

temperature• Instream

sedimentation• Instream LWD• Fine-scale physical

obstructions• Point-source

pollution• Logging

Unknowns (potential gaps):

• Soil erodability• Soil compaction• Non-point source

pollution

Habitat Elements occurring most frequently in Classification Systems

The top 1/3 of all habitat elements in each category are:

Aquatic• Pools• Instream

coarse woody debris

• Riffles• Channel

width• Runs/glides

Terrestrial• Down wood

Anthropogenic• Water diversion

structures• Culverts• Irrigation

ditches/canals• Bridges• Roads

Habitat Types occurring most frequently in

Classification Systems

• Lakes, ponds, reservoirs and rivers• Bays and estuaries• Riparian-wetlands• Herbaceous wetlands• Ponderosa pine & eastside oak

forests and woodlands• Lodgepole pine forests and

woodlands• Westside oak and dry Douglas-fir

forests and woodlands• Westside lowland conifer-

deciduous forests

PNW Habitat Classification Systems

http://icontoo.com/PHaCS/PHaCS.aspx