Turlock Irrigation District333 East Canal DriveTurlock, CA 95381

(209) 883-8316

Modesto Irrigation District1231 Eleventh StreetModesto, CA 95354

(209) 526-7459

THIS DOCUMENT IS A SUMMARY OF THE

Habitat Restoration Plan for the Lower Tuolumne River Corridor

PREPARED FORThe Tuolumne River Technical Advisory Committee

WITH ASSISTANCE FROMUS Fish and Wildlife Service

Anadromous Fish Restoration Program

PREPARED BYMcBain & Trush

P.O. Box 663Arcata, CA 95518(707) 826-7794

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

OR

Front cover photographs (clockwise from top-left)• Adult chinook salmon returning to the river to spawn• A dynamic gravel bar near Basso Bridge at river mile 49.2• La Grange Dam at river mile 52.2• Mature valley oak and Fremont cottonwood riparian forest

“The practice of conservation must spring from a convictionof what is ethically and aesthetically right, as well as what iseconomically expedient. A thing is right only when it tends topreserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the community,and the community includes the soil, waters, fauna, and flora,as well as the people.”

Aldo Leopold, 1947

Printed with soy ink on recycled paper

Printed on a Heidelberg Direct Image, Chemical-Free Press

A Summary of the

Habitat Restoration Plan for theLower Tuolumne River Corridor

Prepared for:

The Tuolumne River Technical Advisory Committee

March 1999

A Summary of the

Habitat Restoration Plan for theLower Tuolumne River Corridor

Prepared for:

The Tuolumne River Technical Advisory Committee

March 1999

The Tuolumne River Technical Advisory Committee (TRTAC)has prepared the Habitat Restoration Plan for the LowerTuolumne River Corridor to assist in identifying and imple-menting habitat restoration projects to benefit the river’schinook salmon. This summary of the Restoration Planprovides background information about the TRTAC, thechallenges facing the Tuolumne River corridor, some of thetechnical information used to create the restoration plan, andexamples of restoration projects already underway. Thissummary was prepared to inform the public of the Restora-tion Plan goals and current and future restoration projects.

The Tuolumne River is one of themost important natural resources ofCalifornia’s Great Central Valley. Thelargest tributary of the San JoaquinRiver, the Tuolumne River drains a1,900 square-mile watershed thatincludes the northern half of YosemiteNational Park. As the Tuolumne Riveremerges from the Sierra Nevada

foothills into the Central Valley, itcarries precious agricultural and

municipal water supplies to ahighly developed and diversi-

fied regional economy.Agriculture, ranching,

mining, and tourismdominate the region

and depend on theriver for theirsustainedlivelihoods.

An enormous biological community also depends on theTuolumne River. Vast Fremont Cottonwood and Valley Oakriparian forests once insulated the Tuolumne River banks,extending several miles wide in the lower San Joaquin Valley,and merging into riparian forests of the neighboring Merced,Stanislaus and San Joaquin Rivers. These forests providedforaging and breeding habitat for an abundance of residentand migratory bird and wildlife populations, and tremendouspopulations of migratory waterfowl.

In the lower foothill reaches of the Tuolumne River upstreamof the community of Waterford, annual migrations of spring-and fall-run chinook salmon once filled the river. Fish com-monly weighed in excess of 20 pounds and occassionallyexceeded 50 pounds! Despite recent declines, the TuolumneRiver still supports the largest naturally reproducing popula-tion of chinook salmon remaining in the San Joaquin Valley.

1848THE CALIFORNIA

GOLD RUSHNo other event transformed thecharacter of California as pro-foundly as the gold rush. Goldfever brought a roaring boomto the Tuolumne River and theentire Central Valley almostovernight. Sluicing, hydraulicmining, and later dredging leftbehind a severely disfiguredriver ecosystem. The legacy ofdredging remains today as riverrocks piled on former riverfloodplains in the upper reachesof the Tuolumne River.

1923EARLY STORAGE DAMS

The original Don Pedro Damwas completed in 1923 and be-came the highest dam of itskind (284 ft high). The 289,000acre-feet of water storage ex-tended the irrigation seasonthrough September in mostyears. The completion ofO’Shaugh-nessy Dam in 1923(Hetch Hetchy) initiated waterstorage and diversion from theTuolumne River to supplydrinking water to the San Fran-cisco Bay Area.

1900s TO PRESENTAGRICULTURAL/URBAN

EXPANSIONAgricultural and urban expan-sion have encroached on theTuolumne River’s space, andhave eliminated large areas offish and wildlife riparian habi-tats. Entire floodplains wereconverted for cult ivation,bridges and towns were con-structed, and berms erected toprotect farmlands from floods.Economies developed duringthe 20th century are now inex-tricably linked to TuolumneRiver resources.

he Tuolumne RiverT

uolumne history

1

TSa

nJoaquin

MODESTO

Dry

EMPIRE

HUGHSON

Tuo

lum

ne

CERESShilohBridge

Hwy 99Bridges

Mitchell RdBridge

Santa Fe AveBridge

Geer RdBridge

Creek

rayson River Ranch: A perpetual conservation easementG The Grayson River Ranch project is an excellent example ofways in which voluntary public participation and leadershipfrom local agencies can make the vision for a Tuolumne Riverfloodway come to life. Located between river miles 5 and 6from the mouth of the Tuolumne River, the 140 acre GraysonRiver Ranch parcel was historically a river floodplain vegetat-ed with riparian hardwood species. The property was clearedfor cultivation as early as 1937, and has flooded repeatedlyover the years.

Following the 1997 flood , the property owner applied for andmay receive a Perpetual Conservation Easement for parts ofthe Grayson River Ranch parcel. The USDA Natural ResourcesConservation Service administers easement agreements incooperation with the East Stanislaus County Resource Conser-vation District, linking with various local, state, federal, andnon-profit (e.g. FOTT) partners. The easement would allow forseasonal flooding and restoration of riparian habitats, whilekeeping the property in the hands of private owners. If theeasement agreement is finalized, the NRCS will develop plansfor restoring the parcel to more natural conditions, whichmay include revegetation with native riparian hardwoodspecies, and/or creating off-channel wetlands. With restora-tion, this land will provide increased fishery, wildlife, andflood management benefits.

A few large stands of riparian vegetation persist along the Tuolumne.Although it took only decades to clear much of the land, centuries oldvalley oaks are not as quickly replaced. This multi-story, diverse canopyarchitecture provides habitat for many species of birds and wildlife.

Before the land along the Tuolumne had been converted to agriculture,old-growth oak forests extended across the floodplain to merge with theforests along the Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin Rivers. In 1937,clearing of the Grayson River Ranch parcel was well underway.

14

VALLEY OAKThe majestic valley oak, once a symbolof the native California landscape anda dominant figure in riparian forests,is now nearly gone. Confined to lessthan 2 % of its original habitat state-wide,this flood-dependent native is endemic - it growsnowhere else but in California. Land acquisitions orconservation easements may be the only way to preservethe rare remaining groves of valley oak and allow newtrees to propagate.

Even with dikes, many parcels of land near the confluence with the SanJoaquin River are frequently flooded (note traces of soil erosion from1997 floods). These former floodplains contain soils of marginal qualityfor agricultural production, and generally support feed crops for live-stock. However, they are ideally suited to sustain native hardwood forestsas well as a lush understory of flood-dependent plant species.

“On April 1st [1844] we…were stopped again by ariver - the Tuolumne. …[I]ts beauty has been in-creased by the additional animation of animal life,and now it is crowded with bands of elk and wildhorses; and along the rivers frequent fresh tracksof grizzly bears, which are unusually numerous inthis country.”

Captain John C. Fremont

1871-1893EARLY DIVERSION DAMSThe Tuolumne Water Companyconstructed Wheaton Dam atthe falls above La Grange in1871, initiating streamflowregulation and diversion on theTuolumne River. Wheaton Damwas later sold to Turlock andModesto Irrigation Districts,then re-placed by La GrangeDam. Completed on December13, 1893 at a cost of $550,000,the 127 1/2 ft high La Grangedam (later raised 2 1/2 ft) wasthe highest overflow dam inthe country.

Today, however, the Tuolumne River is changed. More than acentury of intensive land and water resource development hastransformed the Tuolumne River. Native Americans managedthe watershed using fire and selective vegetation harvesting.Placer and hydraulic gold mining began with the Gold Rush,and dredge mining continued into the 1950s. Mining sand andgravel for road and construction material began with minersexcavating directly from the river channel in the 1940s, andcontinues today in adjacent floodplains and terraces.

Agriculture and urban development have also severelyconfined the river’s space. The river is formed and maintainedby water and sediment, but dams now divert more than halfthe Tuolumne River’s streamflow and block the river’s coarsesediment and organic nutrient supplies. Cumulatively thesechanges have altered the river ecosystem. The ability of theriver to maintain its health has been greatly impaired. Theriver needs active restoration to improve.

1995FERC SETTLEMENT

AGREEMENTThe NDPP license was re-openedin 1992 to evaluate streamflowrequirements. The FERC Settle-ment Agreement increasedstreamflows to aid chinooksalmon recovery, and formedthe Tuolumne River TechnicalAdvisory Committee to overseerestoration and management.The TRTAC has prepared theHabitat Restoration Plan for theLower Tuolumne River Corridorto guide restoration planning,funding and implementation.

1930s TO PRESENTGRAVEL MINING

Sand and gravel “aggregate” isa critical resource to a rapidlydeveloping region. Early gravelmining practices created largepits within the river channelthat now harbor non-native fishand block gravel movementdownstream. As aggregate de-mand increased, mining shiftedto floodplains and terraces andcreated large pits that now con-strict the river between bermsthat are frequently rupturedduring floods.

1971NEW DON PEDRO

PROJECTThe New Don Pedro Project(NDPP) provides irrigation waterand hydro-power for Turlockand Modesto Irrigation Dis-tricts, municipal water suppliesfor the City and County of SanFrancisco, and flood control forthe U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.The 545 ft high rock-filled damwas dedicated on May 22, 1971.Initial streamflows were low,and the project license requiredre-evaluating streamflows aftertwenty years of operation.

1971-1995REGULATION UNDER

NDPP OPERATIONFall-run salmon population fluc-tuated widely during the first 20years of NDPP operation, froma high of 40,000 fish (1985) tolows of 100 fish (1991-93). Ar-ticle 39 of the NDPP licensemandated extensive studies ofsalmon ecology to determinehow much water was needed tomaintain a healthy population.This knowledge now contrib-utes to understanding how en-vironmental factors affect thechinook salmon population.

Gold dredgers exca-vated gravel fromdeep under the riverand floodplains, sepa-rated out the gold, anddeposited the tail-ing across the valley.Within a few decades(1937 above, 1950left) the dredgersturned over most ofthe valley floor fromLa Grange to RobertsFerry Bridge.

candidate for restorationA2

WATERFORD

HICKMAN

LA GRANGEDAM ❰

River

Hickman Bridge RobertsFerry Bridge

BassoBridges

La GrangeBridges

LAGRANGE

An excellent way to understand the scope of river restorationon the Tuolumne River is to witness a project in progress. Theopportunity will soon be afforded by the Special Run Pool 9(SRP 9) Restoration Project. SRP 9 is located immediatelydownstream of Fox Grove County Park and is visible lookingwest from the Geer Road Bridge. The Technical AdvisoryCommittee selected SRP 9 as one of the Settlement Agreementprojects, and received approximately $2.5 million in fundingfrom CALFED and USFWS/AFRP. At present, environmentalpermitting and compliance documents are nearing comple-tion, engineers are preparing final design details, and con-struction is scheduled to begin in summer of 1999. TheTurlock Irrigation District is administering the project for theTRTAC.

A BRIEF HISTORYBeginning in the 1930s, gravel miners extracted valuable sandand gravel aggregate directly from the river channel, creatinglarge pits in the river with water depths up to 36 ft. Excavatingthese ponds eliminated salmon spawning and rearing habitat,as well as entire floodplains and riparian vegetation. Theselarge pits now trap all coarse sediment (gravel and cobble)carried downstream by high flows, and provide warm-waterhabitat for non-native bass species that eat chinook salmonsmolts as they migrate out to sea. Studies found largemouthbass densities to be as high as 750 adult bass per river-mile.Since every chinook salmon juvenile produced on the Tuol-umne River must pass through this reach, bass have thepotential to consume many thousands of juvenile salmonduring the outmigration season. Reducing bass predation byeliminating their habitat is thus a high priority objective forrestoring the chinook salmon population.

WHAT TO DOSection 12C of the Settlement Agreement specifies “at leasttwo pond isolation projects will be included in the 10 priorityprojects.” The TRTAC considered a variety of alternatives forrestoring SRP 9, such as constructing a dike to separate thechannel from the large backwater pit, or actively removingunwanted predator fish, leaving the pond intact. In the end,the TRTAC determined that the best solution was to refill theentire pit with gravel and cobble to reconstruct a natural riverchannel, restore a natural channel and floodplain form, andre-vegetate floodplains with cottonwoods, valley oaks andother native vegetation. This approach will help restorenatural river processes, provide additional riparian habitat,and improve conditions for chinook salmon by creating newjuvenile habitat and eliminating predator habitat. By trying torestore “ecosystem processes”, in addition to improvingconditions for a single species, the SRP 9 project is essentiallya large-scale experiment, and will be thoroughly monitoredover the next several years to determine if project objectivesare met.

When complete, the restored project reach may provide apermanant solution to decades-old problems, and represent asignificant piece of the 52-mile Tuolumne River corridorrestoration effort.

pecial Run Pools 9 and 10: A channel reconstruction projectS

Instream and off-channel gravel mining began in this reach in the 1950s.Today, 30-foot deep pits provide habitat for bass (a predator of juvenilesalmon) and also block sediment movement through this reach.

In 1937, prior to aggregate extraction, this reach of the Tuolumne Riverhad a natural channel form and floodplain. Riparian vegetation wasscattered across the floodway and gravel bars were exposed at low flows.

As shown in a typical cross section through the SRPs, the existing channelis four times wider and at least two times deeper than it shouldbe. Narrowing the channel will eliminate bass habitat, allow gravelsto move through the reach, and provide floodplains for replantingriparian vegetation.

13

SRP 9

SRP 10

chinook salmon

A RIVER IMPACTED BY DEVELOPMENT• Reduced floodway capacity• Reduced magnitude and frequency of high flows• Reduced variability of seasonal streamflows• Interrupted gravel supply• Fragmented and narrowed riparian corridor and

decreased plant species diversity• Decreased regeneration of native riparian plants• Reduced water quality• Reduced quantity and quality of salmon habitat• Declining trend in chinook salmon abundance• Diminished wildlife populations

The Tuolumne River has a long history of streamflow regula-tion and diversion. The Turlock and Modesto irrigationdistricts (TID/MID) have operated storage and diversionfacilities on the Tuolumne River for over a century. La GrangeDam, constructed in 1893, was the first TID/MID joint facilityand continues to serve as the diversion point for the TID andMID main canals. Increased demands for water resulted inconstruction of Don Pedro Dam in 1923, which was replacedby the New Don Pedro Project (NDPP) in 1971. The NDPPreservoir, with a capacity of 2 million acre-feet (af), is thelargest storage facility on the Tuolumne River. The City andCounty of San Francisco (CCSF)diverts additional water fromHetch Hetchy Reservoir and otherupper Tuolumne River projects.Cumulatively, these projectsdivert more than half the averageannual flow from the TuolumneRiver.

The Federal Power Commission[now the Federal Energy Regula-tory Commission (FERC)], issuedthe original NDPP license in 1964,which required TID/MID torelease minimum streamflows to

The NDPP license required FERC to re-evaluate the project’sminimum streamflow requirements after 20 years of opera-tion. FERC initiated this evaluation in 1992, and prepared aFinal Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) in compliancewith the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The firstever FERC-initiated mediation process resulted in adoption ofthe 1995 FERC Settlement Agreement (FSA). The FERCSettlement Agreement participants included TID/MID, the Cityand County of San Francisco and other water suppliers, stateand federal resource agencies, and several environmentalgroups. The Agreement revised streamflow requirements,required habitat restoration to improve conditions for chinooksalmon, and ordered additional fishery studies to evaluateflow and non-flow measures.

protect the native chinook salmon population. The NDPPlicense also required the Districts, in cooperation with Federaland State resource agencies, to study the Tuolumne River to“assure continuation and maintenance of the salmon fisheryin the most economical and feasible manner”. Studies werecarried out cooperatively by TID/MID, U.S. Fish and WildlifeService (USFWS), and California Department of Fish and Game(CDFG). These studies, summarized in reports submitted toFERC in 1992, described chinook salmon ecology and provid-ed management recommendations based on current scientificunderstanding of the Tuolumne River.

managed riverA

he FERC Settlement AgreementT

FERC SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTPARTICIPANTSCalifornia Department of Fish and Game (CDFG)California Sports Fishing Protection Alliance (CSPA)City and County of San Francisco (CCSF)Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)Friends of the Tuolumne Trust (FOTT)Modesto Irrigation District (MID)San Francisco Bay Area Water Users Association (BAWUA)Tuolumne River Expeditions (TRE)Tuolumne River Preservation Trust (TRPT)Turlock Irrigation District (TID)U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

Over half of the 1.9 million acre-feet (af) of runoff in the Tuolumne River basin is diverted from the river foragricultural and municipal use (water volumes are 1984-1998 averages).

3

New Don Pedro Dam, completed in 1971 by the Turlock and Modes-to Irrigation Districts, is the largest dam on the Tuolumne River andcan store an average year’s runoff from the watershed.

Floodway expansion: Provide a wider floodway and restorefloodplains to reduce river confinement, allow natural channelmigration, provide additional flexibility for dam operations toreduce the risk of catastrophic floods, increase riparianvegetation, and improve river habitat conditions.Riparian restoration: Replant riparian vegetation to helppromote natural regeneration, specifically targeting Fremontcottonwood and valley oak species.Channel reconstruction: Rebuild a natural channel shapethat allows gravel movement, channel migration, floodplaininundation, riparian regeneration, and sand/silt deposition onfloodplains.Conservation easements: Preserve riparian areas (especiallyflood-prone lands), while ownership of the land is maintainedby private individuals. Riparian restoration could be imple-mented within the conservation easement.

Preservation sites: Preserve sites containing stands ofmature riparian trees.Sand management (fine sediment): Reduce fine sedimentwithin riverbed gravels, by prevention, mechanical meansand/or periodic managed flood releases.Gravel management (coarse sediment): Provide an initiallarge volume of gravel to replace the gravels lost over the pastcentury, then periodically introduce gravel to balance the lossof gravels moved downstream during high streamflows.Additional management approaches: Increase water qualityby controlling urban and agricultural runoff; introducealternative grazing strategies within floodway to promotenative riparian regeneration and reduce bank erosion; intro-duce vegetative buffer strips along the river and withinagricultural and urban lands to reduce soil loss, and todecrease sound, air and non-point source pollution into theriparian corridor.

estoration TypesR

BASSO ECOLOGICAL RESERVE LAND PURCHASECalifornia Department of Fish & Game, Stanislaus CountyAcquisition of three parcels totaling 42 acres is being funded by CALFED. This land between LaGrange Bridge and Basso Bridge represents the “missing link” connecting adjacent 350-acre (west)and 185-acre (east) county-owned parcels. This reach is one of the primary chinook salmon spawn-ing areas, and the land purchase will protect this critical spawning habitat.

12

GRAVEL MINING REACHFLOODWAY RESTORATIONTuolumne River Technical Advisory CommitteeThis 7-mile reach near Waterford (from RobertsFerry Bridge to the Old Reed Rock Plant) supportsactive off-channel gravel mining, and was exten-sively damaged during the 1997 flood. CALFEDand USFWS/AFRP have funded the first of fourphases of this project, with Phase I, the upper twomiles of the project, set to begin in 1999. PhasesII-IV will proceed in subsequent years. Restorationactivities will include increasing floodway capaci-ty to convey at least 15,000 cfs, increasing salmonspawning and rearing habitat, protecting dikesand off-channel pits from future flood damage,and restoring riparian forests on floodplains.

SPAWNING GRAVEL SUPPLEMENTATIONCalifornia Department of Fish & Game, TRTACConstruction of La Grange Dam in 1893 permanentlyended gravel supply to downstream reaches of theTuolumne River. Restoring gravel supply to the Tuol-umne River below La Grange Dam will greatly improvesalmon spawning and rearing habitats. The project startswith initial mechanical placement of a large volume ofgravel to begin replacing over 100 years of lost gravelsupply, followed by periodic augmentation to maintainsupply as gravels slowly move downstream during highflows.

WATERFORD

HICKMAN

LA GRANGEDAM ❰

River

LAGRANGE

The Tuolumne River Technical Advisory Commit-tee (TRTAC) was formed to coordinate and adminis-ter restoration and management activities on theTuolumne River. The TRTAC participants include theFERC Settlement Agreement signatories and otherinterested groups.

The TRTAC was directed to identify and implementten high priority habitat restoration projects by 2005,at which time progress toward restoring the salmonpopulation will be re-evaluated. To aid in identifyingand implementing high priority restoration projects,the TRTAC developed the Habitat Restoration Planfor the Lower Tuolumne River (Restoration Plan).

The Restoration Plan is intended as a technicalresource to help the TRTAC fulfill its obligation underthe FERC Settlement Agreement.

This document is a summary of the larger technical report,and was developed to assist the TRTAC in presenting theRestoration Plan to the public.

“Restoration” often implies returning to historical or naturalenvironmental conditions. Because removing dams, eliminat-ing water diversion, and ceasing agricultural and miningactivities within the river corridor are unrealistic goals,restoring the river to pristine conditions is unrealistic.

abitat Restoration Planfor the Lower Tuolumne River CorridorH

he Tuolumne River Technical Advisory CommitteeT

Therefore, the Restoration Plan was intended to recommendways to significantly improve conditions within the TuolumneRiver corridor, while recognizing that land and water-useactivities will continue. The restoration approach recommend-ed for the Tuolumne River is to improve conditions forchinook salmon and other species by restoring self-sustainingecological processes. This approach should benefit not onlythe target species, chinook salmon, but also many otherplants and animals dependent on the health and integrity ofthe Tuolumne River.

VISION FOR RESTORING THELOWER TUOLUMNE RIVER CORRIDORUtilize an integrative approach to re-establish criticalecological functions, processes, and characteristics, underregulated flow and sediment conditions, that best promotesrecovery and maintenance of a resilient, naturallyreproducing salmon population and the river’s naturalanimal and plant communities.

RESTORATION PLAN OBJECTIVES• Investigate and describe current and historical river

conditions• Integrate river channel, riparian and fisheries investiga-

tions into recommendations and strategies for restoringthe Lower Tuolumne River corridor

• Develop proposals and designs for specific restorationactions

4

FERC SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTGOALS AND STRATEGIES FOR RECOVERINGTUOLUMNE RIVER CHINOOK SALMON• Increase naturally occurring salmon populations• Protect any remaining genetic distinction of Tuolumne River

salmon• Increase salmon habitat in the Tuolumne River• Implement measures generally agreed upon as necessary to

improve chinook salmon habitat and increase salmon popula-tions. These measures include increased flows, habitat rehabilita-tion and improvement, and measures to improve juvenilesurvival

• Use an adaptive management strategy that would initiallyemploy measures considered feasible and have a high chance ofsuccess

• Conduct a detailed annual review to assess progress towardmeeting the goals described in the Settlement Agreement

Several restoration programs and groups are involved in Tuolumne River restoration, including the FERC Settlement Agreement program adminis-tered by the TRTAC

Responding to the FERC Settlement Agreement mandate toimplement ten priority restoration projects by 2005, theTRTAC has received funding for several projects from theCALFED Ecosystem Restoration Program and the CVPIA’sAnadromous Fish Restoration Program (AFRP), implementedby the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The TRTAC has selectedsix projects (Phases I-IV of the Gravel Mining Reach andSpecial Run Pools 9 and 10) which are now in the planningand design phase. The remaining four projects are currentlybeing evaluated.

Other entities are also proposing or conducting restorationactivities on the Tuolumne River, including the US Army Corpof Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Service, California Depart-ment of Fish and Game, Natural Resources ConservationService, East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District,Friends of the Tuolumne, California State Parks, and the JointPowers Authority (City of Modesto, City of Ceres, and Stanis-laus County). Several of these projects are illustrated below.

estoration in progressR

SPECIAL RUN POOLS 9 AND 10CHANNEL RESTORATIONTuolumne River Technical Advisory CommitteeSRPs 9 and 10 are large in-channel gravel miningpits located in a mile-long reach downstream ofFox Grove County Park. These pits harbor popula-tions of non-native bass that are known to prey onyoung salmon. Restoration will eliminate basshabitat and increase riparian vegetation. Theseprojects have received funding from CALFED andUSFWS/AFRP, and construction will begin in 1999(see p. 13 for more detailed description).

GRAYSON RIVER RANCHCONSERVATION EASEMENTNatural Resources Conservation ServiceEast Stanislaus Resource Conservation DistrictCALFED/AFRPThe Grayson River Ranch site, located 5 milesfrom the confluence with the San Joaquin River, issubject to frequent flooding. A partnership ofnon-profit, local, state and federal agencies andgroups are funding a Perpetual ConservationEasement for this land. The Grayson project hasthe potential to become a model for futureconservation of floodplain and riparian habitatson the Lower Tuolumne River. (See p. 14 for amore detailed description.)

SAN JOAQUIN RIVERNATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGEUS Fish and Wildlife ServiceThis site represents one of the few remain-ing floodplains in the San Joaquin basinthat has much of its riparian habitat intact.Since this habitat is critical for resident andmigrant bird overwintering, breeding,foraging, and migration stopover, preserv-ing this site is essential. USFWS is purchas-ing these frequently flooded lands toprotect riparian woodlands, revegetatecleared lands, and manage for wildlife.

11

San

Joaquin

MODESTO

Dry

EMPIRE

HUGHSON

Tuo

lum

ne

CERES

Creek

valley oak leavesand acorns

TUOLUMNE RIVER REGIONAL PARKJoint Powers Authority(City of Modesto, City of Ceres, Stanislaus County)This project has been undertaken by the Cities of Modestoand Ceres, and Stanislaus County since 1967 with the visionof creating a continuous river park through the greaterModesto urban area. Approximately 700 acres of riversideproperty have been acquired to create the Park. The JointPowers Authority is now revising the land use plan for thePark, preparing a Master Plan for the Gateway Parcel at theDry Creek confluence, and will soon be implementing avariety of restoration activities within the Park.

Water and sediment are critical ingredients for forming andmaintaining the river channel, creating habitat, and support-ing the biological communities that depend on flowing water.The Tuolumne River’s natural flow regime varied day-to-day,seasonally, and year-to-year depending on rainfall and snow-melt. Scientists now recognize that the dynamic character ofstreamflow plays a fundamental role in maintaining thehealth of river ecosystems.

Water regulation for irrigation, powergeneration, and drinking water hasaltered the natural flow patterns of theTuolumne over the past 100 years.These impacts have accelerated over thecentury as more substantial waterstorage and flood flow modificationhave occurred with each new and largerdam built.

The Restoration Plan analyzed dailystreamflow records for the entire 101years of flow records (1897-1998),analyzing the seasonal and annualvariation and comparing regulated withunregulated conditions. Combined witha flood-frequency analysis, this infor-mation was used to determine preciselyhow the magnitude, timing, frequencyand duration of natural streamflowpatterns have been altered, and tosuggest ways to improve the managementof flow releases without reducing watersupplies.

Floods are natural events within river corridors, and arecritical to a healthy river ecosystem. While the RestorationPlan did not address long-term flood management, theJanuary 1997 flood did provide a unique opportunity to re-evaluate the role of floods on the Tuolumne River.

The 60,000 cfs release from the dam that occurred on January3, 1997 historically occurred about every 35-50 years. Whileuncontrolled floods of these magnitudes threaten lives andproperty and should be avoided, controlled floods of lowermagnitude are essential for the river’s recovery and long-termhealth, and should be encouraged. Expanding the floodwayprovides a “win-win” solution. A larger flood corridor givesdam operators greater flood release flexibility when faced withlarge inflows into New Don Pedro Reservoir. This will reducethe risk of future floods like the ‘97 flood. An expandedfloodway will also allow operators to occasionally releasemanaged floods that are necessary for channel maintenance.

Managed floods can improve many important river andriparian processes, including more variable streamflow

patterns; more frequent cleansing and downstream movementof river gravels to maintain high quality spawning gravel;channel migration within its floodway; and floodplain inunda-tion at moderate-to-high streamflows to help stimulateriparian plant regeneration.

Unregulated streamflow for the 1995-96 water year (October 1 to September 31) is shown as anannual hydrograph of the daily average flows in cubic-feet per second (cfs). The life cycle of thefall-run chinook salmon (and other riverine species) is adapted to the seasonal variability of naturalstreamflow patterns.

uolumne River hydrologyT

lood flow evaluationF

5

• Increase gravel supply throughout the zone and increase the frequency of gravel movement• Reduce fine sediment supply and storage• Restore floodway capacity to 15,000 cfs or greater• Reduce agricultural and mining encroachment to create/maintain a 500 ft or greater coridor width• Remove rip-rap and berms where feasible to restore floodplains and to allow migration within the floodway• Manage flood control releases to initiate bed movement and other dynamic channel processes• Restore a continuous corridor of native riparian vegetation• Improve habitat quality of off-channel wetlands• Seek conservation easements and/or land acquisitions (especially of flood-prone lands) from willing landowners• Remove exotic plants within riparian corridor and replant native species• Introduce alternative grazing strategies to promote riparian regeneration

(RM 24.0-34.2)avel Mining Reachstream mining pits to reduce bassjuvenile salmon and reestablishsport continuityural river and floodplain morphologyaintain riparian buffer (corridor)agricultural zones

REACH 5 (RM 34.2-40.3)Gravel Mining Reach• Isolate off-channel mining pits to

prevent river connection duringfloods up to 15,000 cfs to reducesalmon stranding and bass preda-tion on juvenile salmon

• Increase floodway width to at least500 feet

• Restore a natural river and flood-plain morphology

• Restore and maintain ripariancorridor through gravel miningzones

REACH 7(RM 46.6-52.1)Critical SpawningReach• Reduce sand input into

river and storage inriverbed (especially inspawning gravels)

• Increase and maintainspawning gravel supply

• Restore riffles toincrease salmonspawning and rearinghabitat

• Regrade floodplains toreduce salmonstranding and promoteriparian regeneration

• Reduce riparianencroachment ontoactive channel

• Reduce grazingimpacts to promoteriparian regenerationon floodplains

REACH 6(RM 40.3-46.6)Dredger Tailing Reach• Reconstruct remnant

channel left by gold dredgeroperations to a natural riverand floodplain form

• Restore riffles to increasesalmon spawning andrearing habitat

• Regrade floodplains toreduce salmon strandingand promote riparianregeneration

• Reduce riparian encroach-ment onto low flow channel

• Reduce grazing impacts topromote riparian regenera-tion on floodplains

• Secure remnant dredgertailings for future restora-tion

10

GRAVEL-BEDDED ZONE (RM 24.0-52.1)

RIVER-WIDE RESTORATION GOALS• Chinook salmon habitat maintained by natural processes, sustaining a viable, naturally

reproducing chinook salmon population• Adequate quantity of high quality gravel, maintained by periodically replacing gravels

transported downstream by high flows• A dynamic river channel, maintained by floods of variable magnitude and frequency that

periodically initiate critical channel processes• A continuous river floodway and riparian corridor from La Grange Dam to the confluence

with the San Joaquin River• Increased extent of naturally regenerating native riparian stands and decreased extent

of exotic plants• Adaptive management program that continually reviews and refines restoration and

management activities, and addresses areas of scientific uncertainty that will improve ourunderstanding of river ecosystem processes

• Improved water quality through urban and agricultural runoff management programs• Increased public awareness and involvement in the Tuolumne River restoration effort

WATERFORD

HICKMAN

LA GRANGEDAM ❰

River

LAGRANGE

FLOODWAY ASSESSMENTThe Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) completed a“Reconnaissance Study” of the Tuolumne River floodwayin October 1998, which identified potential alternativesfor managing future floods, and encouraged continuedenvironmental restoration within the Tuolumne Rivercorridor. The ACOE is now proceeding with a “FeasibilityStudy” to identify a preferred alternative to reduce therisk of future catastrophic flooding and improve floodmanagement. The ACOE and California Reclamation Boardare also conducting the “Sacramento and San JoaquinRiver Basins Comprehensive Study” to assess floodmanagement on a broader scale.

Great Blue Heron

DOWNSTREAM OF THE DAMS• Total volume of water flowing down the river is decreased• Magnitude and duration of floods are reduced• Magnitude of summer baseflows are reduced• Spring snowmelt runoff is reduced• Timing and frequency of natural floods is altered

THE NATURAL FLOW REGIME• Maintains natural channel form• Cleanses spawning gravels of silts and deposits silts on

floodplain surfaces• Inundates floodplains during native riparian plant seed

dispersal and germination• Occassionally disturbs mature riparian vegetation to

maintain diversity• Stimulates chinook salmon immigration and emigration• Maintains spawning habitat

Chinook salmon are anadromous, having a river-to-ocean,ocean-to-river life cycle. Young salmon migrate to sea shortlyafter emerging from spawning gravels, and spend most oftheir life in coastal waters where they grow large from abun-dant food supplies. Fall-run chinook adults return to spawn-ing grounds in the fall and early winter, after 11/2 to 31/2 yearsin the ocean. The female digs a pit in river gravels anddeposits her eggs as the male fertilizes them. Both die shortlyafter spawning, spending their final days guarding the nest.Juveniles emerge from spawning gravels between Decemberand April and “rear” in deep, slow portions along river

Despite the efforts of fisheries managers, chinook salmonpopulations have continued to decline. The spring-run chi-nook salmon, historically the most abundant salmon run inthe San Joaquin River basin, was extinct by the early 1950s,

margins, either upstream near the spawning beds or down-stream in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Historically, highspring flows during the snowmelt runoff helped juvenilesmigrate out to sea before high summer temperatures maderiver conditions less hospitable.

Chinook salmon are superbly adapted to natural river condi-tions such as annual streamflow patterns of floods and low-flow periods, cold water temperatures, the natural rivermorphology (deep pools and shallow riffles), as well as thenative fish community. Human activities that detrimentallyimpact natural river conditions also diminish survival andreproductive success of salmon. Declining populationsbecome unstable and may not recover if conditions are notsubstantially improved.

hinook salmon life historyC

urrent status of chinook salmonC

The fall-run chinook salmon population has fluctuated widely overthe years, in response to environmental conditions the fish experienceas juveniles, delta water exports, ocean conditions, and commercial andrecreational harvest.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1952

1955

1958

1961

1964

1967

1970

1973

1976

1979

1982

1985

1988

1991

1994

1997

Est

imat

ed S

paw

ners

(x1

000)

Fall-run chinook salmon constitute over 90% of the salmon in theCentral Valley, and support the bulk of commercial and recreationalsalmon harvest.

as early dams blocked fish from reaching their high elevationspawning grounds. In the decades following, the fate of theremaining fall-run chinook population has hung precariouslyin the balance. Periods of abundant adult returns were punctu-ated by years of dangerously low returns of 500 fish or less(1962, ‘63, ‘77, ‘91, ‘92, and ‘93). The return of 8,000 spawn-ers to the Tuolumne River in 1998 has restored confidencethat a population of wild salmon can be rebuilt from lownumbers.

As of October 1997, five Pacific Coast salmon runs were listedas endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act.Currently, the National Marine Fisheries Service is reviewingall 19 Pacific Coast chinook salmon populations, including theSan Joaquin River basin (includes Tuolumne River) fall-runchinook salmon, to determine if further threatened or endan-gered species listings are warranted.

The Restoration Plan provides guidance toward a long-termsolution to restoring and protecting the chinook salmonpopulation by incorporating the physical processes that createand maintain good habitat conditions. Additionally, restora-tion will benefit other riverine species and the vegetationcommunity that provides habitat for birds and other wildlifepopulations.

FACTORS AFFECTING SALMONPRODUCTION AND SURVIVAL• Spawning gravel supply and gravel quality• Juvenile rearing habitat availability and condition• Streamflow during fry, juvenile, and adult

migration periods• Predation by non-native fish species (bass)• Bay/Delta and ocean mortality (predation, delta

pumping, sport/commercial harvest)• Water temperatures and water quality

6

Rivers are resilient ecosystems with enormous capacity forself-rejuvenation. However, given that land-use practices andwater regulation and diversion will continue, the river cannotrecover in a reasonable timeframe without help. The Restora-tion Plan recommends several strategies to initiate recovery,such as filling mining pits, introducing spawning gravels,lowering selected floodplains to allow inundation, and re-planting native riparian vegetation. Equally important, floodand gravel management will help re-establish processes tomaintain restored areas and improve other areas.

The Restoration Plan recommends general restorationstrategies for different reaches along the river, as well asspecific restoration projects within those reaches. Inherentwith any restoration plan of this scale is some degree ofuncertainty regarding the effectiveness of specific restora-

uolumne River restoration strategies

• Restore floodway capacity to 15,000 cfs or greater above Dry Creek and 20,000 cfs or greater below Dry Creek• Reduce urban and agricultural encroachment to create/maintain a 500-2,000 ft or greater floodway width• Remove rip-rap and berms where feasible to restore floodplains and to allow migration within the floodway• Seek conservation easements and/or land acquisitions (especially of flood-prone lands) from willing landowners• Remove exotic plants within riparian corridor and replant native species• Secure protection for existing mature valley oaks and Fremont cottonwoods• Improve water quality by managing urban, agricultural and industrial runoff into the river and into Dry Creek

REACH 2(RM 10.5-19.3)Urban Sand-bedded Reach• Increase public awareness of the

Tuolumne and promote cleanup,restoration and monitoring

• Improve Tuolumne River Re-gional Park by increasing area ofnative riparian trees

• Create and preserve riparianbuffer along urban/industrialzones

• Remove trash and debris,eliminate chronic sources ofpollution, and actively prohibitillegal dumping

REACH 3(RM 19.3-24.0)Upper Sand-beddedReach• Preserve existing

urban setback fromriver

• Create and preserve ariparian buffer alongurban/agriculturalzones

REACH 1 (RM 0.0-10.5)Lower Sand-bedded Reach• Restore off-channel wetlands to increase

wildlife habitat• Create vegetative buffer to reduce soil erosion

and filter agricultural runoff• Restore functional floodplains and native

riparian forests

tion actions. Therefore, an adaptive management programwould require 1) monitoring restoration sites, 2) evaluatingrestoration success against desired conditions, and 3)improving restoration strategies. This will ensure progresstoward recovery goals.

Implementation of any restoration project will be subject toprior environment review by local, state, and federal regula-tory agencies. The TRTAC participants recognize thatdecisions affecting the Tuolumne River are influenced bydiverse policies relating to land use, water supply and use,water quality, flood control, fish and wildlife, and recreation,and are not governed solely by habitat considerations.Additionally, the TRTAC recognizes the importance ofcooperation and participation from private landowners, thelocal business community, and the general public.

T

ong-term restoration recommendationsL

REACH 4In-Channel Gr• Isolate/fill in

predation onbedload tran

• Restore a nat• Create and m

along urban/

9

SAND-BEDDED ZONE (RM 0.0 TO RM 24.0)

San

Joaquin

MODESTO

Dry

EMPIRE

HUGHSON

Tuo

lum

ne

CERES

Creek mayfly

The foundation of a river ecosystem is the dynamic interac-tion of flowing water, sediment, and riparian vegetation.Alteration of one of these factors disruptsthe balance of the other factors. Forexample, clearing riparian vegetation mayincrease bank erosion and channelmeandering. Dams block the downstreammovement of gravel from the upperwatershed, causing gravel bars down-stream of dams to be scoured awaywithout being replaced. Absence of floods allows fine sedi-ments to accumulate in gravels, inhibiting the survival ofchinook salmon eggs. These impacts in turn degrade oreliminate important fish and wildlife habitat and reduce theirpopulations.

Based on an historical evaluation of Tuolumne River hydrolo-

gy (streamflow patterns) and geomorphology (river channelform), and a review of scientific literature, the Attributes of

River Ecosystem Integrity were devel-oped to describe how the Tuolumne Riverfunctioned historically, and also to serveas measurable restoration objectives. Bymanaging streamflows, reducing unwant-ed fine sediment supply, increasingimportant coarse sediment supply, andrestoring a natural channel form, many of

the critical river attributes and processes can be achieved.

This restoration approach focuses on restoring a naturalpattern of periodic disturbance and continual re-growth thatcreates a mosaic of high quality habitat for many species,including salmon. Without these dynamic processes, the riverhas become static and less biologically productive.

ATTRIBUTE #1Spatially complex channel shape (morphology)No single segment of river provides habitat for all species, butthe sum of different areas of the river provides high-qualityhabitat for native species.

ATTRIBUTE #2Variable streamflow patternsSeasonal streamflow patterns are broadly predictable, butspecific flow magnitudes, timing, durations, and frequenciesare unpredictable due to runoff patterns produced by storms,droughts and snowmelt. Streamflow variability is a foundationof river ecosystem health.

ATTRIBUTE #3Frequently disturbed riverbed surfaceIn the upper river (from La Grange Dam to Hughson) wherethe river bed is mostly made of gravel, surface gravels andcobbles are moved downstream by moderate streamflowswhich occur on average every 1 or 2 years. In the lower river(from Hughson to the San Joaquin River) where the bed ismostly sand, sand is moved downstream during much of theyear, creating migrating “dunes” and shifting sand bars.

ATTRIBUTE #4Periodic riverbed scour and fillIn gravel-bedded reaches, larger floods move entire gravelbars, not just their surface layers. These large floods occur onaverage every 3 to 5 years. This “scour” is typically accompa-nied by “fill” from upstream gravel sources, which maintains abalance in natural channel form. This process is important forremoving fine sediments from salmon spawning gravels.

ATTRIBUTE #5Balanced fine and coarse sediment volumesThe location and volumes of sediment within a river reachmay vary year to year, but over the long term the amount ofsediment entering and leaving the river is balanced, and thechannel form remains similar. A balanced sediment loadimplies that streamflows are periodically high enough to movemost sediment sizes (sand and boulders) in the river.

“The channel is carved by the flowingwater, but it takes the form dictatedby the sediment carried.”

Luna Leopold

atural channel processes...N

ttributes of river ecosystem integrityA

7

An example of the dynamics of naturalrivers is depicted at right. ( A) A channelwith adequate space to migrate (At-tribute 6) erodes the channel bank onthe outside of the meander bend duringhigh flows (Attribute 2), ( B) encouragingaged riparian trees to topple into thechannel (Attribute 9). (C) A deep poolalso forms here, which provides struc-tural complexity (Attribute 1) for good fishhabitat. As bank erosion continues, the pool“migrates” downstream (Attribute 6), but highquality habitat is maintained. (D) On the oppositebank, high flows (Attribute 2) scour and redeposit coarsesediments (Attributes 4 and 5), forming a shallow bar on theinside of the meander bend (Attribute 1), and providing cleanspawning gravels. (E) This area, in turn, provides ideal slow-water rearing conditions for juvenile chinook salmon, as wellas habitat for aquatic insects (fish food), amphibians and

ATTRIBUTE #10Naturally fluctuating groundwater tableGroundwater fluctuates on a seasonal and annual basis infloodplains, terraces, and sloughs.

ATTRIBUTE #6Periodic channel migration and/or avulsionThe channel erodes riverbanks, deposits new gravel bars, andestablishes meander patterns based on variable streamflows,valley slope, river channel confinement, sediment supply, andsediment size. In the gravel-bedded reaches, the channelmoves from one location to another by sudden change, leavingmuch of the abandoned channel intact. In the sand-beddedreaches, meanders gradually erode through banks and cut offmeander bends, leaving oxbow lakes and wetlands.

ATTRIBUTE #7A functional floodplainEvery one or two years, on average, high streamflows inundatethe lowermost floodplains, deposit silts and sand, and stimu-late germination of riparian vegetation. Lower terraces, at aslightly higher elevation than floodplains, are inundated byless frequent floods.

ATTRIBUTE #8Infrequent channel resetting floodsSingle large floods (recurring once every 10 to 20 years) causemajor channel changes that rejuvenate riparian processes,form and maintain side channels, and create off-channelwetlands, such as oxbows.

ATTRIBUTE #9Self-sustaining, diverse riparian corridorBased on species life history strategies and streamflowpatterns, the riparian plant community is maintained by acontinual cycle of germination, growth, and death. Theriparian community thus contains young and old vegetation,and a diversity of species.

...the technical aspects of river ecosystems

reptiles. (F) Progressively higher up thegravel bar surface, a dynamic interplay occurs

between receding water levels during the spring snowmelt(Attribute 2), and the presence of riparian tree seeds (Attribute7). These woody riparian trees are sporadically scoured out(Attribute 8), and those established high enough on the bankare toppled into the channel as the channel migrates backacross the valley (A).

8

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1-O

ct

1-N

ov

1-D

ec

1-Ja

n

1-F

eb

1-M

ar

1-A

pr

1-M

ay

1-Ju

n

1-Ju

l

1-A

ug

1-S

ep

Str

eam

flow

X 1

000

(cf

s)

1994 Unregulated Streamflows1994 Regulated Streamflows

WinterBaseflows

SummerBaseflows

WinterFlood

SpringSnowmelt

The foundation of a river ecosystem is the dynamic interac-tion of flowing water, sediment, and riparian vegetation.Alteration of one of these factors disruptsthe balance of the other factors. Forexample, clearing riparian vegetation mayincrease bank erosion and channelmeandering. Dams block the downstreammovement of gravel from the upperwatershed, causing gravel bars down-stream of dams to be scoured awaywithout being replaced. Absence of floods allows fine sedi-ments to accumulate in gravels, inhibiting the survival ofchinook salmon eggs. These impacts in turn degrade oreliminate important fish and wildlife habitat and reduce theirpopulations.

Based on an historical evaluation of Tuolumne River hydrolo-

gy (streamflow patterns) and geomorphology (river channelform), and a review of scientific literature, the Attributes of

River Ecosystem Integrity were devel-oped to describe how the Tuolumne Riverfunctioned historically, and also to serveas measurable restoration objectives. Bymanaging streamflows, reducing unwant-ed fine sediment supply, increasingimportant coarse sediment supply, andrestoring a natural channel form, many of

the critical river attributes and processes can be achieved.

This restoration approach focuses on restoring a naturalpattern of periodic disturbance and continual re-growth thatcreates a mosaic of high quality habitat for many species,including salmon. Without these dynamic processes, the riverhas become static and less biologically productive.

ATTRIBUTE #1Spatially complex channel shape (morphology)No single segment of river provides habitat for all species, butthe sum of different areas of the river provides high-qualityhabitat for native species.

ATTRIBUTE #2Variable streamflow patternsSeasonal streamflow patterns are broadly predictable, butspecific flow magnitudes, timing, durations, and frequenciesare unpredictable due to runoff patterns produced by storms,droughts and snowmelt. Streamflow variability is a foundationof river ecosystem health.

ATTRIBUTE #3Frequently disturbed riverbed surfaceIn the upper river (from La Grange Dam to Hughson) wherethe river bed is mostly made of gravel, surface gravels andcobbles are moved downstream by moderate streamflowswhich occur on average every 1 or 2 years. In the lower river(from Hughson to the San Joaquin River) where the bed ismostly sand, sand is moved downstream during much of theyear, creating migrating “dunes” and shifting sand bars.

ATTRIBUTE #4Periodic riverbed scour and fillIn gravel-bedded reaches, larger floods move entire gravelbars, not just their surface layers. These large floods occur onaverage every 3 to 5 years. This “scour” is typically accompa-nied by “fill” from upstream gravel sources, which maintains abalance in natural channel form. This process is important forremoving fine sediments from salmon spawning gravels.

ATTRIBUTE #5Balanced fine and coarse sediment volumesThe location and volumes of sediment within a river reachmay vary year to year, but over the long term the amount ofsediment entering and leaving the river is balanced, and thechannel form remains similar. A balanced sediment loadimplies that streamflows are periodically high enough to movemost sediment sizes (sand and boulders) in the river.

“The channel is carved by the flowingwater, but it takes the form dictatedby the sediment carried.”

Luna Leopold

atural channel processes...N

ttributes of river ecosystem integrityA

7

An example of the dynamics of naturalrivers is depicted at right. ( A) A channelwith adequate space to migrate (At-tribute 6) erodes the channel bank onthe outside of the meander bend duringhigh flows (Attribute 2), ( B) encouragingaged riparian trees to topple into thechannel (Attribute 9). (C) A deep poolalso forms here, which provides struc-tural complexity (Attribute 1) for good fishhabitat. As bank erosion continues, the pool“migrates” downstream (Attribute 6), but highquality habitat is maintained. (D) On the oppositebank, high flows (Attribute 2) scour and redeposit coarsesediments (Attributes 4 and 5), forming a shallow bar on theinside of the meander bend (Attribute 1), and providing cleanspawning gravels. (E) This area, in turn, provides ideal slow-water rearing conditions for juvenile chinook salmon, as wellas habitat for aquatic insects (fish food), amphibians and

ATTRIBUTE #10Naturally fluctuating groundwater tableGroundwater fluctuates on a seasonal and annual basis infloodplains, terraces, and sloughs.

ATTRIBUTE #6Periodic channel migration and/or avulsionThe channel erodes riverbanks, deposits new gravel bars, andestablishes meander patterns based on variable streamflows,valley slope, river channel confinement, sediment supply, andsediment size. In the gravel-bedded reaches, the channelmoves from one location to another by sudden change, leavingmuch of the abandoned channel intact. In the sand-beddedreaches, meanders gradually erode through banks and cut offmeander bends, leaving oxbow lakes and wetlands.

ATTRIBUTE #7A functional floodplainEvery one or two years, on average, high streamflows inundatethe lowermost floodplains, deposit silts and sand, and stimu-late germination of riparian vegetation. Lower terraces, at aslightly higher elevation than floodplains, are inundated byless frequent floods.

ATTRIBUTE #8Infrequent channel resetting floodsSingle large floods (recurring once every 10 to 20 years) causemajor channel changes that rejuvenate riparian processes,form and maintain side channels, and create off-channelwetlands, such as oxbows.

ATTRIBUTE #9Self-sustaining, diverse riparian corridorBased on species life history strategies and streamflowpatterns, the riparian plant community is maintained by acontinual cycle of germination, growth, and death. Theriparian community thus contains young and old vegetation,and a diversity of species.

...the technical aspects of river ecosystems

reptiles. (F) Progressively higher up thegravel bar surface, a dynamic interplay occurs

between receding water levels during the spring snowmelt(Attribute 2), and the presence of riparian tree seeds (Attribute7). These woody riparian trees are sporadically scoured out(Attribute 8), and those established high enough on the bankare toppled into the channel as the channel migrates backacross the valley (A).

8

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1-O

ct

1-N

ov

1-D

ec

1-Ja

n

1-F

eb

1-M

ar

1-A

pr

1-M

ay

1-Ju

n

1-Ju

l

1-A

ug

1-S

ep

Str

eam

flow

X 1

000

(cf

s)

1994 Unregulated Streamflows1994 Regulated Streamflows

WinterBaseflows

SummerBaseflows

WinterFlood

SpringSnowmelt

Chinook salmon are anadromous, having a river-to-ocean,ocean-to-river life cycle. Young salmon migrate to sea shortlyafter emerging from spawning gravels, and spend most oftheir life in coastal waters where they grow large from abun-dant food supplies. Fall-run chinook adults return to spawn-ing grounds in the fall and early winter, after 11/2 to 31/2 yearsin the ocean. The female digs a pit in river gravels anddeposits her eggs as the male fertilizes them. Both die shortlyafter spawning, spending their final days guarding the nest.Juveniles emerge from spawning gravels between Decemberand April and “rear” in deep, slow portions along river

Despite the efforts of fisheries managers, chinook salmonpopulations have continued to decline. The spring-run chi-nook salmon, historically the most abundant salmon run inthe San Joaquin River basin, was extinct by the early 1950s,

margins, either upstream near the spawning beds or down-stream in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Historically, highspring flows during the snowmelt runoff helped juvenilesmigrate out to sea before high summer temperatures maderiver conditions less hospitable.

Chinook salmon are superbly adapted to natural river condi-tions such as annual streamflow patterns of floods and low-flow periods, cold water temperatures, the natural rivermorphology (deep pools and shallow riffles), as well as thenative fish community. Human activities that detrimentallyimpact natural river conditions also diminish survival andreproductive success of salmon. Declining populationsbecome unstable and may not recover if conditions are notsubstantially improved.

hinook salmon life historyC

urrent status of chinook salmonC

The fall-run chinook salmon population has fluctuated widely overthe years, in response to environmental conditions the fish experienceas juveniles, delta water exports, ocean conditions, and commercial andrecreational harvest.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1952

1955

1958

1961

1964

1967

1970

1973

1976

1979

1982

1985

1988

1991

1994

1997

Est

imat

ed S

paw

ners

(x1

000)

Fall-run chinook salmon constitute over 90% of the salmon in theCentral Valley, and support the bulk of commercial and recreationalsalmon harvest.

as early dams blocked fish from reaching their high elevationspawning grounds. In the decades following, the fate of theremaining fall-run chinook population has hung precariouslyin the balance. Periods of abundant adult returns were punctu-ated by years of dangerously low returns of 500 fish or less(1962, ‘63, ‘77, ‘91, ‘92, and ‘93). The return of 8,000 spawn-ers to the Tuolumne River in 1998 has restored confidencethat a population of wild salmon can be rebuilt from lownumbers.

As of October 1997, five Pacific Coast salmon runs were listedas endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act.Currently, the National Marine Fisheries Service is reviewingall 19 Pacific Coast chinook salmon populations, including theSan Joaquin River basin (includes Tuolumne River) fall-runchinook salmon, to determine if further threatened or endan-gered species listings are warranted.

The Restoration Plan provides guidance toward a long-termsolution to restoring and protecting the chinook salmonpopulation by incorporating the physical processes that createand maintain good habitat conditions. Additionally, restora-tion will benefit other riverine species and the vegetationcommunity that provides habitat for birds and other wildlifepopulations.

FACTORS AFFECTING SALMONPRODUCTION AND SURVIVAL• Spawning gravel supply and gravel quality• Juvenile rearing habitat availability and condition• Streamflow during fry, juvenile, and adult

migration periods• Predation by non-native fish species (bass)• Bay/Delta and ocean mortality (predation, delta

pumping, sport/commercial harvest)• Water temperatures and water quality

6

Rivers are resilient ecosystems with enormous capacity forself-rejuvenation. However, given that land-use practices andwater regulation and diversion will continue, the river cannotrecover in a reasonable timeframe without help. The Restora-tion Plan recommends several strategies to initiate recovery,such as filling mining pits, introducing spawning gravels,lowering selected floodplains to allow inundation, and re-planting native riparian vegetation. Equally important, floodand gravel management will help re-establish processes tomaintain restored areas and improve other areas.

The Restoration Plan recommends general restorationstrategies for different reaches along the river, as well asspecific restoration projects within those reaches. Inherentwith any restoration plan of this scale is some degree ofuncertainty regarding the effectiveness of specific restora-

uolumne River restoration strategies

• Restore floodway capacity to 15,000 cfs or greater above Dry Creek and 20,000 cfs or greater below Dry Creek• Reduce urban and agricultural encroachment to create/maintain a 500-2,000 ft or greater floodway width• Remove rip-rap and berms where feasible to restore floodplains and to allow migration within the floodway• Seek conservation easements and/or land acquisitions (especially of flood-prone lands) from willing landowners• Remove exotic plants within riparian corridor and replant native species• Secure protection for existing mature valley oaks and Fremont cottonwoods• Improve water quality by managing urban, agricultural and industrial runoff into the river and into Dry Creek

REACH 2(RM 10.5-19.3)Urban Sand-bedded Reach• Increase public awareness of the

Tuolumne and promote cleanup,restoration and monitoring

• Improve Tuolumne River Re-gional Park by increasing area ofnative riparian trees

• Create and preserve riparianbuffer along urban/industrialzones

• Remove trash and debris,eliminate chronic sources ofpollution, and actively prohibitillegal dumping

REACH 3(RM 19.3-24.0)Upper Sand-beddedReach• Preserve existing

urban setback fromriver

• Create and preserve ariparian buffer alongurban/agriculturalzones

REACH 1 (RM 0.0-10.5)Lower Sand-bedded Reach• Restore off-channel wetlands to increase

wildlife habitat• Create vegetative buffer to reduce soil erosion

and filter agricultural runoff• Restore functional floodplains and native

riparian forests

tion actions. Therefore, an adaptive management programwould require 1) monitoring restoration sites, 2) evaluatingrestoration success against desired conditions, and 3)improving restoration strategies. This will ensure progresstoward recovery goals.

Implementation of any restoration project will be subject toprior environment review by local, state, and federal regula-tory agencies. The TRTAC participants recognize thatdecisions affecting the Tuolumne River are influenced bydiverse policies relating to land use, water supply and use,water quality, flood control, fish and wildlife, and recreation,and are not governed solely by habitat considerations.Additionally, the TRTAC recognizes the importance ofcooperation and participation from private landowners, thelocal business community, and the general public.

T

ong-term restoration recommendationsL

REACH 4In-Channel Gr• Isolate/fill in

predation onbedload tran

• Restore a nat• Create and m

along urban/

9

SAND-BEDDED ZONE (RM 0.0 TO RM 24.0)

San

Joaquin

MODESTO

Dry

EMPIRE

HUGHSON

Tuo

lum

ne

CERES

Creek mayfly

Water and sediment are critical ingredients for forming andmaintaining the river channel, creating habitat, and support-ing the biological communities that depend on flowing water.The Tuolumne River’s natural flow regime varied day-to-day,seasonally, and year-to-year depending on rainfall and snow-melt. Scientists now recognize that the dynamic character ofstreamflow plays a fundamental role in maintaining thehealth of river ecosystems.

Water regulation for irrigation, powergeneration, and drinking water hasaltered the natural flow patterns of theTuolumne over the past 100 years.These impacts have accelerated over thecentury as more substantial waterstorage and flood flow modificationhave occurred with each new and largerdam built.

The Restoration Plan analyzed dailystreamflow records for the entire 101years of flow records (1897-1998),analyzing the seasonal and annualvariation and comparing regulated withunregulated conditions. Combined witha flood-frequency analysis, this infor-mation was used to determine preciselyhow the magnitude, timing, frequencyand duration of natural streamflowpatterns have been altered, and tosuggest ways to improve the managementof flow releases without reducing watersupplies.

Floods are natural events within river corridors, and arecritical to a healthy river ecosystem. While the RestorationPlan did not address long-term flood management, theJanuary 1997 flood did provide a unique opportunity to re-evaluate the role of floods on the Tuolumne River.

The 60,000 cfs release from the dam that occurred on January3, 1997 historically occurred about every 35-50 years. Whileuncontrolled floods of these magnitudes threaten lives andproperty and should be avoided, controlled floods of lowermagnitude are essential for the river’s recovery and long-termhealth, and should be encouraged. Expanding the floodwayprovides a “win-win” solution. A larger flood corridor givesdam operators greater flood release flexibility when faced withlarge inflows into New Don Pedro Reservoir. This will reducethe risk of future floods like the ‘97 flood. An expandedfloodway will also allow operators to occasionally releasemanaged floods that are necessary for channel maintenance.

Managed floods can improve many important river andriparian processes, including more variable streamflow

patterns; more frequent cleansing and downstream movementof river gravels to maintain high quality spawning gravel;channel migration within its floodway; and floodplain inunda-tion at moderate-to-high streamflows to help stimulateriparian plant regeneration.

Unregulated streamflow for the 1995-96 water year (October 1 to September 31) is shown as anannual hydrograph of the daily average flows in cubic-feet per second (cfs). The life cycle of thefall-run chinook salmon (and other riverine species) is adapted to the seasonal variability of naturalstreamflow patterns.

uolumne River hydrologyT

lood flow evaluationF

5

• Increase gravel supply throughout the zone and increase the frequency of gravel movement• Reduce fine sediment supply and storage• Restore floodway capacity to 15,000 cfs or greater• Reduce agricultural and mining encroachment to create/maintain a 500 ft or greater coridor width• Remove rip-rap and berms where feasible to restore floodplains and to allow migration within the floodway• Manage flood control releases to initiate bed movement and other dynamic channel processes• Restore a continuous corridor of native riparian vegetation• Improve habitat quality of off-channel wetlands• Seek conservation easements and/or land acquisitions (especially of flood-prone lands) from willing landowners• Remove exotic plants within riparian corridor and replant native species• Introduce alternative grazing strategies to promote riparian regeneration

(RM 24.0-34.2)avel Mining Reachstream mining pits to reduce bassjuvenile salmon and reestablishsport continuityural river and floodplain morphologyaintain riparian buffer (corridor)agricultural zones

REACH 5 (RM 34.2-40.3)Gravel Mining Reach• Isolate off-channel mining pits to

prevent river connection duringfloods up to 15,000 cfs to reducesalmon stranding and bass preda-tion on juvenile salmon

• Increase floodway width to at least500 feet

• Restore a natural river and flood-plain morphology

• Restore and maintain ripariancorridor through gravel miningzones

REACH 7(RM 46.6-52.1)Critical SpawningReach• Reduce sand input into

river and storage inriverbed (especially inspawning gravels)

• Increase and maintainspawning gravel supply

• Restore riffles toincrease salmonspawning and rearinghabitat

• Regrade floodplains toreduce salmonstranding and promoteriparian regeneration

• Reduce riparianencroachment ontoactive channel

• Reduce grazingimpacts to promoteriparian regenerationon floodplains

REACH 6(RM 40.3-46.6)Dredger Tailing Reach• Reconstruct remnant

channel left by gold dredgeroperations to a natural riverand floodplain form

• Restore riffles to increasesalmon spawning andrearing habitat

• Regrade floodplains toreduce salmon strandingand promote riparianregeneration

• Reduce riparian encroach-ment onto low flow channel

• Reduce grazing impacts topromote riparian regenera-tion on floodplains

• Secure remnant dredgertailings for future restora-tion

10

GRAVEL-BEDDED ZONE (RM 24.0-52.1)

RIVER-WIDE RESTORATION GOALS• Chinook salmon habitat maintained by natural processes, sustaining a viable, naturally

reproducing chinook salmon population• Adequate quantity of high quality gravel, maintained by periodically replacing gravels

transported downstream by high flows• A dynamic river channel, maintained by floods of variable magnitude and frequency that

periodically initiate critical channel processes• A continuous river floodway and riparian corridor from La Grange Dam to the confluence

with the San Joaquin River• Increased extent of naturally regenerating native riparian stands and decreased extent

of exotic plants• Adaptive management program that continually reviews and refines restoration and

management activities, and addresses areas of scientific uncertainty that will improve ourunderstanding of river ecosystem processes

• Improved water quality through urban and agricultural runoff management programs• Increased public awareness and involvement in the Tuolumne River restoration effort

WATERFORD

HICKMAN

LA GRANGEDAM ❰

River

LAGRANGE

FLOODWAY ASSESSMENTThe Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) completed a“Reconnaissance Study” of the Tuolumne River floodwayin October 1998, which identified potential alternativesfor managing future floods, and encouraged continuedenvironmental restoration within the Tuolumne Rivercorridor. The ACOE is now proceeding with a “FeasibilityStudy” to identify a preferred alternative to reduce therisk of future catastrophic flooding and improve floodmanagement. The ACOE and California Reclamation Boardare also conducting the “Sacramento and San JoaquinRiver Basins Comprehensive Study” to assess floodmanagement on a broader scale.

Great Blue Heron

DOWNSTREAM OF THE DAMS• Total volume of water flowing down the river is decreased• Magnitude and duration of floods are reduced• Magnitude of summer baseflows are reduced• Spring snowmelt runoff is reduced• Timing and frequency of natural floods is altered

THE NATURAL FLOW REGIME• Maintains natural channel form• Cleanses spawning gravels of silts and deposits silts on

floodplain surfaces• Inundates floodplains during native riparian plant seed

dispersal and germination• Occassionally disturbs mature riparian vegetation to

maintain diversity• Stimulates chinook salmon immigration and emigration• Maintains spawning habitat

The Tuolumne River Technical Advisory Commit-tee (TRTAC) was formed to coordinate and adminis-ter restoration and management activities on theTuolumne River. The TRTAC participants include theFERC Settlement Agreement signatories and otherinterested groups.

The TRTAC was directed to identify and implementten high priority habitat restoration projects by 2005,at which time progress toward restoring the salmonpopulation will be re-evaluated. To aid in identifyingand implementing high priority restoration projects,the TRTAC developed the Habitat Restoration Planfor the Lower Tuolumne River (Restoration Plan).

The Restoration Plan is intended as a technicalresource to help the TRTAC fulfill its obligation underthe FERC Settlement Agreement.

This document is a summary of the larger technical report,and was developed to assist the TRTAC in presenting theRestoration Plan to the public.

“Restoration” often implies returning to historical or naturalenvironmental conditions. Because removing dams, eliminat-ing water diversion, and ceasing agricultural and miningactivities within the river corridor are unrealistic goals,restoring the river to pristine conditions is unrealistic.

abitat Restoration Planfor the Lower Tuolumne River CorridorH

he Tuolumne River Technical Advisory CommitteeT

Therefore, the Restoration Plan was intended to recommendways to significantly improve conditions within the TuolumneRiver corridor, while recognizing that land and water-useactivities will continue. The restoration approach recommend-ed for the Tuolumne River is to improve conditions forchinook salmon and other species by restoring self-sustainingecological processes. This approach should benefit not onlythe target species, chinook salmon, but also many otherplants and animals dependent on the health and integrity ofthe Tuolumne River.

VISION FOR RESTORING THELOWER TUOLUMNE RIVER CORRIDORUtilize an integrative approach to re-establish criticalecological functions, processes, and characteristics, underregulated flow and sediment conditions, that best promotesrecovery and maintenance of a resilient, naturallyreproducing salmon population and the river’s naturalanimal and plant communities.

RESTORATION PLAN OBJECTIVES• Investigate and describe current and historical river

conditions• Integrate river channel, riparian and fisheries investiga-

tions into recommendations and strategies for restoringthe Lower Tuolumne River corridor

• Develop proposals and designs for specific restorationactions

4

FERC SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTGOALS AND STRATEGIES FOR RECOVERINGTUOLUMNE RIVER CHINOOK SALMON• Increase naturally occurring salmon populations• Protect any remaining genetic distinction of Tuolumne River

salmon• Increase salmon habitat in the Tuolumne River• Implement measures generally agreed upon as necessary to

improve chinook salmon habitat and increase salmon popula-tions. These measures include increased flows, habitat rehabilita-tion and improvement, and measures to improve juvenilesurvival

• Use an adaptive management strategy that would initiallyemploy measures considered feasible and have a high chance ofsuccess

• Conduct a detailed annual review to assess progress towardmeeting the goals described in the Settlement Agreement

Several restoration programs and groups are involved in Tuolumne River restoration, including the FERC Settlement Agreement program adminis-tered by the TRTAC

Responding to the FERC Settlement Agreement mandate toimplement ten priority restoration projects by 2005, theTRTAC has received funding for several projects from theCALFED Ecosystem Restoration Program and the CVPIA’sAnadromous Fish Restoration Program (AFRP), implementedby the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The TRTAC has selectedsix projects (Phases I-IV of the Gravel Mining Reach andSpecial Run Pools 9 and 10) which are now in the planningand design phase. The remaining four projects are currentlybeing evaluated.

Other entities are also proposing or conducting restorationactivities on the Tuolumne River, including the US Army Corpof Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Service, California Depart-ment of Fish and Game, Natural Resources ConservationService, East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District,Friends of the Tuolumne, California State Parks, and the JointPowers Authority (City of Modesto, City of Ceres, and Stanis-laus County). Several of these projects are illustrated below.

estoration in progressR

SPECIAL RUN POOLS 9 AND 10CHANNEL RESTORATIONTuolumne River Technical Advisory CommitteeSRPs 9 and 10 are large in-channel gravel miningpits located in a mile-long reach downstream ofFox Grove County Park. These pits harbor popula-tions of non-native bass that are known to prey onyoung salmon. Restoration will eliminate basshabitat and increase riparian vegetation. Theseprojects have received funding from CALFED andUSFWS/AFRP, and construction will begin in 1999(see p. 13 for more detailed description).

GRAYSON RIVER RANCHCONSERVATION EASEMENTNatural Resources Conservation ServiceEast Stanislaus Resource Conservation DistrictCALFED/AFRPThe Grayson River Ranch site, located 5 milesfrom the confluence with the San Joaquin River, issubject to frequent flooding. A partnership ofnon-profit, local, state and federal agencies andgroups are funding a Perpetual ConservationEasement for this land. The Grayson project hasthe potential to become a model for futureconservation of floodplain and riparian habitatson the Lower Tuolumne River. (See p. 14 for amore detailed description.)

SAN JOAQUIN RIVERNATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGEUS Fish and Wildlife ServiceThis site represents one of the few remain-ing floodplains in the San Joaquin basinthat has much of its riparian habitat intact.Since this habitat is critical for resident andmigrant bird overwintering, breeding,foraging, and migration stopover, preserv-ing this site is essential. USFWS is purchas-ing these frequently flooded lands toprotect riparian woodlands, revegetatecleared lands, and manage for wildlife.

11

San

Joaquin

MODESTO

Dry

EMPIRE

HUGHSON

Tuo

lum

ne

CERES

Creek

valley oak leavesand acorns

TUOLUMNE RIVER REGIONAL PARKJoint Powers Authority(City of Modesto, City of Ceres, Stanislaus County)This project has been undertaken by the Cities of Modestoand Ceres, and Stanislaus County since 1967 with the visionof creating a continuous river park through the greaterModesto urban area. Approximately 700 acres of riversideproperty have been acquired to create the Park. The JointPowers Authority is now revising the land use plan for thePark, preparing a Master Plan for the Gateway Parcel at theDry Creek confluence, and will soon be implementing avariety of restoration activities within the Park.

The Tuolumne River has a long history of streamflow regula-tion and diversion. The Turlock and Modesto irrigationdistricts (TID/MID) have operated storage and diversionfacilities on the Tuolumne River for over a century. La GrangeDam, constructed in 1893, was the first TID/MID joint facilityand continues to serve as the diversion point for the TID andMID main canals. Increased demands for water resulted inconstruction of Don Pedro Dam in 1923, which was replacedby the New Don Pedro Project (NDPP) in 1971. The NDPPreservoir, with a capacity of 2 million acre-feet (af), is thelargest storage facility on the Tuolumne River. The City andCounty of San Francisco (CCSF)diverts additional water fromHetch Hetchy Reservoir and otherupper Tuolumne River projects.Cumulatively, these projectsdivert more than half the averageannual flow from the TuolumneRiver.

The Federal Power Commission[now the Federal Energy Regula-tory Commission (FERC)], issuedthe original NDPP license in 1964,which required TID/MID torelease minimum streamflows to

The NDPP license required FERC to re-evaluate the project’sminimum streamflow requirements after 20 years of opera-tion. FERC initiated this evaluation in 1992, and prepared aFinal Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) in compliancewith the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The firstever FERC-initiated mediation process resulted in adoption ofthe 1995 FERC Settlement Agreement (FSA). The FERCSettlement Agreement participants included TID/MID, the Cityand County of San Francisco and other water suppliers, stateand federal resource agencies, and several environmentalgroups. The Agreement revised streamflow requirements,required habitat restoration to improve conditions for chinooksalmon, and ordered additional fishery studies to evaluateflow and non-flow measures.

protect the native chinook salmon population. The NDPPlicense also required the Districts, in cooperation with Federaland State resource agencies, to study the Tuolumne River to“assure continuation and maintenance of the salmon fisheryin the most economical and feasible manner”. Studies werecarried out cooperatively by TID/MID, U.S. Fish and WildlifeService (USFWS), and California Department of Fish and Game(CDFG). These studies, summarized in reports submitted toFERC in 1992, described chinook salmon ecology and provid-ed management recommendations based on current scientificunderstanding of the Tuolumne River.

managed riverA

he FERC Settlement AgreementT

FERC SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTPARTICIPANTSCalifornia Department of Fish and Game (CDFG)California Sports Fishing Protection Alliance (CSPA)City and County of San Francisco (CCSF)Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)Friends of the Tuolumne Trust (FOTT)Modesto Irrigation District (MID)San Francisco Bay Area Water Users Association (BAWUA)Tuolumne River Expeditions (TRE)Tuolumne River Preservation Trust (TRPT)Turlock Irrigation District (TID)U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

Over half of the 1.9 million acre-feet (af) of runoff in the Tuolumne River basin is diverted from the river foragricultural and municipal use (water volumes are 1984-1998 averages).

3

New Don Pedro Dam, completed in 1971 by the Turlock and Modes-to Irrigation Districts, is the largest dam on the Tuolumne River andcan store an average year’s runoff from the watershed.

Floodway expansion: Provide a wider floodway and restorefloodplains to reduce river confinement, allow natural channelmigration, provide additional flexibility for dam operations toreduce the risk of catastrophic floods, increase riparianvegetation, and improve river habitat conditions.Riparian restoration: Replant riparian vegetation to helppromote natural regeneration, specifically targeting Fremontcottonwood and valley oak species.Channel reconstruction: Rebuild a natural channel shapethat allows gravel movement, channel migration, floodplaininundation, riparian regeneration, and sand/silt deposition onfloodplains.Conservation easements: Preserve riparian areas (especiallyflood-prone lands), while ownership of the land is maintainedby private individuals. Riparian restoration could be imple-mented within the conservation easement.

Preservation sites: Preserve sites containing stands ofmature riparian trees.Sand management (fine sediment): Reduce fine sedimentwithin riverbed gravels, by prevention, mechanical meansand/or periodic managed flood releases.Gravel management (coarse sediment): Provide an initiallarge volume of gravel to replace the gravels lost over the pastcentury, then periodically introduce gravel to balance the lossof gravels moved downstream during high streamflows.Additional management approaches: Increase water qualityby controlling urban and agricultural runoff; introducealternative grazing strategies within floodway to promotenative riparian regeneration and reduce bank erosion; intro-duce vegetative buffer strips along the river and withinagricultural and urban lands to reduce soil loss, and todecrease sound, air and non-point source pollution into theriparian corridor.

estoration TypesR

BASSO ECOLOGICAL RESERVE LAND PURCHASECalifornia Department of Fish & Game, Stanislaus CountyAcquisition of three parcels totaling 42 acres is being funded by CALFED. This land between LaGrange Bridge and Basso Bridge represents the “missing link” connecting adjacent 350-acre (west)and 185-acre (east) county-owned parcels. This reach is one of the primary chinook salmon spawn-ing areas, and the land purchase will protect this critical spawning habitat.

12

GRAVEL MINING REACHFLOODWAY RESTORATIONTuolumne River Technical Advisory CommitteeThis 7-mile reach near Waterford (from RobertsFerry Bridge to the Old Reed Rock Plant) supportsactive off-channel gravel mining, and was exten-sively damaged during the 1997 flood. CALFEDand USFWS/AFRP have funded the first of fourphases of this project, with Phase I, the upper twomiles of the project, set to begin in 1999. PhasesII-IV will proceed in subsequent years. Restorationactivities will include increasing floodway capaci-ty to convey at least 15,000 cfs, increasing salmonspawning and rearing habitat, protecting dikesand off-channel pits from future flood damage,and restoring riparian forests on floodplains.

SPAWNING GRAVEL SUPPLEMENTATIONCalifornia Department of Fish & Game, TRTACConstruction of La Grange Dam in 1893 permanentlyended gravel supply to downstream reaches of theTuolumne River. Restoring gravel supply to the Tuol-umne River below La Grange Dam will greatly improvesalmon spawning and rearing habitats. The project startswith initial mechanical placement of a large volume ofgravel to begin replacing over 100 years of lost gravelsupply, followed by periodic augmentation to maintainsupply as gravels slowly move downstream during highflows.

WATERFORD

HICKMAN

LA GRANGEDAM ❰

River

LAGRANGE

Today, however, the Tuolumne River is changed. More than acentury of intensive land and water resource development hastransformed the Tuolumne River. Native Americans managedthe watershed using fire and selective vegetation harvesting.Placer and hydraulic gold mining began with the Gold Rush,and dredge mining continued into the 1950s. Mining sand andgravel for road and construction material began with minersexcavating directly from the river channel in the 1940s, andcontinues today in adjacent floodplains and terraces.

Agriculture and urban development have also severelyconfined the river’s space. The river is formed and maintainedby water and sediment, but dams now divert more than halfthe Tuolumne River’s streamflow and block the river’s coarsesediment and organic nutrient supplies. Cumulatively thesechanges have altered the river ecosystem. The ability of theriver to maintain its health has been greatly impaired. Theriver needs active restoration to improve.

1995FERC SETTLEMENT

AGREEMENTThe NDPP license was re-openedin 1992 to evaluate streamflowrequirements. The FERC Settle-ment Agreement increasedstreamflows to aid chinooksalmon recovery, and formedthe Tuolumne River TechnicalAdvisory Committee to overseerestoration and management.The TRTAC has prepared theHabitat Restoration Plan for theLower Tuolumne River Corridorto guide restoration planning,funding and implementation.

1930s TO PRESENTGRAVEL MINING

Sand and gravel “aggregate” isa critical resource to a rapidlydeveloping region. Early gravelmining practices created largepits within the river channelthat now harbor non-native fishand block gravel movementdownstream. As aggregate de-mand increased, mining shiftedto floodplains and terraces andcreated large pits that now con-strict the river between bermsthat are frequently rupturedduring floods.

1971NEW DON PEDRO

PROJECTThe New Don Pedro Project(NDPP) provides irrigation waterand hydro-power for Turlockand Modesto Irrigation Dis-tricts, municipal water suppliesfor the City and County of SanFrancisco, and flood control forthe U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.The 545 ft high rock-filled damwas dedicated on May 22, 1971.Initial streamflows were low,and the project license requiredre-evaluating streamflows aftertwenty years of operation.

1971-1995REGULATION UNDER

NDPP OPERATIONFall-run salmon population fluc-tuated widely during the first 20years of NDPP operation, froma high of 40,000 fish (1985) tolows of 100 fish (1991-93). Ar-ticle 39 of the NDPP licensemandated extensive studies ofsalmon ecology to determinehow much water was needed tomaintain a healthy population.This knowledge now contrib-utes to understanding how en-vironmental factors affect thechinook salmon population.

Gold dredgers exca-vated gravel fromdeep under the riverand floodplains, sepa-rated out the gold, anddeposited the tail-ing across the valley.Within a few decades(1937 above, 1950left) the dredgersturned over most ofthe valley floor fromLa Grange to RobertsFerry Bridge.

candidate for restorationA2

WATERFORD

HICKMAN

LA GRANGEDAM ❰

River

Hickman Bridge RobertsFerry Bridge

BassoBridges

La GrangeBridges

LAGRANGE

An excellent way to understand the scope of river restorationon the Tuolumne River is to witness a project in progress. Theopportunity will soon be afforded by the Special Run Pool 9(SRP 9) Restoration Project. SRP 9 is located immediatelydownstream of Fox Grove County Park and is visible lookingwest from the Geer Road Bridge. The Technical AdvisoryCommittee selected SRP 9 as one of the Settlement Agreementprojects, and received approximately $2.5 million in fundingfrom CALFED and USFWS/AFRP. At present, environmentalpermitting and compliance documents are nearing comple-tion, engineers are preparing final design details, and con-struction is scheduled to begin in summer of 1999. TheTurlock Irrigation District is administering the project for theTRTAC.

A BRIEF HISTORYBeginning in the 1930s, gravel miners extracted valuable sandand gravel aggregate directly from the river channel, creatinglarge pits in the river with water depths up to 36 ft. Excavatingthese ponds eliminated salmon spawning and rearing habitat,as well as entire floodplains and riparian vegetation. Theselarge pits now trap all coarse sediment (gravel and cobble)carried downstream by high flows, and provide warm-waterhabitat for non-native bass species that eat chinook salmonsmolts as they migrate out to sea. Studies found largemouthbass densities to be as high as 750 adult bass per river-mile.Since every chinook salmon juvenile produced on the Tuol-umne River must pass through this reach, bass have thepotential to consume many thousands of juvenile salmonduring the outmigration season. Reducing bass predation byeliminating their habitat is thus a high priority objective forrestoring the chinook salmon population.

WHAT TO DOSection 12C of the Settlement Agreement specifies “at leasttwo pond isolation projects will be included in the 10 priorityprojects.” The TRTAC considered a variety of alternatives forrestoring SRP 9, such as constructing a dike to separate thechannel from the large backwater pit, or actively removingunwanted predator fish, leaving the pond intact. In the end,the TRTAC determined that the best solution was to refill theentire pit with gravel and cobble to reconstruct a natural riverchannel, restore a natural channel and floodplain form, andre-vegetate floodplains with cottonwoods, valley oaks andother native vegetation. This approach will help restorenatural river processes, provide additional riparian habitat,and improve conditions for chinook salmon by creating newjuvenile habitat and eliminating predator habitat. By trying torestore “ecosystem processes”, in addition to improvingconditions for a single species, the SRP 9 project is essentiallya large-scale experiment, and will be thoroughly monitoredover the next several years to determine if project objectivesare met.

When complete, the restored project reach may provide apermanant solution to decades-old problems, and represent asignificant piece of the 52-mile Tuolumne River corridorrestoration effort.

pecial Run Pools 9 and 10: A channel reconstruction projectS

Instream and off-channel gravel mining began in this reach in the 1950s.Today, 30-foot deep pits provide habitat for bass (a predator of juvenilesalmon) and also block sediment movement through this reach.

In 1937, prior to aggregate extraction, this reach of the Tuolumne Riverhad a natural channel form and floodplain. Riparian vegetation wasscattered across the floodway and gravel bars were exposed at low flows.

As shown in a typical cross section through the SRPs, the existing channelis four times wider and at least two times deeper than it shouldbe. Narrowing the channel will eliminate bass habitat, allow gravelsto move through the reach, and provide floodplains for replantingriparian vegetation.

13

SRP 9

SRP 10

chinook salmon

A RIVER IMPACTED BY DEVELOPMENT• Reduced floodway capacity• Reduced magnitude and frequency of high flows• Reduced variability of seasonal streamflows• Interrupted gravel supply• Fragmented and narrowed riparian corridor and

decreased plant species diversity• Decreased regeneration of native riparian plants• Reduced water quality• Reduced quantity and quality of salmon habitat• Declining trend in chinook salmon abundance• Diminished wildlife populations

The Tuolumne River Technical Advisory Committee (TRTAC)has prepared the Habitat Restoration Plan for the LowerTuolumne River Corridor to assist in identifying and imple-menting habitat restoration projects to benefit the river’schinook salmon. This summary of the Restoration Planprovides background information about the TRTAC, thechallenges facing the Tuolumne River corridor, some of thetechnical information used to create the restoration plan, andexamples of restoration projects already underway. Thissummary was prepared to inform the public of the Restora-tion Plan goals and current and future restoration projects.

The Tuolumne River is one of themost important natural resources ofCalifornia’s Great Central Valley. Thelargest tributary of the San JoaquinRiver, the Tuolumne River drains a1,900 square-mile watershed thatincludes the northern half of YosemiteNational Park. As the Tuolumne Riveremerges from the Sierra Nevada

foothills into the Central Valley, itcarries precious agricultural and

municipal water supplies to ahighly developed and diversi-

fied regional economy.Agriculture, ranching,

mining, and tourismdominate the region

and depend on theriver for theirsustainedlivelihoods.

An enormous biological community also depends on theTuolumne River. Vast Fremont Cottonwood and Valley Oakriparian forests once insulated the Tuolumne River banks,extending several miles wide in the lower San Joaquin Valley,and merging into riparian forests of the neighboring Merced,Stanislaus and San Joaquin Rivers. These forests providedforaging and breeding habitat for an abundance of residentand migratory bird and wildlife populations, and tremendouspopulations of migratory waterfowl.

In the lower foothill reaches of the Tuolumne River upstreamof the community of Waterford, annual migrations of spring-and fall-run chinook salmon once filled the river. Fish com-monly weighed in excess of 20 pounds and occassionallyexceeded 50 pounds! Despite recent declines, the TuolumneRiver still supports the largest naturally reproducing popula-tion of chinook salmon remaining in the San Joaquin Valley.

1848THE CALIFORNIA

GOLD RUSHNo other event transformed thecharacter of California as pro-foundly as the gold rush. Goldfever brought a roaring boomto the Tuolumne River and theentire Central Valley almostovernight. Sluicing, hydraulicmining, and later dredging leftbehind a severely disfiguredriver ecosystem. The legacy ofdredging remains today as riverrocks piled on former riverfloodplains in the upper reachesof the Tuolumne River.

1923EARLY STORAGE DAMS

The original Don Pedro Damwas completed in 1923 and be-came the highest dam of itskind (284 ft high). The 289,000acre-feet of water storage ex-tended the irrigation seasonthrough September in mostyears. The completion ofO’Shaugh-nessy Dam in 1923(Hetch Hetchy) initiated waterstorage and diversion from theTuolumne River to supplydrinking water to the San Fran-cisco Bay Area.

1900s TO PRESENTAGRICULTURAL/URBAN

EXPANSIONAgricultural and urban expan-sion have encroached on theTuolumne River’s space, andhave eliminated large areas offish and wildlife riparian habi-tats. Entire floodplains wereconverted for cult ivation,bridges and towns were con-structed, and berms erected toprotect farmlands from floods.Economies developed duringthe 20th century are now inex-tricably linked to TuolumneRiver resources.

he Tuolumne RiverT

uolumne history

1

T

San

Joaquin

MODESTO

Dry

EMPIRE

HUGHSON

Tuo

lum

ne

CERESShilohBridge

Hwy 99Bridges

Mitchell RdBridge

Santa Fe AveBridge

Geer RdBridge

Creek

rayson River Ranch: A perpetual conservation easementG The Grayson River Ranch project is an excellent example ofways in which voluntary public participation and leadershipfrom local agencies can make the vision for a Tuolumne Riverfloodway come to life. Located between river miles 5 and 6from the mouth of the Tuolumne River, the 140 acre GraysonRiver Ranch parcel was historically a river floodplain vegetat-ed with riparian hardwood species. The property was clearedfor cultivation as early as 1937, and has flooded repeatedlyover the years.

Following the 1997 flood , the property owner applied for andmay receive a Perpetual Conservation Easement for parts ofthe Grayson River Ranch parcel. The USDA Natural ResourcesConservation Service administers easement agreements incooperation with the East Stanislaus County Resource Conser-vation District, linking with various local, state, federal, andnon-profit (e.g. FOTT) partners. The easement would allow forseasonal flooding and restoration of riparian habitats, whilekeeping the property in the hands of private owners. If theeasement agreement is finalized, the NRCS will develop plansfor restoring the parcel to more natural conditions, whichmay include revegetation with native riparian hardwoodspecies, and/or creating off-channel wetlands. With restora-tion, this land will provide increased fishery, wildlife, andflood management benefits.

A few large stands of riparian vegetation persist along the Tuolumne.Although it took only decades to clear much of the land, centuries oldvalley oaks are not as quickly replaced. This multi-story, diverse canopyarchitecture provides habitat for many species of birds and wildlife.

Before the land along the Tuolumne had been converted to agriculture,old-growth oak forests extended across the floodplain to merge with theforests along the Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin Rivers. In 1937,clearing of the Grayson River Ranch parcel was well underway.

14

VALLEY OAKThe majestic valley oak, once a symbolof the native California landscape anda dominant figure in riparian forests,is now nearly gone. Confined to lessthan 2 % of its original habitat state-wide,this flood-dependent native is endemic - it growsnowhere else but in California. Land acquisitions orconservation easements may be the only way to preservethe rare remaining groves of valley oak and allow newtrees to propagate.

Even with dikes, many parcels of land near the confluence with the SanJoaquin River are frequently flooded (note traces of soil erosion from1997 floods). These former floodplains contain soils of marginal qualityfor agricultural production, and generally support feed crops for live-stock. However, they are ideally suited to sustain native hardwood forestsas well as a lush understory of flood-dependent plant species.

“On April 1st [1844] we…were stopped again by ariver - the Tuolumne. …[I]ts beauty has been in-creased by the additional animation of animal life,and now it is crowded with bands of elk and wildhorses; and along the rivers frequent fresh tracksof grizzly bears, which are unusually numerous inthis country.”

Captain John C. Fremont

1871-1893EARLY DIVERSION DAMSThe Tuolumne Water Companyconstructed Wheaton Dam atthe falls above La Grange in1871, initiating streamflowregulation and diversion on theTuolumne River. Wheaton Damwas later sold to Turlock andModesto Irrigation Districts,then re-placed by La GrangeDam. Completed on December13, 1893 at a cost of $550,000,the 127 1/2 ft high La Grangedam (later raised 2 1/2 ft) wasthe highest overflow dam inthe country.

Turlock Irrigation District333 East Canal DriveTurlock, CA 95381

(209) 883-8316

Modesto Irrigation District1231 Eleventh StreetModesto, CA 95354

(209) 526-7459

THIS DOCUMENT IS A SUMMARY OF THE

Habitat Restoration Plan for the Lower Tuolumne River Corridor

PREPARED FORThe Tuolumne River Technical Advisory Committee

WITH ASSISTANCE FROMUS Fish and Wildlife Service

Anadromous Fish Restoration Program

PREPARED BYMcBain & Trush

P.O. Box 663Arcata, CA 95518(707) 826-7794

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

OR

Front cover photographs (clockwise from top-left)• Adult chinook salmon returning to the river to spawn• A dynamic gravel bar near Basso Bridge at river mile 49.2• La Grange Dam at river mile 52.2• Mature valley oak and Fremont cottonwood riparian forest

“The practice of conservation must spring from a convictionof what is ethically and aesthetically right, as well as what iseconomically expedient. A thing is right only when it tends topreserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the community,and the community includes the soil, waters, fauna, and flora,as well as the people.”

Aldo Leopold, 1947

Printed with soy ink on recycled paper

Printed on a Heidelberg Direct Image, Chemical-Free Press

A Summary of the

Habitat Restoration Plan for theLower Tuolumne River Corridor

Prepared for:

The Tuolumne River Technical Advisory Committee

March 1999

A Summary of the

Habitat Restoration Plan for theLower Tuolumne River Corridor

Prepared for:

The Tuolumne River Technical Advisory Committee

March 1999