south fork nooksack river community watershed conservation...

South Fork Nooksack River Community Watershed Conservation Plan Project

Oliver Grah Water Resources Program Manager

Nooksack Indian Tribe Deming, WA

WRIA1 Management Team Meeting June 14, 2017

Holly O’Neil Crossroads Consulting

Objectives of Presentation: • Summarize the history of the watershed project. • Summarize the components of the watershed project. • Report on the public outreach and stakeholder engagement program. • Future Plans

Sources of Funding: • EPA – PPG, NEP • BIA • WA ECOLOGY - NEP • NWIFC • NPLCC • ATNI

Fish habitat and survival:

• Altered hydrology – peak flow; flood; low

South Fork Nooksack River

• Highly temperature impaired. • Category 5 on CWA 303(d) list for both excessive temperature and fine sediment. • Beneficial or designated use is salmon survival and habitat. • Category 5

Total Maximum Daily Load analysis (TMDL)

What is a TMDL?

• Regulatory tool to facilitate water quality improvement for point sources. • Non-regulatory tool, or voluntary tool, to facilitate water quality improvement for non-point sources.

What is a TMDL?

1. Watershed Characterization — understanding the basic physical,

environmental, and human elements of the watershed.

2. Impairment Status — analyzing existing data to determine if waters fully support

beneficial uses and/or supported under natural conditions.

3. Data Gaps and Monitoring Report — identification of any additional

data needs and monitoring recommendations.

What is a TMDL?

4. Source Assessment — identification of sources of pollutants, and magnitude of

sources both point sources (e.g., industrial) and non-point sources (e.g., forest practices).

5. Load Allocation — determination of natural pollutant load, and load from

human activities (i.e. diffuse nonpoint sources and point discharges).

6. Set Targets — establishment of water quality targets intended to restore

or maintain beneficial uses.

7. TMDL Implementation Plan — a watershed management

strategy to attain established targets.

Develop a watershed conservation plan




• TMDL Project initiated by DOE and EPA in August 2011. • There were concerns that the temperature TMDL would not directly address: Upland watershed processes Legacy impacts Climate change Reasonable natural conditions




• One of the implementation recommendations of the TMDL is to prepare a watershed conservation plan that addresses the upland contribution to heat and sediment pollution to the SFNR. • A watershed conservation plan would also address the exacerbating effects of climate change impacts on stream temperatures, sediment, fish habitat, and fish survival.

• Independently of the TMDL, EPA-ORD initiated a climate change pilot research project in 2012 to:

• Demonstrate how climate change can be included in a temperature TMDL • Address climate change, ESA fish recovery, and CWA compliance in one research demonstration pilot project • Selected the South Fork Nooksack River as the research watershed

EPA Region 10 Climate Change and TMDL Pilot Project

Quantitative Assessment: • Streamflow temperature and quantity modeling using QUAL2k with and without climate change for the 2020s, 2040s and 2080s, and a shade model. Responsive to the CWA TMDL Numeric Cold-Water Temperature WQS.

Qualitative Assessment: • Comprehensive analysis of freshwater habitat for ESA salmon restoration in the SFNR under climate change. • Resulted in a prioritized list of climate change adaption strategies that supports salmon habitat restoration in the SFNR under climate change.

• Together, these Assessments represent robust and comprehensive actions to:

1) get to the intent of the CWA criteria/standards

2) protect the CWA beneficial uses (salmon habitat) AND

3) facilitate meeting ESA recovery goals taking climate change

into consideration.

Pilot Research Project

“Qualitative Assessment: Evaluating the Impacts of Climate Change

on Endangered Species Act Recovery Actions for the South Fork Nooksack River, WA”

Finally released!

Evaluate Climate Impacts

Evaluate Species Impacts

Evaluate Actions

Recommendations

Source: Workshop Summary, Final Draft Report, May 14, 2013, Restoring Salmon Habitat for a Changing Climate In the SFNR, Washington. Adapted from Currence (Nooksack Natural Resources Staff) and Beechie et al 2012.

14

█ – Increased Winter Peak Flows and Sediment Loading

█ – Loss of Spring Snowmelt Reducing Discharge

█ – Increased Summer Temperatures

█ – Decreased Summer Low Flows and Increased Temperatures

– Respective Life Stage Periodicities

CLIMATE RISK

LIF

E S

TA

GE

15

Positive Effect No Effect Context-dependent Effect

Y

N

Y/N

Ability To Ameliorate Climate Change Effects Restoration Tool

Cli

ma

te R

isk

ACTIONS TO ADDRESS LEGACY IMPACTS AND PROMOTE RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE:

• RECONNECT RIVER TO FLOODPLAIN

• RESTORE AND PROTECT RIPARIAN AREAS

• CONTINUE INSTREAM REHABILITATION/RESTORATION

• RESTORE FLOW REGIMES

• PROMOTE LONGITUDINAL CONNECTIVITY

• REDUCE SEDIMENT DELIVERY

Watershed function restoration and enhancement

Motivation: Climate Change Effects on Streamflow

Snowfall

Rainfall

Current Climate

Snow stored in

mountains to

melt later

Rain runs off into

streams

Slide courtesy of Karl Lapo, UW Mountain Hydrology Research Group Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/4462015331

• ACKNOWLEDGE AND ADDRESS THE ROLE OF UPPER WATERSHED PROCESSES IN MAINSTEM RIVER FLOWS AND WATER QUALITY AND FISH HABITAT

ACTIONS TO ADDRESS LEGACY IMPACTS AND PROMOTE RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE:

• ACKNOWLEDGE AND ADDRESS THE ROLE OF UPPER WATERSHED PROCESSES IN MAINSTEM RIVER FLOWS AND WATER QUALITY AND FISH HABITAT IMPAIRMENT

• DEVELOP A WATERSHED CONSERVATION PLAN THAT INCLUDES TOOLS THAT PROMOTE WATERSHED RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE • DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT WATERSHED RESTORATION TOOLS THAT SUPPORT AND SUPPLEMENT TRADITIONAL INSTREAM TOOLS • VOLUNTARY ACTIONS THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED

• Forestry • Transportation • Agriculture • Development • Government

SFNR Watershed Conservation Plan

• Voluntary planning process initiated about three years ago.

• Seed funding from EPA and BIA.

• Additional funding from WA Dept. Ecology for site specific voluntary riparian protection and restoration actions.

• Objective to prepare a watershed conservation plan that addresses the recommendations of the TMDL, Qualitative Assessment, WRIA1 Watershed Management Plan, and Salmon Recovery Plan. • Acts on local community values and interests in addressing water quality and quantity issues.


• Draft Watershed Conservation Plan released mid-May and available for review • Watershed plan acts on:

• SFNR Temperature TMDL

• SFNR EPA-ORD/R10 Climate Change Pilot Research Project

• WRIA1 Watershed Management Plan

• WRIA1 Salmon Recovery Plan

• Acts on the Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities raised through public outreach and stakeholder engagement process

Now for our public outreach and stakeholder engagement program…….. Holly O’Neil, Crossroads Consulting

South Fork Nooksack River Community Watershed Project

Where we are now, and where we are heading

Purpose of Project

• Create a common understanding of watershed conditions, legacy impacts, and predicted climate change impacts on our watershed.

• Enable better coordination and prioritization of projects.

• Provide a foundation for dialogue and planning around watershed restoration in the South Fork Nooksack River Watershed.

The Process in a Nutshell

FIRST: Interest Groups (2016)

• Forestry, Fisheries, Farming, Recreation, Govt., Transportation – what are their common interests and concerns?

SECOND: Community Meeting and Survey (2016)

• What are Residents’ common interests and concerns?

THIRD: Watershed Group (2017)

All residents and landowners interested in watershed planning, and willing to work with their neighbors in good faith. (44 members)

Communications

• Packets/Notes • Notebooks • On the website: sfnooksack.com • Updates sent to a list of 353 people who said they want to be kept

informed

• Audio Recordings of our Meetings • On KAVZ lpfm – our local radio station 102.5 fm

• Comment Period • Requesting comments by June 17th • Website – survey • Deming Library

• Sharing and Action

• Community Meeting • Watershed Group Ad Hoc Planning Team – next steps

Practicing civil dialogue in a diverse community

ð

ð

A s developed by the SFNR residents and landowners participating in the meetings of the 44-member Watershed Group, January – May 201 7. For more information: sfnooksack.com

South Fork Nooksack River Watershed Community Long Term Goals and Planning Principles

LONG TERM COMMUNITY GOALS

Although we have a wide range of perspectives and interests in the South Fork Nooksack River Valley, we are looking for win-win solutions to protect our water resources for:

• Our Families: Keep the rural way of life and protect it for our children.

• Our Farms: Maintain and protect productive agricultural lands and promote long-term agricultural economic viability.

• Our Forests: Maintain and protect the forestland base and promote a sustainable forest industry with a skilled and steady local workforce.

• Our Fish: Improve the South Fork ecosystem to increase and support the salmon population.

• Our Recreation: Ensure through public regulation, education, and community engagement that recreational activities in the Valley contribute positively to the health and safety of our Watershed and protect property rights and community values.

PLANNING PRINCIPLES

In order for us to achieve our long-range goals, we need:

• Communication, transparency, and trust between landowners, residents, agencies, and other stakeholders in the Watershed.

• Voluntary agreements between landowners and community partners, with incentives for landowner’s efforts to improve watershed conditions.

• Shared understanding and open dialogue around data, science, resource management, and the changing climate conditions that affect our watershed.

• Public education around how farmers, foresters, fishers, and other businesses are continually improving their practices to protect and improve water quality.

• Consideration of the knowledge of local residents relevant to wise management of land and water resources.

The “Community Watershed Plan”

Forestry

Fish/Habitat

Families Recreation

Watershed Conservation Plan

Farming Watershed Characteristics and Resource

Conditions

The goals in this plan align with the WRIA 1 Salmon Recovery Plan, Local Integrating Organization Plan, and the Watershed Management Plan


Recommended Actions • 4.2.1. Floodplain Reconnection

• 4.2.2. Stream Flow Regimes

• 4.2.3. Erosion and Sediment Delivery

• 4.2.4. Riparian Restoration

• 4.2.5. Instream Rehabilitation

• 4.2.6. Acquisition and Easements

• 4.2.7. Fish Passage Barrier Removal

• 4.2.8. Community Engagement & Outreach

• 4.2.9. Planning • Data gaps

• Restoration of upland watershed functions

Thank you! Oliver Grah, NIT Holly O’Neil, Crossroads Consulting

south fork nooksack river community watershed conservation...

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