Restoration Science
Restoration Science
Restoration science involves enhancing aquatic environments so they contain the species of interest and permit the ecosystem to function in as normal a way as is possible. In order to achieve this water resource managers need to understand the dominant controlling components of a specific ecosystem whether they are physical or chemical factors. Therefore, the physical, chemical, and biological expertise in the WA WSC are all required in order to adequately address ecosystem restoration issues in the PNW. A particular focus has been on monitoring the redistribution of sediment within newly restored coastal wetlands to determine the effectiveness of restored processes for maintaining the desired nearshore habitats.
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Elwha River
The formerly free-flowing Elwha River was famous for the diversity and size of its salmon runs. After the construction of the Elwha Dam (1912) and the Glines Canyon Dam (1927), fish lost access to more than 70 miles of mainstem river and tributary habitat. As a result, all 10 runs of native Elwha salmon and sea-going trout declined sharply. Restoration of the Elwha River ecosystem will be...
Multispectral imaging, Puyallup River
In the past, levees have been built along the river banks of the Puyallup River to prevent floodwater from damaging roads, buildings, farms, and other areas in the floodplain. Because levees can worsen flooding by creating backwater effects or reducing floodplain storage, Pierce County is planning to remove current levees and build new ones further away from the river channels. To help Pierce...
Satus Creek
After irrigating croplands, water returned to creeks and rivers in the Yakima River Basin can contribute compounds and materials that affect the quality of habitat. On lands of the Yakama Nation, Satus Creek receives water from the North Drain that brings with it sediment, nutrients, bacteria, and pesticides, degrading the aquatic habitat and posing a barrier for endangered fish in the creek. A...
Columbia Basin Irrigation
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), in its 2000 Biological Opinion for the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project (CBIP) in eastern Washington, asked for a determination of whether pesticides are present in irrigation return flows at levels that may harm or adversely affect salmon and steelhead species listed for protection under the Endangered Species Act. As the major resource manager of...
Methow River Basin
The Methow River Basin, located in North Central Washington in Okanogan County, is well known for its natural beauty, wildlife, outdoor recreation, and rural lifestyle. The Methow River and its tributaries are home to upper Columbia summer steelhead and spring Chinook salmon, which are both listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and bull trout, which is listed as threatened...
White River Videography
The quantity and quality of instream habitat is one of many factors affecting aquatic organisms such as anadromous and non-anadromous salmonids. The measurement and assessment of instream habitat has been the focus of many habitat monitoring and restoration projects throughout the State of Washington. On-the-ground habitat monitoring is extremely important for specific variables and specific...
Water Resources Inventory Area 1 Watershed Management
In recent years, increased use of ground- and surface-water supplies in watersheds of Washington State has created concern that insufficient in-stream flows remain for fish and other users. In response, the Washington State legislature passed the Watershed Management Act of 1998 (ESHB 2514; see also Ch.90.82 RCW - Watershed Planning), which encourages and provides some funding for local watershed...
Cedar River Watershed
The Cedar River watershed provides two-thirds of the water supply for the greater Seattle metropolitan region, in addition to being home to numerous terrestrial and aquatic organisms such as salmon, some of which are Federally listed as threatened species. The City of Seattle is establishing monitoring plans for the Cedar River watershed to effectively manage the resource. A critical component of...