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Columbia Basin Riverine LandscapesHydroregulation, Climate Change and the Future of
our Cottonwood Forests
March 8, 2018
Tom Elliott, Yakama NationKevin Fetherston, Natural Systems Design
Eastern WA Riparian Planting Symposium WADOE
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Presentation Outline
I Problem Statement and Vision
II Riverine and Riparian Landscape Pattern and Process
III Dam Impacts on Downstream Floodplain Forests
IV Climate Change-Forecast Effects
V Yakima Basin Example
VI Suggested Draft Strategy
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Goals
Yakama Nation has an interest in restoring and managing riparian forest within the Yakama Reservation, Yakama Basin, Ceded Territories, and Usual and Accustomed areas.
Goal is to Manage and Restore for Sustainable Cultural and Natural Resource Values for future generations
Requires defining scope, understanding obstacles (limiting factors?) to sustainable healthy forests, describing strategies for restoration and management
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Future of riparian forests in the Columbia river basin (including Yakima River)?
PROBLEM 1: lowland riparian forests in the Interior West are subject to hydroregulation. Without intervention will these forest slowly diminish or even disappear functionally?
PROBLEM 2: lowland riparian forests not subject to hydroregulation are forecast to suffer impacts due to climate change. How to sustain these forests in the future?
Need a framework to strategically guide riparian restoration and sustainable management (stewardship) at watershed and landscape scales
Photo by Michael Merigliano
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Landscape wide decline in riparian forests Literature points to broad declines in riparian extent and health,
including forest collapse below dams
Legacy land use: grazing, agricultural development, urbanization, invasive species
Hydroregulation: streams may have lagged effects of altered hydrographs
Future climate change include shifts in peak flows and lower summer flows
1. Bradley, C. E. and D. G. Smith (1986). "Plains cottonwood recruitment and survival on a prairie meandering river floodplain, Milk River, southern Alberta and northern Montana." Canadian Journal of Botany 64(7): 1433–1442.
2. Rood, S. B., J. M. Mahoney, et al. (1995). "Instream flows and the decline of riparian cottonwoods along the St. Mary River, Alberta." Canadian Journal of Botany/Revue Canadienne de Botanique 73(8): 1250-1260.
3. 382-395.4. Johnson, W. C. (2000). "Tree recruitment and survival in rivers: influence of hydrological processes." Hydrological Processes 14:
3051-3074.5. Williams, C. A. and D. J. Cooper (2005). "Mechanisms of Riparian Cottonwood Decline Along Regulated Rivers." Ecosystems 8: 6. Fullerton, A. H., T. J. Beechie, et al. (2006). "Regional patterns of riparian characteristics in the interior Columbia River basin,
Northwestern USA: applications for restoration planning." Landscape Ecology V21(8): 1347-1360.7. Braatne, J. H., R. Jamieson, et al. (2007). "Instream flows and the decline of riparian cottonwoods along the Yakima River,
Washington, USA." River Research and Applications 23(3): 247-267.8. Theobald, D. M., D. M. Merritt, and J. B. Norman. 2010. Assessment of Threats to Riparian Ecosystems in the Western U.S.,
U.S.D.A. Stream Systems Technology Center, Colorado State University, Prineville, OR.9. Macfarlane, W. W., J. T. Gilbert, et al. (2017). "Riparian vegetation as an indicator of riparian condition: Detecting departures from
historic condition across the North American West." Journal of Environmental Management 202: 447-460.10. Dwire, K. A., S. Mellmann-Brown, and J. T. Gurrieri. 2017. Potential effects of climate change on riparian areas, wetlands, and
groundwater-dependent ecosystems in the Blue Mountains, Oregon, USA. Climate Services.
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Map by Kmusserwikipedia
Columbia River Basin Hydroregulation
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Distributional Range of North American Cottonwood
Family Salicaceae
Genus Populus
• 30 species world wide
• 8 native species in North America
• 2 species of aspen
• Numerous zones of natural hybridization
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(Braatne 1999)
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Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa(Torr. & A. Gray ex Hook.) Brayshaw
Black Cottonwood
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USGS ( “Atlas of United States Trees” by Elbert L. Little, Jr. )By Beeblebrox - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15815716
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Cottonwood Life History
Size
Longevity
Growth rate
Geographic range
Pioneer species
Soils
“Facultative” phreatophyte
Flowering & Fruiting
Sexual reproduction: Seed
Seedling safe sites
Clonal reproduction
Climate
Elevation
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Populus Spp Sexual Reproduction–Seedling Safe Sites
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(after Braatne 1994)
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Cottonwood recruitment box model (Mahoney & Rood 1998)
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(Stella 2006)
≤2.5 cm/day
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Synchrony of Seed Dispersal, Hydrology and Local Climate – associated and variable
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(Stella et al. 2006)
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Black Cottonwood life history seedlings
Seed viability 1-2 weeks
Seed germination occurs on moist sand, gravel bars or scoured streambanks
Bare, moist mineral soils / substrates required
2-year olds
0+ (2013) seedlings
Germinants
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Point Bar & Channel Cutoff Alluvial Safe Sites
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(Stella et al. 2011)
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
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Populus Spp. Clonal Reproduction
Balsam poplarClonal reprodution(Adonsou et al. 2016)
Black cottonwoodClonal reproduction (T. Elliott)
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Riparian Floodplain Cottonwood Forest Ecological Functions
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Riparian Cottonwood ForestsEcological Functions
Physical In-channel large wood, aquatic habitat structure River bank root cohesion Stream shade, in stream water temperature amelioration
Biogeochemical Nutrient sequestration Sediment filtration
Habitat Fish
LWD generates anastomosing side channel networks, critical salmonid habitats Stream bank root cohesion
Mammals, amphibians, reptiles Black bears over winter in legacy cottonwood in Alaska! Downed wood nesting cavities
Birds Critical avian migratory corridors in arid Western N. America Rapter roosting and nesting
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Large woody debris & aquatic habitat forming processes
T. Elliott
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Riparian Cottonwood CorridorsCritical Avian Migratory Habitat
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Birds
Beavers
Fish
BugsT. Elliott
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Ecosystem servicesEcosystem services–flood attenuation
T. Elliott
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Hydroelectric and Water StorageFlaming Gorge Dam − Green River, Utah
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Flaming Gorge Dam − Green River, Utah
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Physical and Biologic Impacts of Dams–A Cascade of Effects
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(Modified from Petts 1984; Jorde et al. 2008; Burke et al. 2009)
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Flow Regime Alteration & Non-native Invasives: crack willow, reed canary grass, Russian olive & Siberian elm
Rio ChamaRussian olive & Cottonwood
Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)Toppenish CreekCrack willow & reed canary grass
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Flood Control Dams Reducing Lateral Extent of Active Floodplain–Rio Chama and Rio Grande
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1936 Pre-Dams4,500 cfs
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Rio Chama, New Mexico El Vado, Abiquiu & Heron Flood Control & Storage Dams (Gauge record 1915-2012)
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Rio Chama near Chamita Annual Peak Flow
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
1910
1915
1920
1925
1930
1935
1940
1945
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
Year
Str
ea
mfl
ow
(c
fs)
Construction of Abiquiu Dam complete
Construction of El Vado Dam
complete
Construction of Heron Dam
complete and beginning of
diversions for the San Juan-
Chama Project
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Rio Chama – Rio Grande Cottonwood Stand Structure
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(Fetherston 2012)
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Rio Grande Cottonwood Forest Reproductive Failure (Populus deltoides ssp. wislizeni) – Age Structure
(Fetherston 2012)
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The Natural Flow Regime & Climate Change Effects
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Warmer temperatures, earlier snowmelt, faster runoff, lower summer flows
Varies among basins due to elevation and current temp regime
Big picture is compromised riparian (Salicaceae) regeneration due to factors mentioned by Kevin
IV Climate change forecasts for Columbia basin
* Left axis = upstream runoff in inchesAdapted from Hamlet et al 2013
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Warming climate can affect riparian DIRECTLY-through greater ET, resulting in increased seasonal drought stress
IV Climate change forecasts & riparian impacts
Lower seedling growth
air & soil tempCO2
-Reduced recruitment-Increased
stress & mortality
- earlier spring runoff- summer & baseflows
Water stress
Warming climate can affect riparian INDIRECTLY-through altered streamflow regime
-Seed release decoupled-Water stress
Perry et al 2012, Perry et al 2013
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
The Yakima River Case Study-Regulation
5 storage reservoirs, 8+ major diversion
900 + stream miles < 2000 ft., 511 regulated, 406 unregulated
15,000 to 20,000 acres of lowland riparian forest
Desert river in lowlands, cottonwoods critical to ecosystem
Dunes and cottonwoods, Satus Wildlife Area
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Key flow components altered, differs by reach
Snowmelt flood timing and size
Snowmelt recession
Summer flows
Recruitment likely impaired in all regulated reaches
12,600 acres lowland forest regulated, 5,700 unregulated
Hydrologic Effects of Regulation
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Observed and documented lack of recruitment
Seedlings establish too low
Long-term decline of forest
Wapato Reach-Regulation Drives Decline
Wapato Reach
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
The Yakima River Case Study-Climate Change Substantial warming by mid-century
and beyond, maxes and mins
More precipitation as rain, less as snow
Earlier runoff timing, less summer flow
Potential decoupling of seed release and streamflow, increase in summer drought stress
https://cig.uw.edu/resources/analysis-tools/projections/http://warm.atmos.washington.edu/2860/
Cle Elum = Yakima? Sacramento?
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Shift from snow to rain dominant flow regime
Lower summer flows, which are already marginal
Exacerbated by irrigation withdrawals
Unknown effects on riparian forests
Climate Change in the Teanaway River
Cle Elum River streamflow forecast
20112017
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Build public support for sustained efforts over decades
Combine tribal and scientific perspectives to inform goals and methods
Think big and long: build institutional structures to manage watersheds over many decades
Develop framework to assess, monitor and steward riparian health and sustainability
Leave a legacy of healthy riparian landscapes
Principles for Long-term Restoration & Management
•joint assessment•actions on multiple time scales•adaptive cycle
Legacy (inertia of past stressors)
Current stressors
Climate change
Watershed scale, multi-decadal stewardship
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Adapt strategies from recent literature based on Salicaceae regeneration models & climate change
Concurrent work on short and long-term solutions
Tailor actions to river reach-geomorphology, stressors, values, and hydro-climate forecasts
Adaptive cycle for efficacy and cost-effectiveness
Strategies for Long-term Restoration & Management
•Flow management (spring pulse flows, recession management, water conservation)
•River engineering (wood replenishment, set back levees, floodplain contouring)
•Herbivory control
•Planting (at elevations informed by future flows)
•Novel strategies (directed evolution, translocation of species …)
• Gonzalez et al 2018, Perry et al 2015, Capon et al 2013
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
10-20 year plan to restore age structure, maintain or increase extent, and manage weeds along 50 river miles
Developed by Yakama Nation with support from Yakima Integrated Plan (state, county, federal, non-profit)
Funded through 2022 by Integrated Plan and Natural Resource Conservation Service
Technical paper in spring 2018, concise plan in summer 2018, start implementation fall and winter 2018-2019
Strong adaptive component to identify best approaches
Strategy for Wapato Reach Riparian Restoration
Wapato Reach in flood May 2011
Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes
Questions?