Lawyer Creek Steelhead Trout Habitat Improvement Project presented by: Lewis Soil Conservation...
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Transcript of Lawyer Creek Steelhead Trout Habitat Improvement Project presented by: Lewis Soil Conservation...
Lawyer Creek Steelhead Trout Habitat
Improvement Project
presented by:
Lewis Soil Conservation District
Project Goal:
Improve steelhead trout habitat in Lawyer Creek by implementing best
management practices to upland agricultural lands.
Lawyer Creek Watershed
Clearwater River Watershed
Lower Clearwater Assessment Unit
Clearwater River
Lawyer Creek
Watershed Specifics
• 137,400 acres
• 90% privately owned
• 80% within Nez Perce Reservation
• 60% agricultural land use
Watershed Specifics
• narrow watershed
• approximately 35 miles long
• 3 to 4 miles stream/mile drainage area
• tributaries tend to be straight & steep
PROBLEMS
• Limiting factors to steelhead habitat within
Lawyer Creek are associated with climate
and land use patterns, including:
– excess sediment delivery
– flashy storm events
– low sustained summer base flows
PROBLEMS
• Listed on State §303(d) list for:– habitat alteration– flow alteration– dissolved oxygen– bacteria– ammonia– nutrients
PROBLEMS
• Water moves quicker through the watershed
today due to:
– change of vegetation in uplands
– alteration/removal of ground cover in uplands
PROBLEMS
• Less water is retained or stored in the
watershed for base flow after runoff events
• Higher peak flows impact stream channel
by widening and scouring channels, moving
large substrate downstream
PROBLEMS
• Surface soil erosion is the dominant type of erosion from most cultivated lands in the watershed
• Source of sediment and water quality problems
• Sediment contributes to increased stream temperature and reduced stream productivity
SOLUTIONS
To protect, enhance and/or
restore fish habitat,
best management practices should
be developed and implemented
on agricultural lands.
SOLUTIONS
BEST
MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES
Dryland Agriculture
SOLUTIONS
• Best Management Practices– Combination of practices that effectively and
practicably prevent or reduce the amount of
sediment delivery to receiving streams– Techniques that will begin restoration and
protection of aquatic habitat impacted by land management
SOLUTIONS
• Best Management Practices– Control and reduce erosion and subsequent
sedimentation:• conservation tillage (no-till)• sediment basins• gully plugs• culvert outlets• grade stabilization• grassed waterways• permanent vegetation
SOLUTIONS
• Best Management Practices– Promote upland water storage:
• conservation tillage (no-till)
• ponds
• sediment basins
• riparian habitat improvements and protection
Best Management Practices
No-Till(Conservation Tillage)
Gully ErosionControl
Upland Water Storage
Lawyer Creek Project
• Predominant land use is cropland
• Cropland and grazing activities take place on each
side of and adjacent to Lawyer Creek
• Soils have a high erosivity rating and low
permeability rating
• Drainageway lengths are short within each of the
subwatersheds (higher potential for immediate
sediment delivery)
Upper Lawyer Creek
Craigmont
• Implement BMPs on agricultural uplands and adjacent riparian areas
• Survey baseline instream and riparian habitat conditions in Lawyer Creek
• Monitor water quality parameters
• Coordinate monitoring efforts with DEQ and Nez Perce Tribe
Lawyer Creek Project
Lawyer Creek SubwatershedSteelhead Trout
Habitat Improvement Project
Sponsored by:Lewis Soil Conservation District