Abstract
The influx of fine sediment causes degraded habitat for salmonid species that are under federal monitoring protocols. Within Headwaters Forest Reserve, restoration efforts for salmonids such as road decommissioning have been conducted to reduce the influx of fine sediment into streams. Post-project monitoring of salmonid habitat in impacted streams is necessary to assess restoration effectiveness. Monitoring methods include assessing pool volume, large woody debris, and sediment particle size distribution in riffles. A one-kilometer study reach was examined to give indication of this progress. Thirty-one pools were counted along this study reach. A total of 149 large woody debris pieces were found. Of that, 86 were aggregate pieces and 63 were single pieces. Pieces of wood in aggregates decreased slightly from 2005-2020. Smaller length classes of LWD weren’t observed until 2016 and longer length classes were no longer observed after 2013. Sediment size analysis showed that 98% of particles counted in this reach were considered gravels ranging from 2-90mm. The sediment size analysis also showed that there was no significant difference in the sediment size distribution from 2005-2020, indicating that the stream should be a suitable habitat for salmonid spawning. With the exception of a few outlier years, the dimension of streambed pools has been relatively consistent over the study period.
Date
Fall 2020
Department
Environmental Science and Management
Concentration/Emphasis
Ecological Restoration
Citation Style
APA