HR: 1340h
AN: H13E-1366 [Abstracts]
TI: Validation Efforts of the Pacific Northwest River Restoration Database
AU: * McFall, J M
EM: mcfall@uidaho.edu
AF: Center for Ecohydraulics Research, University of Idaho, Idaho Water Center, 322 E. Front St., Suite 340,
Boise, ID 83702
United States
AU: Katz, S L
EM: Steve.Katz@noaa.gov
AF: Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA-Fisheries Service, Conservation Biology Division, Seattle, WA
98112
United States
AU: Morehead, M D
EM: morehead@uidaho.edu
AF: Center for Ecohydraulics Research, University of Idaho, Idaho Water Center, 322 E. Front St., Suite 340,
Boise, ID 83702
United States
AB:
The improvement of science in river restoration relies heavily on the evaluation of previously established projects in order
to assess the ecosystem response and project outcome (Bernhard et al, 2005). To facilitate this, there needs to be competent
project tracking and documentation of outcomes. In the Pacific Northwest, the National Marine Fisheries Service's Northwest
Fisheries Science Center has compiled a database containing over 26,000 restoration actions at 36,000 locations in Oregon,
Washington, Idaho, and Montana (Katz, et al. in review). Recent efforts have been undertaken to validate this database
through selection of random samples for telephone interviews and field site visits. 47 project managers were interviewed via
telephone regarding their restoration activities within four project category intents. In addition, six Columbia River
sub-basins were selected for site validation sampling of 170 projects. The basins included for site validations are the Lemhi
and Pahsimeroi Rivers in Idaho, the Methow and Entiat Rivers in Washington, and the Upper and Lower John Day Rivers in
Oregon. Survey results are presented with statistical estimators to validate the database. Regional trends in river
restoration were found to exist and differences were found between reporting agencies and on the smaller, local scale. The
implementation of restoration activities is examined to see if projects are being instigated as intended and case studies are
examined to reveal lessons learned from practitioners. In general, the effectiveness of various river restoration activities
in the Pacific Northwest would be better charted through standardization in project tracking and documentation. References
Bernhardt, E. S., Palmer, M. A., Allan, J. D., Alexander, G., Barnas, K., Brooks, S., Carr, J., Clayton, S., Dahm, C.,
Follstad-Shah, J., Galat, D., Gloss, S., Goodwin, P., Hart, D., Hassett, B., Jenkinson, J., Katz, S., Kondolf, G. M., Lake,
P. S., Lave, R., Meyer, J. L., O'Donnell, T. K., Pagano, L., Powell, B. & E. Sudduth (2005). Synthesizing U.S. River
Restoration Efforts. Science 308:636-637. Katz, S.L., Barnas, K., Hicks, V.R., Cowen, J., Jenkinson, R. Freshwater habitat
restoration actions in the Pacific Northwest: a 10 year census. In Review.
DE: 1834 Human impacts
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005