Location

Agriculture Leaders Theater, Oregon State University

Start Date

27-6-2013 1:30 PM

End Date

27-6-2013 1:50 PM

Description

Correction of human-made fish passage barriers, such as impassable culverts, dams, floodgates, fishways, is one of the most cost effective methods of salmonid enhancement and restoration. Large amounts of habitat can be brought into production by correcting these fish passage barriers. To address these problems, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has conducted inventories and has trained others to document fish passage problems. Well-planned inventories are the foundation of systematic fish passage correction and screening programs. Completing a comprehensive fish passage and diversion screening inventory and reporting priorities are crucial steps in developing salmonid recovery projects. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has more than two decades of experience inventorying fish barriers, assessing habitat, and prioritizing barriers for correction. WDFW also works at the project level, to scope, design and implement barrier corrections. The program is based on the best available science, and has evolved as knowledge has developed over time about habitat utilization, fish passage, and stream crossing design effectiveness. WDFW first published the Fish Passage Barrier and Surface Water Diversion Screening Assessment and Prioritization Manual (WDFW 1998; updated in 2000 & 2009), to provide a standardized methodology for evaluating fish passage at road crossings. This manual was updated in 2009 to include evaluation of additional instream features, including road crossings, dams, fishways, natural barriers, and surface water diversions. The manual also includes methods for habitat assessment and prioritization of fish passage and diversion screening features for correction. This manual is intended to provide guidance for conducting fish passage and surface water diversion inventories. Fish passage inventories lead to identification and assessment of instream features and prioritization of fish passage barriers based on amount, quality, and species utilization of habitat upstream of the barrier. Surface water diversion inventories allow for the identification, assessment, and prioritization of unscreened or inadequately screened diversions in need of correction. A habitat assessment is conducted downstream and upstream of identified fish passage barriers, in order to help prioritize barriers for correction. Stand-alone or watershed-wide fish passage barrier projects are prioritized by WDFW to target sequential correction of barriers that have the largest gains in fish habitat and the greatest production benefits for fish. A numeric indicator called the Priority Index (PI) is assigned to each barrier culvert and factors in such things as expected passage improvement, production potential of the blocked stream, fish stock health, fish species present, and project cost.The methods described in WDFW’s manual have been widely used since the late 1990s by WDFW, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), tribes, local governments, the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB), regional fisheries enhancement groups, andothers. WDFW provides training on the protocols contained in this manual to groups conducting fish passage and surface water diversion inventories. WDFW also maintains a database for storing data collected using the protocols described in this manual. The WDFW Fish Passage and Diversion Screening Inventory (FPDSI) database functions as a central repository for information resulting from inventories conducted throughout the state. This information can be used to select and implement fish passage and screening projects vital to the recovery of Washington’s salmonids.

Comments

Susan Cierebiej is a biologist with 20 years’ experience working for the state of Washington. Since 1996, Susan has worked in the field of fish passage and habitat restoration for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Susan holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington.

Share

COinS
 
Jun 27th, 1:30 PM Jun 27th, 1:50 PM

Concurrent Sessions C: A Comprehensive Approach to Fish Passage: What's Happening in Washington State - WDFW’s Fish Passage Barrier and Surface Water Diversion Screening Assessment and Prioritization Protocols

Agriculture Leaders Theater, Oregon State University

Correction of human-made fish passage barriers, such as impassable culverts, dams, floodgates, fishways, is one of the most cost effective methods of salmonid enhancement and restoration. Large amounts of habitat can be brought into production by correcting these fish passage barriers. To address these problems, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has conducted inventories and has trained others to document fish passage problems. Well-planned inventories are the foundation of systematic fish passage correction and screening programs. Completing a comprehensive fish passage and diversion screening inventory and reporting priorities are crucial steps in developing salmonid recovery projects. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has more than two decades of experience inventorying fish barriers, assessing habitat, and prioritizing barriers for correction. WDFW also works at the project level, to scope, design and implement barrier corrections. The program is based on the best available science, and has evolved as knowledge has developed over time about habitat utilization, fish passage, and stream crossing design effectiveness. WDFW first published the Fish Passage Barrier and Surface Water Diversion Screening Assessment and Prioritization Manual (WDFW 1998; updated in 2000 & 2009), to provide a standardized methodology for evaluating fish passage at road crossings. This manual was updated in 2009 to include evaluation of additional instream features, including road crossings, dams, fishways, natural barriers, and surface water diversions. The manual also includes methods for habitat assessment and prioritization of fish passage and diversion screening features for correction. This manual is intended to provide guidance for conducting fish passage and surface water diversion inventories. Fish passage inventories lead to identification and assessment of instream features and prioritization of fish passage barriers based on amount, quality, and species utilization of habitat upstream of the barrier. Surface water diversion inventories allow for the identification, assessment, and prioritization of unscreened or inadequately screened diversions in need of correction. A habitat assessment is conducted downstream and upstream of identified fish passage barriers, in order to help prioritize barriers for correction. Stand-alone or watershed-wide fish passage barrier projects are prioritized by WDFW to target sequential correction of barriers that have the largest gains in fish habitat and the greatest production benefits for fish. A numeric indicator called the Priority Index (PI) is assigned to each barrier culvert and factors in such things as expected passage improvement, production potential of the blocked stream, fish stock health, fish species present, and project cost.The methods described in WDFW’s manual have been widely used since the late 1990s by WDFW, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), tribes, local governments, the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB), regional fisheries enhancement groups, andothers. WDFW provides training on the protocols contained in this manual to groups conducting fish passage and surface water diversion inventories. WDFW also maintains a database for storing data collected using the protocols described in this manual. The WDFW Fish Passage and Diversion Screening Inventory (FPDSI) database functions as a central repository for information resulting from inventories conducted throughout the state. This information can be used to select and implement fish passage and screening projects vital to the recovery of Washington’s salmonids.