Science on the Sandy River - Johns Hopkins...

Science on the Sandy River: Where is all the (Marmot) Dam sediment?

Part IIJohns Hopkins University

National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics (NCED)

Graham Matthews & Associates (GMA)

Introduction• Russ Plaeger – Sandy River Basin Watershed Council

• Dr. Peter Wilcock – Johns Hopkins University

Overview• Introduction

– Russ Plaeger – Sandy River Basin Watershed Council– Dr. Peter Wilcock – Johns Hopkins University– Chuck Podolak – Johns Hopkins University– Smokey Pittman – Graham Matthews and Associates

• Why we are measuring • What “ “ “• Where “ “ “• Water year 2008 - summary• Water year 2009

– Above the gorge– Below the gorge

• What’s next

Bottom Line –

big flow year, much data still to be collected, minimum major changes below the gorge

Who are we?– Johns Hopkins / NCED / GMA / SRBWC– USGS– USFS– OSU– PSU– Bureau of Reclamation– Others:

• multiple undergraduate research projects• and more…

– Assisted by:• PGE• Landowners

Why we are measuring

• Goal: Where does the Marmot Dam sediment go, and how does it affect the bed of the Sandy?– Why?

• Pools / Riffles / Eddies = fish habitat & migration paths• Pools / Eddies / Bars = recreation spots & boating routes• River bed changes can influence flooding patterns

What we are measuring• Bed at rest (summer)

What we are measuring• Bed in motion (winter)

Where we are measuringStudies concentrate on intensely measuring several sites, not entire river

Big Picture – Water Year 2008

Preliminary WY 2009• Bed in motion (winter)

– Bedload at Brightwood for WY2008 appears to have been about 22% of the load measured below the gorge

– 36,000 tons vs 160,000 tons– Samples collected above the dam (in WY2009) are

composed of 60-70% sand, while samples below the former damsite (collected in WY2008) were composed of 85-90% sand

WY 2008 - 2009

Several very large flows this winter

Preliminary WY 2009• Bed at rest (summer) Downstream of dam

675

680

685

690

695

700

705

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

2005200620072008

675

680

685

690

695

0 50 100 150 200 250

2005200620072008

Preliminary WY 2009• Bed at rest (summer) Upstream of gorge

Still very active during large storms

July 9, 2008

Preliminary WY 2009• Bed at rest (summer) Upstream of gorge

Still very active during large storms

Nov 17, 2008

Preliminary WY 2009• Bed at rest (summer) Upstream of gorge

Still very active during large storms

Jan 10, 2009

Preliminary WY 2009• Bed at rest (summer) Upstream of gorge

Still very active during large storms

July 8, 2009

Preliminary WY 2009• Bed at rest (summer) Upstream of gorge

Still very active during large storms

July 9, 2008

Preliminary WY 2009• Bed at rest (summer) Upstream of gorge

July 2009

July 2007

450

455

460

465

470

475

2005200620072008

Preliminary WY 2009• Bed at rest (summer) Downstream of gorge

fs (2ft)

0

10

20

30

40

BI MI UI Tot al

2007

2008

2009

D50 gravel (2ft)

10

100

1000

BI MI UI Tot al

2007

2008

2009

Preliminary WY 2009

• Bed at rest (summer) Downstream of gorgeJuly 2007July 2007

July 2008July 2008

July 2009July 2009

Preliminary WY 2009

Photo: fall 20062007 banks2008 banks2009 banks

Oxbow Park near Gordon Creek

Preliminary WY 2009

Photo: fall 20082009 banks

Oxbow Park near Gordon Creek

So what?• Near the dam

– large amount of deposition– still shifting– seems ‘normal’ for the Sandy

• Revenue area– some small changes in bars and texture– no ‘massive’ changes– hard to distinguish between effects of dam removal

versus large storms• Downstream (Dodge, Oxbow, Dabney, etc…)

– sand moving through – but what’s different– dynamic – but is it Marmot related?

What’s Next

• GMA survey – July 2009• DEA / PGE survey• Sediment sampling – winter 2009-2010• JHU/NCED/GMA – July 2010• Ongoing USGS / PSU work upstream

Acknowledgements• Field Assistants: Daniela Martinez, Viviano Berrios, Ramsey Coronado, Carl

Ekstrand, Michaela Long, Dajana Jurk, Cecilia Palomo, Katie Trifone, Kim Devillier, Tim Shin, Kimber Cooks, Diana Di Leonardo, Kiernan Folz Donahue, Gabriel Richarde, Jessica Roark, Kristen Sweeney

• Rose Wallick, Jon Major, Mackenzie Keith, Charlie Cannon, Rachael Peavler, Rebecca Collins – USGS

• Gordon Grant – OSU/USFS• Connie Athman - USFS• Dave Heintzman, John Esler, Tony Dentel, Tim Keller - PGE• Bill Doran – Metro Parks• Greg Stewart, Barbara Burkholder

• Funding– National Center for Earth Surface Dynamics– US Forest Service– Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board

For More• https://jshare.johnshopkins.edu/cpodola1/public_html/Website/Marmot/JHU_Marmot_

files/Podolak_Marmot_Dam_Project.html

• Chuck Podolak, Johns Hopkins– Charles.podolak@jhu.edu– (208) 590-1336

• Russ Plaeger, Sandy River Basin Watershed Council– coordinator@sandyriver.org– (503) 668-1646

• Smokey Pittman, Graham Matthews & Associates– smokey@gmahydrology.com– (530)623-0402