Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes - Yakima Basin Fish ... Riparian... · Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes Hydroregulation, Climate Change and the Future of our Cottonwood Forests

Columbia Basin Riverine LandscapesHydroregulation, Climate Change and the Future of

our Cottonwood Forests

March 8, 2018

Tom Elliott, Yakama NationKevin Fetherston, Natural Systems Design

Eastern WA Riparian Planting Symposium WADOE

Eastern WA Riparian Seminar | Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes

Presentation Outline

I Problem Statement and Vision

II Riverine and Riparian Landscape Pattern and Process

III Dam Impacts on Downstream Floodplain Forests

IV Climate Change-Forecast Effects

V Yakima Basin Example

VI Suggested Draft Strategy


Goals

Yakama Nation has an interest in restoring and managing riparian forest within the Yakama Reservation, Yakama Basin, Ceded Territories, and Usual and Accustomed areas.

Goal is to Manage and Restore for Sustainable Cultural and Natural Resource Values for future generations

Requires defining scope, understanding obstacles (limiting factors?) to sustainable healthy forests, describing strategies for restoration and management


Future of riparian forests in the Columbia river basin (including Yakima River)?

PROBLEM 1: lowland riparian forests in the Interior West are subject to hydroregulation. Without intervention will these forest slowly diminish or even disappear functionally?

PROBLEM 2: lowland riparian forests not subject to hydroregulation are forecast to suffer impacts due to climate change. How to sustain these forests in the future?

Need a framework to strategically guide riparian restoration and sustainable management (stewardship) at watershed and landscape scales

Photo by Michael Merigliano


Landscape wide decline in riparian forests Literature points to broad declines in riparian extent and health,

including forest collapse below dams

Legacy land use: grazing, agricultural development, urbanization, invasive species

Hydroregulation: streams may have lagged effects of altered hydrographs

Future climate change include shifts in peak flows and lower summer flows

1. Bradley, C. E. and D. G. Smith (1986). "Plains cottonwood recruitment and survival on a prairie meandering river floodplain, Milk River, southern Alberta and northern Montana." Canadian Journal of Botany 64(7): 1433–1442.

2. Rood, S. B., J. M. Mahoney, et al. (1995). "Instream flows and the decline of riparian cottonwoods along the St. Mary River, Alberta." Canadian Journal of Botany/Revue Canadienne de Botanique 73(8): 1250-1260.

3. 382-395.4. Johnson, W. C. (2000). "Tree recruitment and survival in rivers: influence of hydrological processes." Hydrological Processes 14:

3051-3074.5. Williams, C. A. and D. J. Cooper (2005). "Mechanisms of Riparian Cottonwood Decline Along Regulated Rivers." Ecosystems 8: 6. Fullerton, A. H., T. J. Beechie, et al. (2006). "Regional patterns of riparian characteristics in the interior Columbia River basin,

Northwestern USA: applications for restoration planning." Landscape Ecology V21(8): 1347-1360.7. Braatne, J. H., R. Jamieson, et al. (2007). "Instream flows and the decline of riparian cottonwoods along the Yakima River,

Washington, USA." River Research and Applications 23(3): 247-267.8. Theobald, D. M., D. M. Merritt, and J. B. Norman. 2010. Assessment of Threats to Riparian Ecosystems in the Western U.S.,

U.S.D.A. Stream Systems Technology Center, Colorado State University, Prineville, OR.9. Macfarlane, W. W., J. T. Gilbert, et al. (2017). "Riparian vegetation as an indicator of riparian condition: Detecting departures from

historic condition across the North American West." Journal of Environmental Management 202: 447-460.10. Dwire, K. A., S. Mellmann-Brown, and J. T. Gurrieri. 2017. Potential effects of climate change on riparian areas, wetlands, and

groundwater-dependent ecosystems in the Blue Mountains, Oregon, USA. Climate Services.


Map by Kmusserwikipedia

Columbia River Basin Hydroregulation


Distributional Range of North American Cottonwood

Family Salicaceae

Genus Populus

• 30 species world wide

• 8 native species in North America

• 2 species of aspen

• Numerous zones of natural hybridization

6

(Braatne 1999)


Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa(Torr. & A. Gray ex Hook.) Brayshaw

Black Cottonwood

7

USGS ( “Atlas of United States Trees” by Elbert L. Little, Jr. )By Beeblebrox - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15815716


Cottonwood Life History

Size

Longevity

Growth rate

Geographic range

Pioneer species

Soils

“Facultative” phreatophyte

Flowering & Fruiting

Sexual reproduction: Seed

Seedling safe sites

Clonal reproduction

Climate

Elevation

8


Populus Spp Sexual Reproduction–Seedling Safe Sites

9

(after Braatne 1994)


Cottonwood recruitment box model (Mahoney & Rood 1998)

10

(Stella 2006)

≤2.5 cm/day


Synchrony of Seed Dispersal, Hydrology and Local Climate – associated and variable

11

(Stella et al. 2006)


Black Cottonwood life history seedlings

Seed viability 1-2 weeks

Seed germination occurs on moist sand, gravel bars or scoured streambanks

Bare, moist mineral soils / substrates required

2-year olds

0+ (2013) seedlings

Germinants


Point Bar & Channel Cutoff Alluvial Safe Sites

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(Stella et al. 2011)


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Populus Spp. Clonal Reproduction

Balsam poplarClonal reprodution(Adonsou et al. 2016)

Black cottonwoodClonal reproduction (T. Elliott)


Riparian Floodplain Cottonwood Forest Ecological Functions


Riparian Cottonwood ForestsEcological Functions

Physical In-channel large wood, aquatic habitat structure River bank root cohesion Stream shade, in stream water temperature amelioration

Biogeochemical Nutrient sequestration Sediment filtration

Habitat Fish

LWD generates anastomosing side channel networks, critical salmonid habitats Stream bank root cohesion

Mammals, amphibians, reptiles Black bears over winter in legacy cottonwood in Alaska! Downed wood nesting cavities

Birds Critical avian migratory corridors in arid Western N. America Rapter roosting and nesting

16


Large woody debris & aquatic habitat forming processes

T. Elliott


Riparian Cottonwood CorridorsCritical Avian Migratory Habitat

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Birds

Beavers

Fish

BugsT. Elliott


Ecosystem servicesEcosystem services–flood attenuation

T. Elliott


Hydroelectric and Water StorageFlaming Gorge Dam − Green River, Utah


Flaming Gorge Dam − Green River, Utah


Physical and Biologic Impacts of Dams–A Cascade of Effects

22

(Modified from Petts 1984; Jorde et al. 2008; Burke et al. 2009)


Flow Regime Alteration & Non-native Invasives: crack willow, reed canary grass, Russian olive & Siberian elm

Rio ChamaRussian olive & Cottonwood

Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)Toppenish CreekCrack willow & reed canary grass


Flood Control Dams Reducing Lateral Extent of Active Floodplain–Rio Chama and Rio Grande

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1936 Pre-Dams4,500 cfs


Rio Chama, New Mexico El Vado, Abiquiu & Heron Flood Control & Storage Dams (Gauge record 1915-2012)

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Rio Chama near Chamita Annual Peak Flow

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

1910

1915

1920

1925

1930

1935

1940

1945

1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

Year

Str

ea

mfl

ow

(c

fs)

Construction of Abiquiu Dam complete

Construction of El Vado Dam

complete

Construction of Heron Dam

complete and beginning of

diversions for the San Juan-

Chama Project


Rio Chama – Rio Grande Cottonwood Stand Structure

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(Fetherston 2012)


Rio Grande Cottonwood Forest Reproductive Failure (Populus deltoides ssp. wislizeni) – Age Structure

(Fetherston 2012)


The Natural Flow Regime & Climate Change Effects


Warmer temperatures, earlier snowmelt, faster runoff, lower summer flows

Varies among basins due to elevation and current temp regime

Big picture is compromised riparian (Salicaceae) regeneration due to factors mentioned by Kevin

IV Climate change forecasts for Columbia basin

* Left axis = upstream runoff in inchesAdapted from Hamlet et al 2013


Warming climate can affect riparian DIRECTLY-through greater ET, resulting in increased seasonal drought stress

IV Climate change forecasts & riparian impacts

Lower seedling growth

air & soil tempCO2

-Reduced recruitment-Increased

stress & mortality

- earlier spring runoff- summer & baseflows

Water stress

Warming climate can affect riparian INDIRECTLY-through altered streamflow regime

-Seed release decoupled-Water stress

Perry et al 2012, Perry et al 2013


The Yakima River Case Study-Regulation

5 storage reservoirs, 8+ major diversion

900 + stream miles < 2000 ft., 511 regulated, 406 unregulated

15,000 to 20,000 acres of lowland riparian forest

Desert river in lowlands, cottonwoods critical to ecosystem

Dunes and cottonwoods, Satus Wildlife Area


Key flow components altered, differs by reach

Snowmelt flood timing and size

Snowmelt recession

Summer flows

Recruitment likely impaired in all regulated reaches

12,600 acres lowland forest regulated, 5,700 unregulated

Hydrologic Effects of Regulation


Observed and documented lack of recruitment

Seedlings establish too low

Long-term decline of forest

Wapato Reach-Regulation Drives Decline

Wapato Reach


The Yakima River Case Study-Climate Change Substantial warming by mid-century

and beyond, maxes and mins

More precipitation as rain, less as snow

Earlier runoff timing, less summer flow

Potential decoupling of seed release and streamflow, increase in summer drought stress

https://cig.uw.edu/resources/analysis-tools/projections/http://warm.atmos.washington.edu/2860/

Cle Elum = Yakima? Sacramento?

https://cig.uw.edu/resources/analysis-tools/projections/

http://warm.atmos.washington.edu/2860/


Shift from snow to rain dominant flow regime

Lower summer flows, which are already marginal

Exacerbated by irrigation withdrawals

Unknown effects on riparian forests

Climate Change in the Teanaway River

Cle Elum River streamflow forecast

20112017


Build public support for sustained efforts over decades

Combine tribal and scientific perspectives to inform goals and methods

Think big and long: build institutional structures to manage watersheds over many decades

Develop framework to assess, monitor and steward riparian health and sustainability

Leave a legacy of healthy riparian landscapes

Principles for Long-term Restoration & Management

•joint assessment•actions on multiple time scales•adaptive cycle

Legacy (inertia of past stressors)

Current stressors

Climate change

Watershed scale, multi-decadal stewardship


Adapt strategies from recent literature based on Salicaceae regeneration models & climate change

Concurrent work on short and long-term solutions

Tailor actions to river reach-geomorphology, stressors, values, and hydro-climate forecasts

Adaptive cycle for efficacy and cost-effectiveness

Strategies for Long-term Restoration & Management

•Flow management (spring pulse flows, recession management, water conservation)

•River engineering (wood replenishment, set back levees, floodplain contouring)

•Herbivory control

•Planting (at elevations informed by future flows)

•Novel strategies (directed evolution, translocation of species …)

• Gonzalez et al 2018, Perry et al 2015, Capon et al 2013


10-20 year plan to restore age structure, maintain or increase extent, and manage weeds along 50 river miles

Developed by Yakama Nation with support from Yakima Integrated Plan (state, county, federal, non-profit)

Funded through 2022 by Integrated Plan and Natural Resource Conservation Service

Technical paper in spring 2018, concise plan in summer 2018, start implementation fall and winter 2018-2019

Strong adaptive component to identify best approaches

Strategy for Wapato Reach Riparian Restoration

Wapato Reach in flood May 2011


Questions?

Documents

Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes - Yakima Basin Fish ... Riparian... · Columbia Basin Riverine Landscapes Hydroregulation, Climate Change and the Future of our Cottonwood Forests