Coeur D'Alene Tribe Fisheries Program Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan ; Implementation of Fisheries Enhancement Opportunities on the Coeur D'Alene Reservation, 1997-2002 Technical Report

Download or read book Coeur D'Alene Tribe Fisheries Program Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan ; Implementation of Fisheries Enhancement Opportunities on the Coeur D'Alene Reservation, 1997-2002 Technical Report written by and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) are currently of special concern regionally and are important to the culture and subsistence needs of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe. The mission of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe Fisheries Program is to restore and maintain these native trout and the habitats that sustain them in order to provide subsistence harvest and recreational fishing opportunities for the Reservation community. The adfluvial life history strategy exhibited by westslope cutthroat and bull trout in the Lake Coeur d'Alene subbasin makes these fish susceptible to habitat degradation and competition in both lake and stream environments. Degraded habitat in Lake Coeur d'Alene and its associated streams and the introduction of exotic species has lead to the decline of westslope cutthroat and listing of bull trout under the endangered species act (Peters et al. 1998). Despite the effects of habitat degradation, several streams on the Reservation still maintain populations of westslope cutthroat trout, albeit in a suppressed condition (Table 1). The results of several early studies looking at fish population status and habitat condition on the Reservation (Graves et al. 1990; Lillengreen et al. 1993, 1996) lead the Tribe to aggressively pursue funding for habitat restoration under the Northwest Power Planning Council's (NWPPC) resident fish substitution program. Through these efforts, habitat restoration needs were identified and projects were initiated. The Coeur d'Alene Tribe Fisheries Program is currently involved in implementing stream habitat restoration projects, reducing the transport of sediment from upland sources, and monitoring fish populations in four watersheds on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation (Figure 1). Restoration projects have included riparian plantings, addition of large woody debris to streams, and complete channel reconstruction to restore historical natural channel forms. In addition, ponds have been constructed to trap sediment from rill and gully erosion associated with agricultural practices, and to provide flow enhancement and ameliorate elevated stream temperatures during the summer base flow period. The implementation of restoration efforts that target the key habitats and lifestages for resident westslope cutthroat trout on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation is one means the Tribe is using to partially mitigate for lost anadromous fisheries. In this context, restoration is consistent with the definition provided by Ebersole et al. (1997), who described stream restoration as the reexpression of habitat capacity in a stream system. At the reach scale, habitat capacity is affected by biotic (e.g., riparian vegetation) and physical (e.g., flooding) processes. Superimposed on the natural biotic and physical processes are anthropogenic stressors (e.g., logging, roads and grazing) that suppress habitat capacity and can result in simplified, degraded stream reaches. The effectiveness of habitat restoration, measured as an increase in native trout abundance, is dependent on reducing limiting factors (e.g., passage barriers, high water temperatures, sediment transport from source areas) in areas that are critical for spawning and rearing lifestages. This plan outlines a monitoring strategy to help determine the effectiveness of specific restoration/enhancement treatments and to track the status of trout populations in four target watersheds.