An assessment of habitat restoration An assessment of habitat restoration practices in Juneaupractices in Juneau

John HudsonJohn HudsonJuneau Fish and Wildlife Juneau Fish and Wildlife Field OfficeField Office

Shannon SeifertShannon SeifertJuneau Watershed Juneau Watershed PartnershipPartnership

20012001

20092009

Duck Creek Created Wetland

OutlineOutline

• Project GoalsProject Goals

• MethodsMethods

• Summary statisticsSummary statistics

• FindingsFindings

• Case studiesCase studies

• RecommendationsRecommendations

Project GoalsProject Goals• Inventory habitat improvement projects Inventory habitat improvement projects

• Evaluate projects to inform future restoration practicesEvaluate projects to inform future restoration practices

• Identify projects that require additional habitat improvementIdentify projects that require additional habitat improvement

MethodsMethods1.1. Research Research

2.2. Determine project goals and objectivesDetermine project goals and objectives

3.3. Categorize projectsCategorize projects

4.4. Conduct field assessments/evaluationsConduct field assessments/evaluations

5.5. Report findingsReport findings

Total projects identified Total projects identified 8181Years Years 1983 to 20101983 to 2010Number of water bodies Number of water bodies 2020Goals and objectives Goals and objectives 7373Projects on impaired water bodies Projects on impaired water bodies 49 (60%)49 (60%)Projects assessedProjects assessed 2727

Inventory StatisticsInventory Statistics

FindingFindingss

Mixed SuccessMixed Success•Created wetlands (uplands)Created wetlands (uplands)•Channel rehabilitation/relocationChannel rehabilitation/relocation

SuccessfulSuccessful•Fish passage improvementFish passage improvement•Streambank stabilization Streambank stabilization •Created wetlands (borrow Created wetlands (borrow pits)pits)•Stormwater management Stormwater management

Fish Passage ImprovementFish Passage ImprovementGoals:Goals:

• Remove barriers to fish Remove barriers to fish movementmovement

• Improve flow, debris, and Improve flow, debris, and sediment conveyancesediment conveyance

Streambank stabilizationStreambank stabilization

Goals:Goals:• Protect land, buildings, & Protect land, buildings, &

bridgesbridges

• Enhance riparian functions Enhance riparian functions

General outcome: General outcome: Successful*Successful*

Mendenhall RiverMendenhall River

19961996

20102010

Mendenhall RiverMendenhall River

Mendenhall River Mendenhall River revetmentsrevetments

Riverbend Riverbend RevetmentRevetment(1996)(1996)

Vintage Park Vintage Park RevetmentRevetment(1997)(1997)

2011

Mendenhall River Mendenhall River revetmentsrevetments

Channel Channel Rehab/RelocationRehab/Relocation

Goals:Goals:• Improve riparian & spawning Improve riparian & spawning

habitathabitat

• Increase water quantityIncrease water quantity

• Reduce flood riskReduce flood risk

Outcome: Outcome: mixed successmixed success

1997 (Pre-construction)

Duck Cr. Channel Rehabilitation (1997-Duck Cr. Channel Rehabilitation (1997-98)98)Goal: Goal: Improve spawning Improve spawning habitathabitat

1998 (Construction)1998 (Construction)

201020101998 (Construction)1998 (Construction)

Duck Cr. Channel Rehabilitation (1997-Duck Cr. Channel Rehabilitation (1997-98)98)

Outcome: Outcome: mixed successmixed success

Created WetlandsCreated Wetlands

Goals:Goals:

• Improve water qualityImprove water quality

• Improve or create fish and Improve or create fish and wildlife habitatwildlife habitat

• Mitigate wetland lossMitigate wetland loss

20102010

Goal: Goal: enhance fish and wildlife habitat, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, improve water qualityimprove water quality

Pre-construction Pre-construction

Duck Creek borrow pit at Nancy St.Duck Creek borrow pit at Nancy St.

Nancy Street Wetland, Duck CreekNancy Street Wetland, Duck Creek

Post construction (2005)Post construction (2005)

20102010

2006

Nancy Street Wetland, Duck CreekNancy Street Wetland, Duck Creek

Pederson Hill Cr. - upland to wetland conversion (2006)Pederson Hill Cr. - upland to wetland conversion (2006)

20102010

Auke Rec Bypass Auke Rec Bypass Wetland Mitigation Wetland Mitigation (1999)(1999)

20002000 20062006

Goal: Goal: create 1 acre of create 1 acre of emergent wetlandsemergent wetlands

20042004 20112011

Auke Rec Bypass Wetland Mitigation (1999)Auke Rec Bypass Wetland Mitigation (1999)

RecommendationsRecommendations

Future and existing projects will benefit from:Future and existing projects will benefit from:

•Site specific project designsSite specific project designs

•Performance-based permit conditions and criteriaPerformance-based permit conditions and criteria

•Technical oversight from concept development Technical oversight from concept development

through construction through construction

•Post-implementation maintenance Post-implementation maintenance

•Compliance monitoringCompliance monitoring

QQUESTIONSUESTIONS

Michele Elfers

Goal: Goal: Improve quality of urban runoff Improve quality of urban runoff flowing into streamsflowing into streams

Duck Creek stormwater swale (2001)Duck Creek stormwater swale (2001) Jordan Creek basin (2007)Jordan Creek basin (2007)

Stormwater Stormwater ManagementManagement

20102010

20120100

channel

20102010

Duck Creek Channel Relocate Duck Creek Channel Relocate (1998)(1998)

20102010

20102010

RevegetationRevegetation

Factors influencing Factors influencing revegetation revegetation success:success:

• Soil qualitySoil quality

• Species suitability for the siteSpecies suitability for the site

• Invasive plantsInvasive plants

• Lack of maintenance and Lack of maintenance and follow-upfollow-up

• Revegetation goals (short-term Revegetation goals (short-term erosion control or long-term erosion control or long-term riparian health)riparian health)

• Coir products – prevent erosion Coir products – prevent erosion AND revegetationAND revegetation