Watershed Watershed restoration restoration as a as a mitigation mitigation outcome outcome

Neil StichertNeil StichertJuneau Fish and Wildlife Field Juneau Fish and Wildlife Field OfficeOffice

Perspectives from a Perspectives from a practitionerpractitioner

Presentation Goal and Presentation Goal and ObjectivesObjectivesGoalGoal

– Offer perspectives on applications and Offer perspectives on applications and challenges of habitat creation, restoration, challenges of habitat creation, restoration, and/or enhancement for mitigation. and/or enhancement for mitigation.

ObjectivesObjectives– Offer some principles and common pitfalls Offer some principles and common pitfalls

of restoration planning.of restoration planning.

– Suggest pathways for moving forward.Suggest pathways for moving forward.

Principle:Principle: Definitions are Definitions are importantimportant• RehabilitationRehabilitation: Replacing or restructuring a : Replacing or restructuring a

degraded ecosystem or habitat type with another degraded ecosystem or habitat type with another productive typeproductive type

• Partial Restoration (Enhancement):Partial Restoration (Enhancement): Restoring some Restoring some ecosystem function and some of the original, ecosystem function and some of the original, dominant species.dominant species.

• Complete RestorationComplete Restoration: Restoring full ecological and : Restoring full ecological and physical function as well as the original species physical function as well as the original species abundance and community composition.abundance and community composition.

• Habitat Protection:Habitat Protection: The practice of acquiring real The practice of acquiring real property or protecting habitat through legal property or protecting habitat through legal instruments for the purpose of maintaining instruments for the purpose of maintaining biodiversity.biodiversity.

Principle:Principle: Definitions are important Definitions are important

• InventoryInventory (where are the problems?) (where are the problems?)

• AssessmentAssessment (what is the condition?) (what is the condition?)

• PrioritizationPrioritization (which should we remedy first?) (which should we remedy first?)

• PlanningPlanning (all successful projects have a plan) (all successful projects have a plan)

• Survey and Design Survey and Design (sites are specific, and design requires input)(sites are specific, and design requires input)

• PermittingPermitting (structured exchange of information) (structured exchange of information)

• ImplementationImplementation (construction skill and detail are important) (construction skill and detail are important)

• Inspection Inspection (is it being built per the plan?)(is it being built per the plan?)

• Project evaluation Project evaluation (did we achieve the desired outcome?)(did we achieve the desired outcome?)

• Maintenance / Adaptive ManagementMaintenance / Adaptive Management (it’s hard to get it right (it’s hard to get it right

or conditions change)or conditions change)

Principle:Principle: Successful Development, Successful Development, Restoration, and Mitigation work follows the Restoration, and Mitigation work follows the same trajectorysame trajectory

::

Principle:Principle: Successful Development, Successful Development, Restoration, and Mitigation work follows the Restoration, and Mitigation work follows the same trajectorysame trajectory

Therefore…there are relatively few ‘shovel Therefore…there are relatively few ‘shovel ready’ projects ready to be implementedready’ projects ready to be implemented

Principle:Principle: Successful Development, Successful Development, Restoration, and Mitigation work follows the Restoration, and Mitigation work follows the same trajectorysame trajectory

Principle:Principle: Successful Development, Successful Development, Restoration, and Mitigation work follows the Restoration, and Mitigation work follows the same trajectorysame trajectory

Sample elements of a parking lot plan and design:

•Need•User type•Capacity•Slope•Conveyance of surface water•Land and construction cost•Surface material•Planting plan

Principle:Principle: Successful Development, Successful Development, Restoration, and Mitigation work follows the Restoration, and Mitigation work follows the same trajectorysame trajectory

Sample elements of a stream relocation plan and design:

•Need•‘User’ type•Capacity•Slope•Conveyance of surface water•Land and construction cost•Surface material•Planting plan

Principle:Principle: Successful Development, Successful Development, Restoration, and Mitigation work follows the Restoration, and Mitigation work follows the same trajectorysame trajectory

When basic elements of a stream relocation plan and design are omitted, it often results in:

•Simplification of habitat complexity

•Reduced/different species occupancy

•Reduced species density

•Non-attainment of mitigation objective

WetlandsWetlands

Fish HabitatFish Habitat

Land ownershipLand ownership

Culvert locations and barriersCulvert locations and barriers

Principle: Principle: Assessment information Assessment information is lacking in Southeast Alaskais lacking in Southeast Alaska (especially on (especially on non-federal lands)non-federal lands)

Principle: Principle: Assessment information Assessment information is lacking in Southeast Alaskais lacking in Southeast Alaska (but it’s getting (but it’s getting better)better)

•Anadromous Waters Cataloging- recent updates in JNU, Haines, Sitka, Yakutat

•Fish Passage Assessments•Existing- TNF, DNR, Corporation lands•Ongoing- ADOT road system

•TNF Watershed Restoration Plans

•CBJ Wetland Mgmt Plan Revision

•Watershed Council products

•SE GIS Library - data•Statewide Digital Mapping Initiative (SDMI) -imagery

Principle:Principle: Compliance versus Compliance versus Opportunity is a case-by-case determinationOpportunity is a case-by-case determination

Principle applies to:

•Past mitigation sites•Culvert barriers•Unpermitted fills •Solid/Toxic waste sites•Other

BEFOREBEFORE

AFTERAFTER

Principle:Principle: Restoration projects generallyRestoration projects generally take more time the regulatory take more time the regulatory climateclimate allowsallows

2000

2009

Principle:Principle: Restoration projects cost a lot Restoration projects cost a lot moremore than you think than you think (not including project management (not including project management costs)costs)

Stream simulation culvert replacement= $60,000-$100,000(no utility conflicts or pavement)

Wetland enhancement= $20,000-$60,000 acre (+ land and/or easement cost)

Removal of infrastructure from acquired lands= $20,000-$30,000 (+ appraisal and contaminants abatement cost)

Invasive Plant Control= Annual $ Cost x Years Viability of Seed Bank

• The pattern in which each permit authority requires their The pattern in which each permit authority requires their jurisdictional and/or interest area to be represented in the jurisdictional and/or interest area to be represented in the design. design.

• Solution is to define the habitat objectives in writing and Solution is to define the habitat objectives in writing and work through an interdisciplinary design process to achieve work through an interdisciplinary design process to achieve those objectives. Establishment of a reference reach is key.those objectives. Establishment of a reference reach is key.

Pitfall: Pitfall: Avoid the pattern of mitigationAvoid the pattern of mitigation ‘ ‘design by committee’design by committee’

Tidally influenced stream application

Perennial stream habitat enhancement techniques

• The pattern by which a permit authority drives the design The pattern by which a permit authority drives the design through specification of through specification of generic criteria which may or may generic criteria which may or may not apply to the sitenot apply to the site. Common in fish passage permit . Common in fish passage permit discussions. discussions.

• Solution is to define a Solution is to define a Fish Passage Design GuidelineFish Passage Design Guideline and and use it. USFS, ADOT, and NOAA all have published design use it. USFS, ADOT, and NOAA all have published design guidelines.guidelines.

• Don’t improvise. Departure from Guidelines should be Don’t improvise. Departure from Guidelines should be documented when conditions preclude use of the Guideline.documented when conditions preclude use of the Guideline.

Pitfall: Pitfall: Avoid the pattern of mitigationAvoid the pattern of mitigation ‘ ‘design by criteria’design by criteria’

• Development and regulatory community need to build in Development and regulatory community need to build in inherent inherent lead timelead time for the identification, planning, design, for the identification, planning, design, and implementation of habitat restoration projects, if they and implementation of habitat restoration projects, if they are to be a viable mitigation outcome.are to be a viable mitigation outcome.

• Regulatory community needs to inventory and assess Regulatory community needs to inventory and assess restoration opportunities across Southeast in order to restoration opportunities across Southeast in order to provide practicable avenues for compliance with the Final provide practicable avenues for compliance with the Final Rule.Rule.

Take Home: Take Home:

• Development community will have to invest in more Development community will have to invest in more expertise to ensure that specific designs accomplish the expertise to ensure that specific designs accomplish the habitat restoration objectives of their mitigation.habitat restoration objectives of their mitigation.

• All entities will benefit from moving away from a All entities will benefit from moving away from a negotiation of acres/ratios/economic costs, and try to negotiation of acres/ratios/economic costs, and try to achieve functional restoration through a achieve functional restoration through a credible and credible and replicable functional analysis of the habitats impacts and replicable functional analysis of the habitats impacts and the habitats restored. the habitats restored.

Take Home: Take Home:

• Restoration as a mitigation outcome might be most Restoration as a mitigation outcome might be most successful on properties already or concurrently protected.successful on properties already or concurrently protected.

Take Home: Take Home:

Channelized stream reach, Switzer Creek, Juneau

Relic road fill