October 16-18, 2019
The UCSRB and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest convened a three-day workshop in October 2019 to learn about and discuss techniques for restoring annual floodplain connectivity. The workshop was taught by the US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region Restoration Assistance Team (RAT), Dr. Colin Thorne of Nottingham University, and by local experts and attended by Forest Service staff, permitting agencies, partners, funders, and sponsors to allow for a good discussion. The first day of the workshop provided an overview of the Stream Evolution Model (Cluer and Thorne, 2013) and the impact on floodplain connectivity; shared examples of restoration work; discussed permitting; and introduced the Geomorphic Grade Line modeling approach to restoration using LiDAR (Powers et. al., 2018). The second day was field-based, with site visits in the Wenatchee watershed and an overview of how to use the Relative Elevation Model (REM) results in the field. The third day covered other restoration techniques including wood loading, beaver dam analogs (BDAs) and beavers. See below for all associated workshop materials including recorded WebEx, meeting summary, participant list, presentations, and resources.
Links:
DAY 1: STAGE-0 BACKGROUND |
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8:00 – 8:15 | Welcome and Introductions | Greer Maier/UCSRB and Emily Johnson/USFS |
8:15 – 8:30 | Aim of Short-course & schedule for the day | Johan Hogervorst/USFS |
8:30 – 9:00 | Stage 0: genesis and theory, anabranching channels in nature (past and present), bankfull discharge in depositional reaches, constrained vs unconstrained reaches, stable channel design vs stable channel evolution & adaptation | Colin Thorne/Univ. of Nottingham |
9:00 – 9:30 | Stage 0: history and practice in Oregon, including review of disturbance history, early attempts at restoration in incised channels and transition to Stage 0 restoration | Hogervorst/USFS |
9:30 – 10:00 | Class exercise 1 – screening potential sites, identifying whether sites are suitable for restoration to Stage 0 | Paul Powers/USFS |
10:00-10:15 | Morning Break | |
10:15 – 11:00 | Geomorphic analysis and design I: Stage 0 valley restoration based on Geomorphic Grade Line (GGL), Relative Elevation Models (REM), cut/fill balance, d/s grade control, & preserving relict features | Powers/USFS |
11:00 – 12:00 | Class exercise 2: Designing restoration to Stage 0 using the GGL and REM – Applying the GGLREM Toolbox | Powers/USFS |
12:00 – 13:00 | LUNCH BREAK | |
13:00 – 13:40 | Continue Class exercise 2: | Powers/USFS |
13:40 – 14:10 | Consultation and Permitting for Stage 0 in Oregon | Bill Brignon/USFWS |
14:10 – 14:40 | South Fork McKenzie River Stage 0 – an example of a large scale, multi-phased Stage 0 project on the Willamette National Forest | Kate Meyer/USFS |
14:40 – 15:30 | Stage 0 Outcomes – monitoring results to date; abiotic (geomorph., hydrology, habitat) & biotic (fish, vegetation, wildlife, foodweb) & stakeholder views | Thorne and Meyer |
15:30 – 15:45 | Afternoon Break | |
15:30 – 16:30 | Discussion and Q&A – Stage 0 Challenges, opportunities, physical, biological, social, and regulatory. | All |
16:30 – 16:45 | Wrap up and Follow-up Steps |
DAY 2: FIELD REVIEW OF MODELED RESULTS IN CLASS |
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8:00 | Meet at USFS Supervisor’s Office, 215 Melody Lane |
8:30 | Stop 1: Big Meadow Creek |
11:00 | Stop 2: White River and Little Wenatchee |
12:30 | LUNCH BREAK (Lake Wenatchee State Park): bring your own lunch |
14:00 | Stop 3: Peshastin Creek |
17:00 | Return to USFS Supervisor’s Office |
DAY 3: STAGE-0 TOOLS – WOOD, BDA, and BEAVERS |
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8:00 – 8:15 | Welcome and Introductions. Aim of Day 3 | Greer Maier |
8:15- 9:15 | Wood Loading– Use, site selection, design, funding, installation; Round table discussion of challenges, approaches, and examples from partners | Susan Dickerson Lange/NSD (lead) |
9:15-10:15 | Beaver Dam Analogs– Use, site selection, design, funding, installation; Round table discussion of challenges, approaches, and examples from partners | Julie Vanderwal/Okanogan Highlands Alliance (lead) |
10:15- 10:30 | Morning Break | |
10:30-11:30 | Beavers– Use, site selection, design, funding, installation; Round table discussion of challenges, approaches, and examples from partners | Alexa Whipple/Methow Beaver Project (lead) |
11:30-12:00 | Discussion Wrap Up and Q&A – Application of different Stage-0 tools and techniques, challenges and opportunities, next steps | |
12:00- 13:00 | Lunch- on your own | |
13:00- 15:30 | Field Visit Opportunity– Mission Creek – Established wood site, techniques used, successes and challenges |
RESOURCES
Castro & Thorne. 2019. The Stream Evolution Triangle. SEDHYD.
Walter and Merritts. 2018. Natural Streams and the Legacy of Water-Powered Mills. Science (319).
Roca et al. 2017. Green Approaches in River Engineering. Guidance Document (NERC).
Thorne. 1992. River meanders: Nature’s answer to the straight line. Inaugural Lecture.
Thorne. 1998. Stream Reconnaissance Handbook.