Forest investment Account Watershed Restoration Program. Aquatic Habitat Rehabilitation Prescription. for.

Transcription

1 Forest investment Account Watershed Restoration Program Aquatic Habitat Rehabilitation Prescription for MacIntyre Creek Queen Charlotte Islands Prepared for: Teal Cedar Products Ltd. Sandspit, BC Prepared by: Ian Dodd, R.P.Bio. TecFor Resources Ltd. July 2003

2 MacIntyre Creek Instream Prescription Background TecFor Resources Ltd. was retained by Teal Cedar Ltd. to provide a prescription for adding large woody debris (LWD) to Reaches M2 and M3 of MacIntyre Creek (see 1:5000 map in Appendix 1). The watershed is located in TFL 47 on the Queen Charlotte Islands. The Resource Management Plan developed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ministry of Environment, and Ministry of Forests designated the Copper Watershed (which includes MacIntyre Creek) as a Priority Key and Target Watershed. The Restoration Plan for the Copper River Watershed, by Golder Associates Ltd., December 2001, indicated that instream and riparian assessments were necessary to determine restoration needs. Based on findings determined during a hydrologic assessment, it was determined that Reaches M2 and M3 lacked LWD and existing instream LWD was old and decaying. The MacIntyre Creek Hydrologic Assessment, March 2003, by M.J. Milne & Associates Ltd. recommended the following: A stream and floodplain restoration prescription for the addition of large woody debris to reaches M2 and M3, and their respective floodplain areas. Opportunities to utilize spruce regeneration within the riparian reserve and management zones along these reaches should be considered in this prescription. While it is recognized that debris deterioration is a relatively slow process, debris displacement can occur rapidly during high flow periods. With this in mind, viable restoration opportunities that arise from the prescription should be implemented as soon as possible. The following sections provides the rationale, prescription details, and scheduling for the addition of LWD to the stream. Rationale The target fish species for habitat rehabilitation is coho. Coho habitat has been impaired due to past logging practices. A 600-meter section of the mainstem and floodplain lacks LWD and instream LWD is old and decaying. The riparian area along this section of stream was logged in the 1940 s. The riparian area has regenerated with a high density of alder and spruce. Alder dominates the low benches within the floodplain, alder and spruce dominate the high benches within the floodplain, and conifer dominates the terrace on either side of the floodplain. Alder had been felled on the terrace during a brushing program in the 1980 s. The stream was assessed on June 13 and 14, 2003 and it was determined that there was a need and an opportunity to add LWD to the stream and floodplain area. As an example one section along Reach M3 was devoid of instream LWD for approximately 60m. On June 17 Rob Yerbury (a silviculture technician) surveyed a number of plots in the riparian area to determine tree densities. The results of these surveys can be found in Appendix 2. It was determined that there was a very high density of second growth spruce on the terrace. Additionally, alder on the floodplain suppressed conifer. There is the opportunity to improve coho fish habitat by falling some of the spruce into the stream and floodplain area. Furthermore, there is the opportunity to accelerate riparian recovery by thinning conifer and alder. TECFOR RESOURCES LTD.

3 MacIntyre Instream Prescription Prescription Details A. Stream Description Small to medium sized (9m bankfull width) creek, low gradient (2%) with sand, gravel, and cobble substrate; Stream lacks LWD, existing LWD is decaying, SWD adding to jams; Reaches M2 and M3 are depositional zones for material transported downstream from a confined valley upstream; Single to multiple channel stream flowing through a narrow floodplain; Floodplain is 20m to 40m in width and is confined by a terrace on both banks; Terrace is approximately 2.5m in height above the floodplain; Terrace vegetation dominated by spruce that average 43cm diameter and 30m in height (see Photo 5 in Appendix 3); High bench (vegetated lateral bars with no recent scour) in floodplain dominated by alder and spruce, alder suppressing conifer in places (see Photo 6 in Appendix 3); Low bench (vegetated lateral bars with recent scour) in floodplain dominated by alder (see Photo 3 in Appendix 3). B. Design Section 8 of the Watershed Restoration Technical Circular No. 9 refers to the falling of riparian trees into the stream as the Loggers Choice for adding LWD to the stream. Trees can be felled to span the stream, partially cross the stream, or parallel the stream. For MacIntyre Creek, in most cases the spruce will have to be felled to span the creek. The riparian forest is very dense and the only open space where trees will not get hung-up on other trees is across the stream. Where possible, the partial crossing log technique or the parallel log technique will be attempted. We examined the stream for examples or templates of structures we wanted to duplicate. Photos 1 and 2 in Appendix 3 are templates showing trees spanning the stream. The fallen trees are more or less horizontal, and a SWD jam has formed under the tree. It will be a challenge for the fallers to place the tree in the desired location and mistakes will be made. There may be cases where the tree comes to rest in the channel as shown in Photo 4 but this is not what we are attempting to accomplish. Sites were selected to enhance existing features such as decaying LWD jams, pools without cover, or sections lacking LWD. The riparian area was scanned to determine if trees were available to be felled at the site. The following rules were established for selecting the trees to be felled: Tree had to come from dense stand of spruce on the terrace; Roots of standing tree could not be imbedded in the bank and providing bank stability; During the falling, the tree should not get hung up on other tree limbs, negatively damage standing trees already providing important fish habitat functions, or negatively impact important instream features such as LWD providing good overhead cover; Tree should not come to rest across the entire channel. TECFOR RESOURCES LTD.

4 MacIntyre Instream Prescription The Fish Habitat Assessment Guidebook recommends 1 to 2 pieces of LWD per 10m of channel length. It was determined that approximately 550m of stream were limited in LWD and therefore 50 pieces could be added. Following the review of potential sites and a review of the riparian trees it was determined that 36 trees could be felled. The riparian survey determined that spruce was the dominant tree species on the terrace and that there were approximately 383 stems per ha. The WRP Riparian Assessment Prescription and Procedures Guidebook states that 150 stems per hectare are considered a high density. With the removal of 36 stems the stems per hectare will still remain above 300. Trees selected for falling were spray painted with a blue X to indicate direction to fall the tree. In many cases the trees are higher up on the terrace and will span the stream and low bench. In other cases, since the trees average 30m in height, the tree may span the low bench and come to rest in the stream. B. Construction The following are the steps to fall the trees: Fallers decide if tree can be felled in the desired direction and provide the desired effect; Faller discusses each site the project supervisor; If the faller decides the desired effect cannot be achieved we then consider alternatives near by; Only trees in the Riparian Reserve Zone will be felled; Topping or cutting in the stream is not permitted without the approval of the supervisor; Topping or cutting in the stream is only permitted if the cutting enhances desired effect; Hand crews will pick-up debris after fallers have left the area; Trees will be felled in such a fashion that the butt ends and tops are wedged by stable standing trees; Cable and wood staples may be used if either end of the fallen tree requires harnessing; There are a few opportunities to release conifer on the high bench, alder can be felled on the bench as long as the tree does not come to rest in the channel. C. Personnel, Equipment, Materials, and Costs Personnel Day Rate Days Total Monitor/Foreman $500 8 Two Falls $500 x 2 3 Two stream cleaners $300 x 2 3 Transportation/Equipment Day Rate Days Accommodations $60 5 Vehicles 2 vehicles 3 Flight Misc. Equipment Grand Total Miscellaneous equipment and materials consists of: Picks, Ax, Shovels, Metal Pry Bar, Sledge Hammer, Rebar, Cable cutters, Cable, U-bolts, Rubber hosing, Oil Spill Kit, Protective equipment for chainsaw use. TECFOR RESOURCES LTD.

5 MacIntyre Instream Prescription Schedule of Work Duration and Critical Dates The works will take approximately 3 days to complete and will be undertaken within the fish window between June 15 and August 15. Supervision Ian Dodd will provide the environmental monitoring and construction supervision. Crew Two fallers and two stream cleaners. Timing of equipment requirements None Access Plan Access Copper Bay Mainline. Material Quantities and Placement Material available onsite. Location Tree Farm Licenses 47, Queen Charlotte Islands. Map Sheet 103G012. Watershed Code All of Reach M2, and the lower portion of Reach M3. Measures to minimize restoration impacts Fish Removal Fish will not be removed from the site since there is a low likelihood of impacts to fish and removal would be more detrimental to fish health. TECFOR RESOURCES LTD.

6 APPENDIX 1

7 APPENDIX 2

8 Survey Summary Project: MacIntyre Creek Riparian Assessment Stems per Hectare (SPH) Layer 1 Layer 2 Layer 3 Layer 4 + (>17.5cm dbh) All Layers and Species Type Plots 1-Hw 1-Ss 1-Dr 1-Cw 2-Hw 2-Ss 2-Dr 2-Cw 3-Hw 3-Ss 3-Dr 3-Cw 4-Hw 4-Ss 4-Dr 4-Cw Hw Ss Dr Cw total , , ,267 Basal Area (m2/ha) BAF 10 Type Plots Hw Ss Dr Cw total SD SD CV Plot Size Plot Multiplier Plot Listing (layer-spp) Layer 1 ( cm dbh) Layer 2 ( cm dbh) Layer 3 (0-7.5cm dbh) Layer 4 (Regen <1.3m) + (>17.5cm dbh) Prism Sweep Plot Type 1-Hw 1-Ss 1-Dr 1-Cw 2-Hw 2-Ss 2-Dr 2-Cw 3-Hw 3-Ss 3-Dr 3-Cw 4-Hw 4-Ss 4-Dr 4-Cw Hw Ss Dr Cw Hw Ss Dr Cw Sum Type 1 = Low Bench (CWH wh1 09), Type 2 = High Bench (CWH wh1 07), Type 3 = Terrace (CWH wh1 01/05) Sample Trees All Types Spp Dia Ht Spp Dia Ht Spp Dia Ht Surveyed By: Rob Yerbury (ASS #AA ) Hw Ss Dr Date: June 17, 2003 Hw Ss Dr Equipment: Vertex Hypsometer, Diameter Tape, Hw Ss Dr m Loggers Tape Hw Ss Dr Wx: Showers Hw Ss Dr Hw Ss Dr Avg Ss Dr Ss Dr Ss Avg Ss Ss Ss Ss Ss Ss Ss Avg

9 APPENDIX 3

10 Photos of MacIntyre Creek - Instream Templates and Riparian Regeneration Photo 1. Template of fallen tree spanning stream from high bench on left to low bench island on right. Spanning tree catching debris on right.

11 Photos of MacIntyre Creek - Instream Templates and Riparian Regeneration Photo 2. Template of fallen tree spanning channel. Photo 3. Stand of regenerating alder on low bench island.

12 Photos of MacIntyre Creek - Instream Templates and Riparian Regeneration Photo 4. Template of fallen tree resting in channel. Photo 5. Dense stand of regenerating spruce on terrace. Photo 6. Dense stand of regenerating alder on high bench.