Cedar River Watershed Habitat Conservation Plan Briefing for the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council November 21, 2013 Cyndy Holtz Seattle Public Utilities cyndy.holtz@seattle.gov
What is an HCP? Habitat Conservation Plan Section 10 of Endangered Species Act Allows for the landowner to conduct activities that would otherwise result in the unlawful take of a listed species in exchange for fulfilling commitments in plan 2
Why did Seattle develop its HCP? In anticipation of listing of Puget Sound Chinook under the Endangered Species Act
Comprehensive scope of HCP City decision to commit to no commercial timber harvest due to public review of Draft HCP 83 species covered in plan, with a focus on: All anadromous fish in Cedar River and resident fish in watershed Species dependent on old-growth forests in Cascades Comprehensive, ecosystem based
Ecosystem-based plan
What is Seattle s HCP? 50-year agreement with federal & state agencies (through 2050) $105 million commitment Over 80 projects/activities in 3 areas (incl. research & monitoring): Instream flow management Watershed management Mitigation for the Landsburg Dam (including downstream habitat protection and restoration)
Instream Flow Management
Geographic Context Flows governed by Instream Flow Agmt. and MIT Agmt. Multiple objectives for river and reservoir mgmt: Water supply Instream resources Flood protection Hydropower Reservoir receives run-off from the upper 43% of the basin 20% of avg. annual flow diverted for drinking water
Cedar River Instream Flow Management: Key Elements Guaranteed flow regime with base and supplemental flows Limits on annual water diversions Flexibility in management of unallocated water dedicated to river Continued research and monitoring to guide management practices Funding for facility improvements and downstream habitat Collaborative implementation with interagency Cedar River Instream Flow Commission
Aligning Certainty and Flexibility Cedar River Water Allocation Cedar River Watershed HCP/ Muckleshoot Tribe-Seattle Agreement Annual average flows in million gallons per day (mgd) 124 mgd 22% allocated to region s firm yield water supply 176 mgd This water varies by year and season and remains in river when present. Can be partially shaped by river and reservoir operations. Provides basis for flexibility to adapt and improve instream flow management practices. 549 mgd = Cedar average annual flow 249 mgd 44% allocated to guaranteed flow regime for instream resource protection
1-Jan 15-Jan 29-Jan 12-Feb 26-Feb 12-Mar 26-Mar 9-Apr 23-Apr 7-May 21-May 4-Jun 18-Jun 2-Jul 16-Jul 30-Jul 13-Aug 27-Aug 10-Sep 24-Sep 8-Oct 22-Oct 5-Nov 19-Nov 3-Dec 17-Dec 31-Dec Average Daily Flow, cfs 1-Jan 15-Jan 29-Jan 12-Feb 26-Feb 11-Mar 25-Mar 8-Apr 22-Apr 6-May 20-May 3-Jun 17-Jun 1-Jul 15-Jul 29-Jul 12-Aug 26-Aug 9-Sep 23-Sep 7-Oct 21-Oct 4-Nov 18-Nov 2-Dec 16-Dec 30-Dec Average Daily Flow, cfs Flow variability within and between years reflects natural patterns Last Update: 01-01-2013 Calendar Year 2012 Cedar River Instream Flows Measured at USGS Stream Gage No. 12117600 All Data is Provisional and Subject to Revision 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Non-Firm Flow Spring Supplement Firm Block - 2500 Ac-Ft allocation Days of the Calendar Year Flashboard flows Non-Firm block - up to 3500 Ac-Ft High Normal Flows Normal Minimum Flows Actual Flows Normal Minimum Flows Plus Supplemental Flows Critical Minimum Flows 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 2000 Last Update: 12/31/2005 Calendar Year 2005 Cedar River Instream Flows Measured at USGS Stream Gage No. 12117600 All Data is Provisional and Subject to Revision 2000 1800 1800 1600 1600 1400 1400 1200 1200 1000 1000 800 800 600 600 400 400 200 200 0 0 Days of the Calendar Year Normal Minimum Flows Normal Minimum Flows Plus Supplemental Flows Actual Flows Critical Minimum Flows
Instream Flow Performance Summary: 2000-2013 Instream Flow Parameter Target Actual Years in which normal flows met or exceeded at all times 90% of all years 100% of all years Years in which critical flows implemented 10% of all years 0% of all years 2500 acre ft. normal summer water block (June 17 - Aug. 4) 3500 acre ft. supplemental summer water block (June 17 - Aug. 4) 90% of all years 63% of all years 100% of all years 85% of all years Early fall flow augmentation (Sept. 16 - Sept. 30) 90% of all years 100% of all years Late Winter/Spring Supplemntal Flow (Feb. 11 to Apr. 14) Fall High Normal Supplemental Flow (Oct. 8 to Dec. 30) Flow 378 cfs at least 70% of days in all normal years See graph below Target met or exceeded in 10 of 12 years. See graph below. Performance exceeding all targets. See graph below.
Mitigation for Landsburg Dam
Fish Passage Operations at Landsburg Dam Operating since 2003 Access to 21 miles of river Opportunity for data collection
9/3 9/10 9/17 9/24 10/1 10/8 10/15 10/22 10/29 11/5 11/12 Count Fish Counting Operations at Landsburg Dam 425 400 375 350 325 300 275 250 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 50 25 0 Draft Chinook Cumulative Counts at Landsburg Fish Passage in Sorting Mode Date Passed Count 2003 Count 2004 Count 2005 Count 2006 Count 2007 Count 2008 Count 2009 Count 2010 Count 2011 Count 2012 Count 2013
Fish Passage Results 16
Cedar River Sockeye Hatchery
Restoration in the Municipal Watershed Before After Stream & Riparian Restoration Road Decommissioning & Improvements Forest Restoration
HCP Forest Habitat Restoration Protection Restoration thinning Ecological thinning Planting Restoration thinning: drop and leave Ecological thinning
Downstream Habitat Protection and Restoration 20
Protection Vision & Accomplishment Vision Achieved
Large-scale restoration in the lower river: Floodplain reconnection Rainbow Bend
Stewardship-in-Action Both private and public land Focus on 3 areas: knotweed control reestablish native plant communities landowner education Strong partnership:
Knotweed control Landsburg (RM 21) to Renton city limit (RM 5.5) Chemical treatment either through foliar or injected application Requires at least 2 follow-up treatments in subsequent years
River Gardens
seattle.gov/util/hcp