Lower Columbia River Pile Dike Assessment David Gorman, PE August 2, 2011
Credits Hans R. Moritz, US Army Corps of Engineers Portland District Carl Kassebaum, AECOM Project Manager AECOM Coastal and Rivers Section Staff Pete Grace, Megabites Fishing Guide Service Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership Page 2
Columbia River Basin Early 1800 s Lewis and Clark Lewis and Clark Basin Map Page 3
Columbia River Basin Basin Map Basin Statistics Basin Area is 258,000 Sq. Miles Drains 7 States and BC 1243 Miles Long Largest River Flowing to Pacific Ocean from North America Supports Many Species of Anadromous Fish Page 4
Nineteenth Century Basin Changes Impacting Anadromous Fish Populations Dredging Starting 1864 Canneries Starting 1867 Page 5
Twentieth Century Basin Changes Impacting Anadromous Fish Populations Pile Dikes? Dams Page 6
Max 6-Jan 14-Jan 22-Jan 30-Jan 7-Feb 15-Feb 23-Feb 3-Mar 11-Mar 19-Mar 27-Mar 4-Apr 12-Apr 20-Apr 28-Apr 6-May 14-May 22-May 30-May 7-Jun 15-Jun 23-Jun 1-Jul 9-Jul 17-Jul 25-Jul 2-Aug 10-Aug 18-Aug 26-Aug 3-Sep 11-Sep 19-Sep 27-Sep 5-Oct 13-Oct 21-Oct 29-Oct 6-Nov 14-Nov 22-Nov 30-Nov 8-Dec 16-Dec 24-Dec Flow at The Dalles (cfs) Columbia River Average Daily Flow at The Dalles, Oregon 700000 600000 Pre-Regulation (1879-1942) Post-Regulation (1974-2010) 500000 400000 300000 200000 100000 0 Date Page 7
Federal Columbia River Power System USBR and USACE Own and Operate 31 Dams Built and Operated by the Federal Government System Provides: Hydropower Navigation Flood Control Irrigation Has impacted 13 Federally Listed ESA Fish Species Page 8
Cumulative Impacts to Columbia River Fish Has Led To Multiple Listings Under the ESA Harvest Dams Migration Obstacle Upstream Passage Downstream Passage Increased predation Flow Regulation Reduced Peak Flows Increased Low Flows Habitat Loss Diking, Draining, Development Hatcheries Page 9
Historic Ecosystem Losses in the Lower Columbia River Estuary Last 150 Years 52,000 acres wetland/marsh habitats 3,800 acres of riparian forest habitat 27,000 acres of forested wetland Page 10
Percentage Change in Columbia River Estuary Aquatic Habitat Types Habitat Type Change Shallow Tidal Flats +10% Deep Water -7% Medium Depth Water -25% Tidal Marsh -43% Tidal Swamp -77% Page 11
FCRPS Biological Opinion FCRPS Action Agencies Include USACE, BPA, and USBR FCRPS Consultation With NOAA Fisheries on ESA Listed Species Biological Opinion Issued by NOAA Fisheries 2008 Action Agencies Concluded That Operation of These Projects Without Further Mitigation, Would Jeopardize Listed Species Mitigation Measures Include 73 Detailed Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPA) RPA 38: Increase access to productive habitat Reduce avian predation of juvenile salmonids Piling and Pile Dike Removal Program Page 12
Columbia River Pile Dikes Construction Initiated 1885 Constructed Ended in 1960 s Over 233 Constructed River Mouth to RM 138 Reduce Dredging Protect Dredge Material Provide Bank Protection Stabilize Shipping Channel Page 13
Potential Pile Dike Modifications That May Improve Salmonid Habitat In the Estuary (BiOp AMP) Complete or partial removal of pile dikes Reconstruction of pile dikes Remove creosote-containing piles Placement/removal of dredged material Placement of LWD Replacement of lost habitat types Page 14
Columbia River Pile Dike and Pile Field Examples Page 15
Pile Dike Design and Construction - Elevation Page 16
Pile Dike Design and Construction - Section Page 17
USACE Portland District Pile Dike Assessment BiOp Obligation and O&M AECOM Assessed Each of 233 Pile Dikes For: Structural Integrity Functional Integrity Potential Impact On Juvenile Salmonids Page 18
Suspected Pile Dike Impacts to Juvenile Salmonids Contaminants Leaching From Treated Piling Cover For Piscivorous Fish Perches For Avian Predators Shallow Water Habitat Page 19
East Sand Island Lower Columbia River World s Largest Tern and Cormorant Colonies Tern Average Annual Juvenile Salmonid Consumption = 5.3 Million Cormorant Consumption Likely Similar Island Constructed Of Dredge Material Protected By a Pile Dike System Page 20
Pile Dike Assessment Reach Locations Page 21
Lower Estuary Reach of Assessment Page 22
Habitat Components of the Pile Dike Assessment Field Work Presence/Absence of Shallow Water Habitat Presence of Aquatic Vegetation Adjacent Wetland Areas Presence/Absence of Bank Erosion Access to Adjacent Shallow Water Habitat Presence of Avian Predators Page 23
Habitat Improvement Opportunities Evaluated Removal of Pile Dike (reduce erosion) Removal of Individual Piles (improve access) Extend Pile Dike (increase shallow water) Remove Creosote Treated Piles (improve water quality) Place Large Woody Debris (increase cover) Place Fill (increase shallow water/decrease bank slopes) Page 24
Pile Dike Assessment Habitat Impact Findings Very Few Treated Piling Not a Contaminant Threat Piscivorous Fish Activity Unobservable Impact Inconclusive Avian Perching Observed (Primarily Cormorants) Impact Inconclusive Page 25
Pile Dike Assessment Habitat Impact Findings Juvenile Salmonid Rearing Habitat Creation of Shallow Water Habitat (SWH) Protection of 3800 Acres SWH Bed Erosion Not Noted Adjacent Areas Will Support Creation of SWH Addition of LWD Not Warranted In Main Channel Additional Studies Recommended Page 26
East Sand Island Lower Columbia River Island Constructed Of Dredge Material Protected By a Pile Dike System Removal of Pile Dikes May Allow Natural Reworking of Dredge Material Role of Large Predators 2011 Bald Eagle Harassment of Nesting Colonies: 90-100% Reproductive Loss Page 27
Thank You David Gorman, PE Ecosystem Restoration Engineer AECOM Portland, Oregon david.gorman@aecom.com Page 28