Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
4333 BROOKLYN AVE NE
SEATTLE,WA 98195
Performing Department
Restoration Ecology and Environmental Horticulture
Non Technical Summary
Staff of the University of Washington's Olympic Natural Resources Center (ONRC) will assist the Wild Salmon Center (WSC) to conduct a peer review process to critique the results of a recent project under which ONRC applied existing modeling methods for evaluating the "intrinsic potential" (IP) for supporting salmon species of selected coastal stream segments. Model analyses were conducted and maps generated for chinook, coho, steelhead, chum and sockeye salmon species in the Quillayute, Hoh, Queets and Bear Rivers. ONRC carried out that work through a transparent process involving researchers, managers and stakeholder from all areas in the Washington Coast Salmon Recovery Region. This contract will support ONRC's activities in organizing a 1-day workshop to review the results of recent IP modeling work. Approximately 10-15 technical experts will be invited and asked to critically review the analyses carried out by ONRC under the previous Wild Salmon Center contract. ONRC will host this workshop at its facility in Forks. ONRC staff will lead the discussion and facilitate the development of recommendations for improving the models for application to rivers within Washington's coastal region. Using the comments development during the workshop, ONRC will update the results of its IP analyses and generate a final report containing the maps generated and relevant project conclusions.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Staff of the University of Washington's Olympic Natural Resources Center (ONRC) will assist the Wild Salmon Center (WSC) with "Intrinsic Potential" (IP) model validation and mapping updates for the Quillayute, Hoh, Queets and Bear River watersheds using a methodology that is transparent and replicable across the Washington Coast Salmon Recovery Region for the following species: 1. Chinook -- within the Washington Coast Chinook Salmon evolutionarily significant unit (ESU). 2. Coho -- within the Olympic Peninsula Coho Salmon ESU and Southwest Washington Coho ESU. 3. Steelhead -- within the Olympic Peninsula Steelhead distinct population segment (DPS) and Southwest Washington Steelhead DPS. 4. Chum -- within the Pacific Coast Chum Salmon ESU. 5. Sockeye -- Lake Pleasant Sockeye ESU (includes working model creation).
Project Methods
Task 1. Conduct Intrinsic Potential (IP) peer review and sockeye work session: Organize and conduct peer review with expert panel for default IP models for chinook, coho, steelhead, and chum and conduct a special work session to further develop an IP model for sockeye. a) Solicit local, regional, and national experts. b) Organize and facilitate 1-2 day event to validate default IP models (including sockeye) at the University of Washington's Olympic Natural Resources Center (ONRC) in Forks, WA (includes creating work products for participants as identified by the Wild Salmon Center (WSC) and University of Washington (UW)). c) Summarize results and integrate expert input into working IP models. Issues to address through peer review: 1. How many regional models are needed Should IP models be adjusted to reflect the differences between the Olympic Peninsula drainages and the south coast drainages 2. Is default binning scheme suitable for each salmon species If not, gather solutions to create of workable binning scheme. 3. What is high IP Build consensus on setting a break point for high IP. 4. What are the most informative parameters for constructing a sockeye IP model What should the shape of the habitat suitability curves for sockeye be Task 2. Update all IP models, maps, and quantitative summaries: Based on expert input, update and finalize all IP models, map products and associated quantitative summaries of IP (including charts and tables). 1. IP maps for each species for each basin and for each HUC 12 unit (update all maps to include summary of high IP by percentage and total acres). 170+ maps anticipated. 2. Quantify and display in graphical and tabular format the total percentage and acreage of high intrinsic potential per species, per basin and HUC 12. 48+ illustrations anticipated. Task 3. Prepare final (phase two) IP report: Summarize peer review results and improvements made to phase one methodology and outline working IP model for sockeye. Discuss applicability of methodology to coast region and the utility of IP for selecting priority restoration/conservation projects. Report shall include copies of all maps, tables, and charts described under Task 2.