Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition; Prince of Wales Project Planning Workshop

1. Watershed
Assessments
An essential tool for
effective watershed
restoration
John Hudson
Habitat Restoration Biologist
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Juneau Fish and Wildlife Field Office
Created Wetland
Duck Creek, Juneau

2. A Framework
for
Project Development
1. Established geographic scope
2. Identify resources
3. Assess existing conditions & threats
4. Develop solutions (i.e. actions)
5. Prioritize actions
6. Implement projects
7. Monitor
Assess: to determine the importance, size, or value of
<assess a problem>
Nossuk Creek

3. Pullen Creek,
Skagway

4. Assessment (“Background”)
•Historical information
•Importance of Pullen Creek
• Public perceptions
• Economics
• Fish and wildlife habitat
• Ecosystem values
• Current conditions
• Fish habitat
• Hydrology
Problems & Solutions
(“Action Plan”)
•Problem identification
• Known problems
• Potential problems
•Solutions
•Plans
• Management
• Restoration
• Education plans Taiya Inlet Watershed Council, 2006
•Current and future Projects

5. Selected projects
Pullen Creek before
after
Stormwater Mapping and Mgmt. Plans
“Healthy Streamside,
Healthy Stream” Fish Passage Improvement
Brochure

7. Auke Lake Watershed Assessment
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction
1.1 Watershed Description
1.2 Geology, Vegetation and Fauna
1.3 History of the Auke Lake Watershed
2. Hydrology, Water Rights and Wetlands
2.1 Auke Lake and Auke Lake Tributaries
2.2 Surface and Ground Water Rights
2.3 Wetlands
3. Fish and Fisheries Habitat
3.1 Fish Populations
3.2 History of Fish Propagation
3.3 Habitat Condition Summary
4. Water Quality
5. Land Use and Lake Management
5.1 Land Ownership
5.2 Land Use Designations
5.3 Zoning
5.4 Lake Management
5.5 Proposed Development in the Watershed
6. Community Uses of the Auke Lake Watershed
6.1 Auke Lake User Survey
6.2 Motorized Watercraft on Auke Lake
6.3 University of Alaska Southeast (UAS)
7. Watershed Condition Summary
8. Watershed Protection and Enhancement Opportunities
9. References
8. Appendices
Juneau Watershed Partnership, 2009

8. Auke Lake Watershed Assessment
Wetlands
Fish Habitat
Land ownership

9. Auke Lake
Watershed Action
Plan
Resource Inventory and Mapping
Recommended Actions:
1.Locate wildlife travel corridors
2.Assess and map aquatic habitats
3.Conduct wetland delineations on borough and
university lands
4.Examine relationships between habitat,
zoning, and proposed development
5.Share maps and data with land managers and
stakeholders

10. Fish Passage Inventory &
Habitat Assessment in Haines
Summer 2012:
Upstream Habitat
Assessment

12. Alaska Exotic Plant Information Clearinghouse
(AKEPIC)

13. Montana Creek
Invasive Plant Survey
(Juneau)
Invasiveness ranks
> 80 = Extremely Invasive
70-79 = Highly Invasive
60-69 = Moderately Invasive
50-59 = Modestly Invasive
40-49 = Weakly Invasive
< 40 = Very Weakly Invasive

14. Juneau Invasive Plant Species Prioritization: ABC List EDRR—Near Juneau
Ideally Assisting Neighboring Communities in the Management Area
with Control Efforts, preventing spread to the Juneau area.
ABC Species Ranking
(0-100)
Found in
Juneau?
How much is
in Juneau?
Control
Ranking
ABC Species Ranking
(0-100)
Found in
Juneau?
Control
Ranking
A/B Bohemian Knotweed 87 yes + ~34 Acres 7/7 A Leafy Spurge 84 No 9/10
in Juneau
Polygonum X bohemicum U,3,4 Euphorbia esula 3,2,4
A Japanese Knotweed 87 Yes 1 known 7/7 A *Giant Hogweed 81 No 9/10
location Heracleum mantegazzianum
Polygonum cuspidatum U,3,4 3,2,4
A Purple Loosestrife 84 Yes 8/10 A American wht.waterlily 80 ? 6/7
Lythrum salicaria 2,2,4 Nymphaea odorata ssp. odorata U,2,4
A/B Reed Canarygrass 83 yes + 6/10 A Himalayan Blackberry 77 No 9/10
Phalaris arundinacea 0,2,4 Rubus discolor 2,3,4
A Ornamental Jewelweed 82 Yes > 6 locations 5/10 A Scotch broom 69 No 8/10
Impatiens glandulifera 2,1,2 Cytisus scoparius 3,2,3
A White Sweetclover 81 Yes One location 8/10 B Pale Yellow/Yellow Flag Iris 66 yes 6/10
Melilotus alba 3,1,4 Iris pseudacorus 0, 2, 4
A/B Orange Hawkeed 79 yes + 8/10 B Foxtail Barley 63 Yes? 9/10
Hieracium aurantiacum 3,2,3 Hordeum jubatum 2,3,4
A Yellow/ Meadow Hawkweed 79 yes Eagle beach 8/10 A Bull Thistle 61 No 3/10
Hieracium caespitosum 3,2,3 Cirsium vulgare Ten 0,0,3
A Cheatgrass 78 Yes 1 known 6/10 C Narrowleaf Hawksbeard 54 No 3/7
Bromus tectorum
location
2,0,4 Priority ABC’s
Crepis tectorum U,0,3
A Canada Thistle 76 No One known 10/10 ? Fall Dandelion/Hawkbit 51
Cirsium arvnese Location 3,3,4 Leontondon autumnalis
A European Bird Cherry 74 yes 5/10 C A - invasiveness rank ≥ 70 and
Prostate Knotweed 45 ? 7/10
locally rare
Prunus padus 0,2,3 Polygonum aviculare 3,2,2
A Bird Vetch 73 Yes 3 known 9/10
locations
Vicia cracca 3,2,3
A Perennial/Moist Sowthistle 73 Yes 4 known 8/10
Sonchus arvensis locations
3,2,4 B - invasiveness rank ≥ 70 and
A Garlic Mustard 70 Yes 2 known 7/10
Alliaria petiolata
locations
2,2,3 widespread
A Herb Robert 67 yes
Threat to forest
understory and 5/10
spreading
Geranium robertianum 3,0,2
A Siberian Pea Shrub
Caragana arborescens
66 yes Arboretum + 5/7
U,2,3
C – invasiveness rank <70, rare or
widespread.

15. Summer 2012
Early Detection/
Rapid Response
Project
Orange hawkweed
(79, B)
Ornamental
Jewelweed (82, A)
Bohemian
Knotweed (87, B)
Montana Creek
Watershed

16. Klawock Watershed Assessments

17. Klawock Watershed Condition Assessment

18. Klawock Watershed Condition Assessment
- Restoration Opportunities

19. Klawock Watershed
Road Condition
Survey
Fish passage barriers
Hatchery Creek Fish
Passage Improvement

20. Taiya Inlet Stream Condition Assessment

21. Finding your niche
Issues that POWWA has the capacity to address:
• Invasive plant management
• New growth management in riparian and upland areas
• Directing permittee responsible mitigation
• Restoration monitoring
• Ditch maintenance on state right-of-way
• Stormwater management
• Fish passage improvement

22. Thank
you
Twelvemile River