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Biological Opinions - Bureau of Reclamation

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species that would be exposed to dewatering effects. Where structural placements are small and<br />

discrete, salmonids are expected to avoid the active construction area and thus will not be<br />

crushed. When structural placements are large or cover a large area, such as gravel<br />

augmentation, some juvenile salmonids may be injured or killed. However, the number <strong>of</strong><br />

juveniles injured or killed is expected to be no more than the number <strong>of</strong> individuals that will be<br />

killed by desiccation after the reach is dewatered without such structural placement. Fish<br />

relocation is expected to remove most salmonids. In essence, juvenile fish that are not relocated<br />

will be killed by either dewatering or structural placement.<br />

12.4.2.4 Increased Mobilization <strong>of</strong> Sediment within the Stream Channel<br />

The proposed restoration project types involve various degrees <strong>of</strong> earth disturbance. Inherent<br />

with earth disturbance is the potential to increase background suspended sediment loads for a<br />

short period during and following project completion.<br />

All project types involving ground disturbance in or adjacent to streams are expected to increase<br />

turbidity and suspended sediment levels within the project work site and downstream areas.<br />

Therefore, instream habitat improvement, instream barrier modification for fish passage<br />

improvement, stream bank stabilization, fish passage improvements at stream crossings, small<br />

dam removal 11 , creation <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>f channel/side channel habitat, and fish screen construction may<br />

result in increased mobilization <strong>of</strong> sediment into streams. Although riparian restoration may<br />

involve ground disturbance adjacent to streams, the magnitude and intensity <strong>of</strong> this ground<br />

disturbance is expected to be small and isolated to the riparian area. Fish screen projects are not<br />

expected to release appreciable sediment into the aquatic environment.<br />

12.4.2.4.1 Exposure<br />

In general, sediment-related effects are expected during the summer construction season (June 15<br />

to November 1), as well as during peak-flow winter storm events when remaining loose sediment<br />

is mobilized. During summer construction, the species and life stages most likely to be exposed<br />

to potential effects <strong>of</strong> increased sediment mobilization are juvenile coho salmon. As loose<br />

sediment is mobilized by higher winter flows, adult coho salmon may also be exposed to<br />

increased turbidity. Removal <strong>of</strong> small dams and road crossing projects will have the greatest<br />

potential for releasing excess sediment. However, minimization measures, such as removing<br />

excess sediment from the dewatered channel prior to returning flow will limit the amount <strong>of</strong><br />

sediment released. The increased mobilization <strong>of</strong> sediment is not likely to degrade spawning<br />

gravel because project related sediment mobilization should be minimal due to the use <strong>of</strong><br />

sideboards and minimization measures. This small amount <strong>of</strong> sediment is expected to affect only<br />

a short distance downstream, and should be easily displaced by either higher fall/winter flows or<br />

redd building. In the winter, the high flows will carry excess fine sediment downstream to point<br />

bars and areas with slower water velocities. Because redds are built where water velocities are<br />

11 Because <strong>of</strong> the sideboards and engineering requirements described in the proposed action,<br />

small dam removal is expected to have similar sediment mobilization effects as culvert<br />

replacement or removal<br />

361

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