Biodiversity Guide - The Intertwine

egional conservation strategybiodiversity guideAppendix I Watershedsremaining wild late-fall coho runs in the lowerColumbia Basin. This run, which is part of theLower Columbia River coho salmon evolutionarilysignificant unit (ESU), was federally listedas threatened in 2005. The Lower ColumbiaRiver steelhead and Chinook ESUs were listed asthreatened under the federal Endangered SpeciesAct in 1998 and 1999. The Clackamas River BasinAction Plan, the Willamette Subbasin Plan, 2 andcurrent Oregon Department of Fish and Wildliferecovery planning 3 have identified the Clackamasas critical habitat and one of the highest prioritiesfor recovery of the Lower Columbia River andWillamette ESUs.Limiting factors for anadromous salmonidentified in the Clackamas River Basin ActionPlan include lack of habitat complexity and offchannelhabitats, sediment, hatcheries, hydropowerturbines, water temperature, bacteria, fishpassage, nutrients, flow, pesticides, and inadequatemacroinvertebrates. Historically, lowerClackamas streams played a key role in contributingto the subbasin’s fish population abundanceand diversity. Confinement of the lower ClackamasRiver channel, loss of large wood, reducedrecruitment of rock, and reduced streamside treesand other riparian vegetation has contributedto the loss of side channels and other habitatsimportant to aquatic life. The mainstem wouldbenefit from additional side-channel habitat.In many locations, important channel featuressuch as side channels and pools have been lost ordisconnected.In addition to anadromous salmon, theClackamas subbasin supports a diverse arrayof wildlife, including elk, deer, northern flyingsquirrel, spotted owl, bald eagle, osprey, bats,about 250 native bird species, and a good selectionof reptiles and amphibians. Plant and animalspecies in the subbasin that are considered to besensitive, threatened, or endangered at state orfederal levels include the following:n Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus)n Nelson’s sidalcea/Nelson’s checkermallow(Sidalcea nelsoniana)n Northern spotted owl (Strix occidentaliscaurina)n Oregon chub (Oregonichthys crameri)n White-topped aster (Seriocarpus rigidus)n White rock larkspur (Delphiniumleucophaeum)n Peacock larkspur (Delphinium pavonaceum)n Howellia (Howellia aquatilis)Although most of the watershed within thegreater Portland-Vancouver region is privatelyowned, some important blocks of habitat andwildlife connectivity areas have been preserved.Milo McIver Park includes 951 acres of lawns,public amenities, and substantial wooded areason natural terraces above the Clackamas River.BLM and Forest Service lands, including a smallportion of the Mt. Hood National Forest, are scatteredthroughout the subbasin. Metro acquiredsignificant contiguous parcels along Clear andRichardson creeks and on either side of ClackamasCounty-owned Barton Park; both of theseparcels are along key biodiversity corridors. Mt.Talbert Nature Park is currently under restorationfor oak habitats. North Clackamas Parks and RecreationDistrict (NCPRD) owns or manages 800acres of parks, open spaces, and natural areas thatcontributing significant habitat and connectivityin or near urban areas.Several entities are working to protect naturalareas on the forested “East Buttes” that provideimportant habitat for elk, birds, and otherwildlife. These buttes loop up from the ClackamasRiver to some Johnson Creek headwaters andthen back down to the river, providing criticalwildlife connectivity between watersheds and tothe mainstem. Deep, Eagle and Tickle creeks connectto large habitat areas to the south and west,including the Sandy River subbasin; connectionsto the latter are in need of improvement. TheClackamas River provides an east-west corridor.Rock Creek is the key movement corridor runningnorth-south from the Clackamas River tothe East Buttes. The creek lies between developedareas to the west and new urban areas slated fordevelopment, and it is in need of restoration insome areas.Despite the relatively undeveloped conditionof much of the Clackamas subbasin, invasivespecies constitute a serious threat to fish andwildlife habitat. It will be important to continueongoing efforts to control and eradicate invasiveweeds such as Japanese knotweed, spurgelaurel, garlic mustard, Himalayan blackberry,false brome, Scot’s broom, and purple loosestrife.There are opportunities to address this problemthrough outreach, education, and targeted weederadication in collaboration with the Bureau ofLand Management, the Four County CooperativeWeed Management Area (CCWMA), Metro,Oregon Department of Agriculture, ClackamasSoil and Water Conservation District, and U.S.Forest Service.In addition, the Clackamas River is plagued bywater quality issues common throughout the WillametteBasin, such as excess mercury and bacteriaand elevated water temperatures. There arehigh levels of nitrate and phosphorous in some ofthe Clackamas’s lower tributaries, including Cow,Sieben, Rock, Deep, and Clear creeks. Pesticidesare an issue and targeted education is neededfor lower Clackamas River landowners, with anareas, and reduced use of chemicals.The highest priority areas for restoring aquaticand riparian functions are the mainstem of theClackamas River below and above River MillDam. Large sections of the river, particularlybelow the dam, are disconnected from the floodplainand have reduced floodplain and riparianvegetation composition and extent. There is limitedlarge wood in the river system and extensiveloss of historical backwater habitats, includingside channels and alcoves, which are important tosalmon. Key lower subbasin watersheds for anadromousand resident trout production (particularlycutthroat trout) are Clear, Foster, and Eaglecreeks. Restoring channel complexity is a priorityin the lower and middle Clackamas River; Clear,Foster, Deep/Goose, Eagle and Wade creeks; OakGrove Fork; and the Collawash River.Many of the subwatersheds in the lower basinhave been developed, and the loss of wetlandsand increased amount of impervious surfaceshave changed hydrologic processes. Restoring riverand stream-associated wetlands that contributeto aquatic habitat and floodplain connectivity,particularly in the Lower Clackamas River, Rockand Richardson creeks, Lower Clear Creek, FosterCreek, Deep and Goose creeks, and Wade Creekis a high priority. Important actions includemanaging stormwater in developed areas andrestoring river- and stream-associated wetlandsthat contribute to aquatic habitat and floodplainconnectivity. There are opportunities to restoredegraded riparian/floodplain habitats betweenhigh-quality areas, which would create corridorsacross watersheds.Current Salmonid and Water Quality ImprovementInitiativesn Water quality monitoring and protection—Clackamas River Water Providers, OregonDepartment of Environmental Quality, OregonDepartment of Agriculture, Clackamas Soil andWater Conservation District, Clackamas CountyService District #1n Voluntary Pesticide Reduction Campaign2 Willamette Subbasin Plan, Northwest Power and Conservation Council, May 2004, http://www.nwcouncil.org/fw/subbasinplanning/willamette/plan/Intro.pdfwww.deq.state.or.us/wq/pubs/factsheets/community/pesticide.pdf3 See http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/CRP/.emphasis on natural landscaping, wider riparian238 239