NWIFC | SSHIAP | Secondary Elements

Secondary Elements

Most of the secondary attributes will be acquired opportunistically where they exist. Acquisition will not be likely on a segment-by-segment basis. Desired future conditions (DFC) or performance tables may be used to find values for some of these attributes.

The secondary elements are:

Hydromodifications
Riparian Conditions
Segment Elevation
Segment Width
Historical Habitat Conditions
Estuarine/Nearshore Habitat
Stream Flow
Water Quality

Segment Elevation

Values will be obtained from other sources and attached at the segment level. Back to top

Stream Width

Stream width measurements will follow the Timber, Fish and Wildlife (TFW) monitoring protocol for wetted width and bankfull width/depth. SSHIAP will expand this methodology to include the wetted width during peak flow months as well as during low flow periods. All streams cannot be measured, so basin-area models will be used to model stream widths where direct measurements cannot be taken. Field data will be used to verify and calibrate the models. Back to top

Historical Habitat Conditions

Quantifying historical habitat is necessary to answer the question “how much historic habitat has been permanently lost from salmon production?” A methodology for quantifying historical habitat is currently under development by the SSHIAP team. This methodology borrows heavily from approaches outlined in Bortleson et al. (1980), Sedell and Luchessa (1982), Thomas (1983), Sedell and Froggatt (1984), Beechie et al. (1994), Kondolf and Larson (1995), Jay and Simenstad (1996), Collins (1997), and Pess et al. (1998), and Haas and Collins (1999). Historical reconstruction of lost salmon and steelhead habitat provides an essential context for contemporary limiting factors analyses and restoration efforts. Back to top

Estuarine/Nearshore Habitat

There has been close coordination between staffs of SSHIAP and the Aquatic Lands Division of the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR Nearshore Habitat Program is completing a rapid statewide inventory of saltwater shorelines using the ShoreZone Mapping System. Because of direct compatibility between data systems, the information developed by the ShoreZone inventory will be added to the SSHIAP framework relatively easily. Additional efforts are aimed at relating salmon life history aspects to mapped nearshore and estuarine conditions. Back to top

Stream Flow

Values will be obtained from other databases and attached at the segment level. Back to top

Water Quality

SSHIAP data fields will include turbidity, pollution, heavy metals, and nutrient load. Obtainable from the state 303(d) list, areas of poor water quality may be attached to SSHIAP at the segment level. Back to top

Menu