A Multiple Watershed Approach to Assessing the Effects of Habitat Restoration Actions on Anadromous and Resident Fish Populations
Habitat protection and restoration is a cornerstone of current strategies to restore ecosystems, recover endangered fish species, and rebuild fish stocks within the Columbia River Basin. Despite major investments in habitat protection and restoration, there is little quantitative information about the effectiveness of different habitat restoration techniques. Such information is crucial for allocating limited funds towards the greatest benefits for fish populations.
This $200,000 (U.S.) project compiled and compared data from habitat restoration projects in multiple watersheds to enhance the rate of learning about the effects of restoration actions on fish populations, optimize the design of future restoration programs and improve monitoring. It used a workshop approach involving both habitat experts and habitat program managers to focus on analyzing testable hypotheses in a pilot set of candidate watersheds.
The project involved three phases of work, which were closely integrated with various related and ongoing efforts in the Columbia Basin:
| 1. |
Scoping. We met with a Core Group of habitat experts and managers to scope out a set of testable habitat restoration hypotheses, identify candidate watersheds and recommend participants for a data evaluation workshop. |
| 2. |
Data Assembly. We contacted over 80 scientists and managers to help evaluate the suitability of each candidate watershed’s historical data for assessing the effectiveness of past restoration actions. We eventually settled on the Yakima, Wenatchee, Clearwater, and Salmon subbasins, and began gathering relevant data for these watersheds at a workshop with habitat experts and managers. Data assembly continued for several months after the workshop. |
| 3. |
Data Analysis and Synthesis. We explored statistical approaches towards retrospectively analyzing the effects of restoration ‘treatments’ at nested spatial scales across multiple watersheds. These analyses provided a foundation for identifying existing constraints to testing restoration hypotheses, and opportunities to overcome these constraints through improved experimental designs, monitoring protocols and project selection strategies. Finally, we developed a set of recommendations to improve the design, implementation, and monitoring of prospective habitat restoration programs in the Columbia River Basin. |
