Introduction to Lower Columbia River Coho Tributary Habitat Information for ODFW Expert Panel Process

NOAA Fisheries Service, in coordination with ODFW, has compiled background information on tributary habitat for use by the Lower Columbia River coho expert panel, which will be convened by ODFW in January as part of the recovery planning process. The information consists of summaries in narrative form and a series of maps developed by NOAA’s NorthwestFisheriesScienceCenter.

Habitat Information

The narrative information is organized by population of Lower Columbia coho (Oregon populations only). The information wascompiled from sources that were easily accessibleand that would themselves likely be based on a broad survey of available information. For example, primary sources were subbasin plans prepared for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council and watershedassessments. An exhaustiveliterature survey was not conducted.

Each population document begins with a brief geographical overview of the population’s range and the results of the population status assessment completed by the Willamette/Lower Columbia Technical Recovery Team in 2004 (McElhany, et al. 2004). Then each population document is subdivided based on potential limiting factors. The subsections includehabitat complexity, fish passage, riparian condition, water quality, water quantity, substrate, and hatchery effects. The hatchery information is from a 2004 NOAA document, the Salmonid Hatchery Inventory and Effects Evaluation Report. ODFW is developing additional material on hatchery effects.

After each subsection is a summary table that contains information about which life stages and VSP parameters are affected by that limiting factor. The summary tablesare based on opinions from technical staff at NOAA. It is the panel’s responsibility to review all available information and determine which life stages and VSP parameters they believe are most affected by specific limiting factors.

Each document also contains a “Works Cited” section; in addition, there is a master bibliography that contains not only those sources cited in each document, but a list of some other sources that may contain useful tributary habitat information. Where possible, web links for these additional documents are included, in the event that panel members choose to examine any of these sources.

As previously mentioned, these documents were designed to be used as a general source of habitat information. More information was available for some populations than for others; likewise, more information was available for some potential limiting factors than for others. Overall, we believe the documents are a good summary of tributary habitat information.

OR Habitat Atlas

The Atlas of Salmon and Steelhead Habitat in the Oregon Lower Columbia and Willamette Basins (Atlas), developed by NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Centeris designed to provide reference material for recovery planning in the Oregon Lower Columbia and Willamette basins. The information is summarized for individual populations, as defined by the Willamette/Lower Columbia Technical Recovery Team in 2004. Based on discussions with ODFW, the TRT recently decided to combine the Oregon Upper Gorge and HoodRiver coho populations into one population (similarly, on the Washington side of the river, the Upper Gorge and White Salmon coho populations will be combined); however, the Atlas reflects the TRT’s original population designations.

Each set of PDF maps contains information for a particular watershed. The maps include information onphysical accessibility, 303(d) listings, ODFW fish distribution, FEMA Q3 flood data, human population density, land cover, land use, land ownership, riparian condition, and water rights. Because some watersheds contain populations from more than one ESU, some maps contain information for multiple species.

The Atlas is also available at the Willamette/Lower Columbia Technical Recovery Team’s website:

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