Snohomish Delta Ecosystem Monitoring and Evaluation

Efforts

Efforts describe the goal-oriented activites of workgroups

• Knowledge Creation
  • Adaptive Management
  • Arts and Crafts
  • Lessons
  • Monitoring
  • Research
• Protection
  • Acquisition
  • Green Infrastructure
  • Regulation
• Restoration
  • Beach Nourishment
  • Engineered Log Jams
  • Fish Passage
  • Revegetation
• Social Change
  • Advocacy
  • Coordination
  • Education
  • Funding
  • Integrated Ecosystem Management
  • Legislation
  • Planning

Effort References

• RCO's PRISM Project Search
• Salmon Recovery Portal
• Ecology's Administration of Grants and Loans
• USACE Regulatory In-lieu Fee and Bank information Tracking System

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The Northwest Fisheries Science Center in collaboration with the Tulalip Tribes and Snohomish County has implemented a long term research program to evaluate Chinook salmon use of estuarine habitats and response to restoration in the Snohomish Delta. Through comprehensive monitoring of biological and physical conditions across the estuary, the program aims to characterize spatial and temporal variability in Chinook salmon distribution and habitat conditions/availability and document changes due to restoration within the delta. Specifically, the research program will develop/implement protocols and build a framework for intensive and extensive monitoring of topography (elevation, accretion), hydrology (temperature, salinity), vegetation, invertebrates, and fish and use the information to evaluate fish-habitat interactions and Chinook salmon response to current and future restoration projects.

Objectives

• Characterize trends in fish density/distribution throughout the delta and relative to project sites before/after restoration. Relate trends to temperature, salinity, and outmigration abundance.
• Track changes in elevation and vegetation communities at project sites to help inform restoration trajectory.
• Evaluate population-specific timing, distribution and sue of Snohomish delta habitats.
• Provide support for comparisons among the Snohomish Delta and other larger river deltas across Puget Sound (Skagit Delta and Nisqually Delta) to better understand river delta restoration.

Research Leads

• Joshua Chamberlin - Northwest Fisheries Science Center -
• Todd Zackey. Matt Pouley, Michelle Tottman - Tulalip Tribes -
• Frank Leonetti, Michael Rustay - Snohomish County -
• Jason Hall - Cramer Fish Sciences

Reports, Publications, and Presentations

• File:Large Landscape Scale Estuary Restoration Planning in the Snohomish Estuary Executive Summary.pdf
• File:Chamberlin et al. Capacity Snohomish 20220122 FINAL .pdf
• File:Chamberlin et al. Population specifc use of Snohomish Delta FINAL.pdf
• File:Snohomish Estuary Monitoring Plan 20201229.docx
• File:Hall et al 2019 DRAFT snohomish monitoring plan.pdf defines a monitoring strategy for the delta, which ultimately comes to integrate with project-based monitoring at Qwuloolt Restoration and Smith Island Restoration.
• Chamberlin, J. W., J. Hall, W. T. Zackey, F. Leonetti, M. Rustay, and C. Rice. 2021. Spatial and Temporal Variability in Chinook Salmon Abundance Reflects Opportunity to Support Life History Diversity in an Estuarine Landscape. Estuaries and Coasts 45(3):882-896.
• Hall, J.E., Khangaonkar, T.P., Rice, C.A., Chamberlin, J., Zackey, T., Leonetti, F., Rustay, M., Fresh, K., Kagley, A. and Rowse, M., 2018. Characterization of salinity and temperature patterns in a large river delta to support tidal wetland habitat restoration. Northwest Science, 92(1), pp.36-52.
• Link to webinar presentation recording on April 20th, 2022

Related Reports

• File:Yang & Khangaonkar 2007.pdf
• O'Neill, S.M., Carey, A.J., Harding, L.B., West, J.E., Ylitalo, G.M. and Chamberlin, J.W., 2020. Chemical tracers guide identification of the location and source of persistent organic pollutants in juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), migrating seaward through an estuary with multiple contaminant inputs. Science of The Total Environment, 712, p.135516.
• SBSRF 2005 is the published salmon recovery plan

Related Projects

• Evaluating Salmon Rearing Limitations in River Deltas
• Chinook response to estuary restoration

Notes

• PRISM Record 2014 PRISM record for ESRP funding
• Narrative Project Proposal
• Budget Worksheet
• This project is funded by the ESRP Learning Program
• This project intends to affect decision making about restoration in the Snohomish Delta