FY 2007-09 F&W Program Innovative Project Solicitation
Section 10. Narrative
Integrating Ecological Flows into River Management on the Willamette River
The purpose of this project is to identify ecological flow requirements for the Willamette
River and its tributaries, and to design and test alternative flow releases from the dams to
benefit fish and wildlife. Streamflow in the Willamette River Basin is largely controlled
by a series of dams and reservoirs. Operation of these dams results in alterations to the
flow regime, specifically reduced peak flows, lower spring flows, increased summer
flows and inadequate floodplain inundation. These changes have had major impacts on
federally protected species such as Chinook, coho, steelhead, bull trout and Oregon chub,
as well as on non-listed fish, wildlife and vegetation. Restoration of natural flow regimes
is one of the highest priority objectives in the Willamette Subbasin Plan. Initial efforts to
restore natural flow regimes in the Willamette system have focused on springtime flow
targets for the mainstem Willamette River to assist upstream migration of Chinook and
steelhead. This project will build upon that work by utilizing scientific data, technical
expertise and collaborative decision-making to identify flow regimes in the tributaries
and the mainstem that address all life-stages of multiple aquatic species and balance these
needs with the other operating purposes of the dams.
The Corps of Engineers (Corps) operates dam throughout the Columbia Basin. Working
with the Corps to identify opportunities to re-operate dams in ways that will benefit
aquatic species has the potential to provide ecological benefits across the entire basin.
The project is innovative in its scope and approach, addressing the flow needs of multiple
species and life-histories holistically, and using collaborative scientific and decisionmaking approaches to seek balance among competing water needs. The project will
serve as a demonstration of a unique partnership between a non-governmental
conservation organization and a natural resource management agency to develop and test
innovative approaches for managing water. The Willamette project has been identified as
one of several demonstration sites to participate in the national Sustainable Rivers
Project, a unique partnership between the Corps and The Nature Conservancy to address
changes in flow management at Corps facilities throughout the United States.
The Nature Conservancy will work with the Corps and the Eugene Water and Electric
Board (EWEB) to determine the ecological flow requirements for three tributaries of the
Willamette River –the McKenzie, Middle Fork and Coast Fork – and for portions of the
mainstem river, and then to design and test several alternative flow releases from the
dams. A key innovation will be to convene a “flow recommendations workshop”, which
will bring together leading biologists, hydrologists and engineers from state and federal
agencies, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations to develop
ecological flow recommendations for the tributaries and mainstem. The flow
recommendations will be informed by technical analysis of pre- and post- dam
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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hydrologic conditions, information on the flow requirements of key species and
communities and ecological models of flow-biotic relationships. The 18-month
timeframe will include implementation of initial changes in dam management and
initiation of a monitoring and assessment program.
B. Technical and/or scientific background
In the last 200 years, salmon and steelhead runs in the Columbia Basin have declined
precipitously. Historically, 10 million to 16 million salmon returned to the basin, a
number that in recent decades has dropped to around 1 million (Northwest Power and
Conservation Council, 2000, p. 2). While many factors have contributed to the decline of
anadromous fish in the basin, construction and operation of dams for hydropower,
navigation, flood control and irrigation have had the most drastic effects (NPCC, 2000, p.
3). Hundreds of dams in the basin have altered or eliminated fish habitat, with resulting
declines in salmon, steelhead and resident fish. These dams, and their operation, have
also affected wildlife by altering aquatic, riparian and floodplain habitat.
To counter the effects of the dams, the Council’s 2000 Columbia River Fish and Wildlife
Program (FWP) establishes a basinwide vision for fish and wildlife along with basinwide
objectives and strategies that address the impact of hydropower, habitat, hatcheries and
harvest on fish and wildlife. Our proposal adheres to the program’s objectives for
hydropower and habitat by adjusting hydropower operations, and in turn improving
aquatic habitat, in the Willamette River, the largest subbasin of the Columbia with
significant fish and wildlife resources in need of restoration.
The Willamette River and its tributaries contain important runs of anadromous and
resident fish including Chinook, coho and chum salmon, steelhead, cutthroat and bull
trout, and lamprey. Before construction of the dams, these species extensively utilized the
Willamette floodplain and historic backwater areas. Numerous amphibians were found
throughout the river valley, a number of which are now considered at risk. The
Willamette Valley’s location on the Pacific flyway has also made it an important area for
migrating and wintering waterfowl. The valley’s few remaining fragments of native
prairie support many special status plant species, while the remaining wetlands provide
habitat for the Oregon chub, the western pond turtle and many sensitive plant species.
In the mid-1900s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed 13 dams in the upper
basin for flood control, hydropower, navigation, irrigation and recreation. Known as the
Willamette Valley Projects, the dams are: Detroit, Big Cliff, Green Peter, Foster, Blue
River, Cougar, Fall Creek, Hills Creek, Lookout Point, Dexter, Dorena, Cottage Grove,
and Fern Ridge. In addition, the Eugene Water and Electric Board owns and operates two
dams on the MacKenzie River.
In some cases the existence of these dams blocks fish migration or kills fish in turbines.
But depending on how the dams are operated, they also harm fish and wildlife by
drastically changing flow regimes in the river. According to the Willamette Subbasin
Plan, these dams:
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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produce unnatural flow regimes by reducing peak springtime flows, increasing
summer flows, and minimizing natural flooding conditions;
withhold sediment that would naturally make its way downstream, which results
in the river eroding downstream banks to make up for the sediment deficit;
withhold gravel and minimize the dispersal of gravel, which over time diminishes
spawning grounds;
increase water temperatures and disease by reducing water velocity, which creates
unhealthy conditions for salmonids and resident fish; and,
create warmer rivers and reservoirs favoring non-native species that outcompete
salmonids, native trout, and other local species (Willamette Subbasin plan p. 3-19
and 3-39 – 3-45)
Extensive data documents the effect of flow alteration on the mainstem Willamette and
many of its tributaries. Discharge records from a Willamette gaging station at Albany for
the period 1893 to 1997 reveal low flows are more than 13 cubic meters per second
(m3/s) greater, and peak flows are almost 2000 m3/s lower, after dam construction
(Gregory et al., 2002). Flow regimes are a particular problem in many Willamette
tributaries, particularly the Middle Fork and Coast Fork, as noted in the subbasin plan (p.
3-279, 327). The subbasin plan notes that the factors limiting productivity of fish in both
tributaries are modifications made to the river’s high flow regime from dam regulation,
diminishing gravel, lower frequency and depth of pools for fish to hide and rest in, and
increased water temperatures. Our project will offer significant benefits related to each of
these problems.
The effects of dam operations and altered flow regimes on river ecosystems in general are
well-documented. The alteration of river flow regimes from dams has been identified as
one of the leading causes of the decline of aquatic species (Richter et al. 1997). A river’s
flow regime is recognized as a “master variable” that drives many other components of a
river ecosystem – e.g. fish abundance and distribution, riparian vegetation composition,
instream habitat, water chemistry and stream temperatures (Sparks, 1995, Poff et al.
1997, Stanford et al., 1996, Trush et al., 2000). Modification in the timing, frequency, or
duration of flows can impact upstream or downstream migration, reduce access to
spawning and rearing areas, and effect survival and growth of all life-stages of fish
(Allan, 1995, Gregory et al., 2002; Trush et al., 2000). Changes in flow regimes can
affect composition and patch dynamics in riparian areas (Poff et al. 1997; Richter and
Richter, 2000; Trush, 2000), with subsequent effects on floodplain dependent wildlife.
The Willamette Subbasin Plan stresses the detrimental effects dams and their operation
have had on streamflow. In addition, a Biological Assessment analyzing the effects of the
Willamette dams on endangered species states the project has caused significant changes
to the water balance downstream of each dam facility, resulting generally in higher
summer and fall flows and lower winter and spring flows, which is likely to adversely
affect ESA-listed species, namely Upper Willamette River Chinook salmon ESU; Upper
Willamette River steelhead trout ESU; Columbia River bull trout DPS; Oregon chub; and
Howellia aquatilis (USACE, 2000, p. iii, 6-2, 8-1). Furthermore, an August 2002 article
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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in BioScience states that in the Willamette River, more than 50 percent of channel
complexity has been reduced through active channel alteration, bank hardening, and
hydrologic alteration through flood control (Gregory et al, 2002). The Lower Middle
Fork Willamette Watershed Assessment notes these same problems in the Middle Fork
specifically (Runyon et al, p. 30). Other reports note the dramatic effects dams have had
on flow basinwide, including a National Research Council report titled “Managing the
Columbia,” which states that hydrologic changes have had significant effects on juvenile
fish survival (NRC, 2004, p. 27).
Terrestrial wildlife has also suffered. The subbasin plan notes dramatic drops in species
dependent on riparian areas, and many of the changes are caused by river regulation due
to the dams (Primozich and Bastatch, p. 3-211). The subbasin plan also lists dozens of
terrestrial focal species in the basin, 17 of which will benefit from flow restoration
(Primozich and Bastatch, p. 3-51-58).
Despite these well-documented and drastic changes dams have caused in hydrology and
habitat, to date the Willamette has received little attention in this arena. The proposed
project will bring an innovative approach to addressing flow alteration in the Willamette
River system by considering the flow needs of multiple species and life-stages
holistically, and by using collaborative scientific and decision-making approaches to seek
balance among competing water needs.
C. Rationale and significance to the Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program
In the project “Integrating Ecological Flows into River Management on the Willamette
River” The Nature Conservancy, the Army Corps of Engineers and others will identify
the “ecosystem flow regimes” needed to maintain and restore aquatic and riparian species
and communities and will implement changes in how and when water is released from
the dams to achieve these flow regimes, while at the same time meeting the designated
purposes of the dams. The work to be conducted will focus on adjusting flows to restore
and maintain river and floodplain habitat and improve water quality for a variety of focal
species.
Our proposal addresses priority needs identified in the Willamette Subbasin Plan as well
as the overarching, basinwide Fish and Wildlife Program.
Subbasin Plan
Our proposal directly addresses the Willamette Subbasin Plan’s number one basinwide
priority: to “deal with the dams.” The subbasin plan repeatedly notes the importance of
providing a more natural flow regime in the Willamette. The quantity and quality of key
habitats and habitat diversity needed for aquatic species in the Willamette Basin depend
on the natural processes, functions and dynamics that form and maintain them. The most
direct and effective way to restore those habitats, and in turn salmon runs, is by
promoting and investing in natural processes (Willamette Subbasin Plan, 5-8).
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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Aquatic habitat objectives in the Subbasin Plan focus on the benefits of augmenting
natural processes, functions and dynamics to restore habitat, specifically by achieving
more natural flow regimes and restoring physical habitat. The plan’s suggested strategies
to this end include:
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improving management of releases from major dams to create more floodplainconnecting flows;
moving toward a more natural pattern and duration of peak flows;
improving low-season flows;
increasing wood recruitment and gravel recruitment and transport; and,
controlling releases of dam water to improve water temperatures for fish and
wildlife (Willamette Subbasin Plan, p. 5-18, 5-22, 5-23).
Our proposal will develop flow recommendations that will help address each of these
strategies.
The subbasin plan also prioritizes reestablishing the connection between fish and
floodplains by restoring low-cost, high-return areas of the Willamette River Floodplain.
As part of that priority, the plan’s authors note, “Natural flow regimes, periodic flooding,
complex channels and functioning riparian areas are required to create and maintain the
habitat features and dynamics that make floodplains especially productive and
biologically diverse” (p.5-3). Our proposal also addresses this priority.
Restoring key components of flow regimes – e.g. low flows, high flows and floods – can
have significant benefits to terrestrial wildlife (Bayley, 1991, Richter et al., 2003;
Stanford et al., 1996;). “Learning new ways to manage dams to meet competing demands
– including providing for alternative flow releases to emulate more natural flow regimes
– will have substantial impacts on both fish and wildlife populations” (Willamette
Subbasin Plan, p. 5-2). Some of the focal terrestrial species that will benefit from more
natural flow regimes include (Willamette Subbasin Plan, tables 3-19 and 3-20):
American dipper
Bald eagle
Barrow’s goldeneye
Cascade torrent salamander
Cascades frog
Foothill yellow-legged frog
Great blue heron
Harlequin duck
Painted turtle
Red-legged frog
Southern torrent salamander
Tailed frog
Western pond turtle
Western toad
Willow flycatcher
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
Yellow warbler
Yellow-breasted chat
5
Fish and Wildlife Program
Our proposal most directly relates to two of the Fish and Wildlife Program’s provisional
biological objectives for environmental characteristics at the basin level (NWPCC Fish and
Wildlife Program, Appendix E).
The first is to protect and restore freshwater habitat for all life-history stages of the key species,
and protect and increase ecological connectivity between aquatic areas, riparian zones,
floodplains and uplands. The Fish and Wildlife Program proposes achieving this objective by:
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increasing the connections between rivers and their floodplains, side channels and
riparian zones;
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managing riparian areas to protect aquatic conditions and form a transition to
floodplain terrestrial areas and side channels;
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identifying, protecting and restoring the functions of key alluvial river reaches;
and,
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reconnecting restored tributary habitats to protected or restored mainstem habitats,
especially in the area of productive mainstem populations.
The second Fish and Wildlife Program objective our proposal would fulfill is to allow patterns of
water flow to move more than at present toward the natural hydrographic pattern in terms of
quantity, quality and fluctuation, specifically by:
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restoring habitat in the context of measured trends in water quality;
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allowing for seasonal fluctuations in flow and stabilizing daily fluctuations;
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increasing the correspondence between water temperatures and the naturallyoccurring regimes of temperatures throughout the basin; and,
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significantly reducing watershed erosion where human activities have accelerated
sediment inputs.
Our proposal also supports the program’s primary habitat strategy, to identify the current
condition and biological potential of the habitat and then protect or restore it to the extent
described in the biological objectives (NWPCC Fish and Wildlife Program, p. 20). In addition,
our proposal supports the program’s primary hydropower strategy: to provide conditions within
the hydrosystem for adult and juvenile fish that most closely approximate the natural physical
and biological conditions, provide adequate levels of survival to support fish population recovery
based in subbasin plans, support expression of life-history diversity, and assure that flow and
spill operations are optimized to produce the greatest biological benefits with the least adverse
effects on resident fish while assuring an adequate, efficient, economical, and reliable power
supply (NWPCC Fish and Wildlife Program, p. 25).
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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Other programs:
Restoration of the Willamette River is a focus of numerous federal, state and local agencies and
entities. The Corps is consulting with NOAA Fisheries and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on
continued operation of the 13 dams in the Willamette Basin. Interim recommendations call for
the Corps to undertake efforts to restore degraded downstream habitat in the floodplain as well as
provide for flow requirements for specific life-history stages. The Willamette River also does not
meet Clean Water Act standards for temperature, in part due to reservoir operations. The Corps
is working cooperatively with Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to develop
temperature Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for the Willamette River. In addition, the
river is designated as an American Heritage River, a program that assists local communities in
applying federal funds, missions and authorities to restoring the environmental, cultural and
economic health of their rivers.
And finally, the Willamette Floodplain Restoration Study, a General Investigations Study, has
evaluated opportunities to restore natural floodplain functions, including aquatic and riparian
habitat conditions, in the Middle and Coast Forks of the Willamette River. To date, the project
has collected and compiled technical data and developed analyses including Digital Elevation
Models, Stream discharge and stage, hydrogeomorphic conditions and trends, and Ecological
Response models. During FY 2008 and 2009, the project will develop a series of alternative
floodplain restoration plans identifying high priority sites to restore natural wetland and
floodplain functions to benefit aquatic and terrestrial species.
D. Relationships to other projects
BPA-Funded Projects
Willamette Basin Mitigation (199206800) is a project administered by the Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife to prioritize and coordinate wildlife mitigation activities in the Willamette
Basin. Activities include restoration and enhancement projects and acquisition of important fish
and wildlife habitats. A key component of this project is the Willamette Floodplain Restoration
Study. The Army Corps of Engineers has a congressionally mandated authority to evaluate
opportunities to restore natural floodplain functions, including aquatic and riparian habitat
conditions, in the Willamette Basin. The Corps implemented a General Investigations study in
the Willamette Basin in partnership with the Willamette Basin Mitigation Program following a
reconnaissance report to investigate alternatives for preventing floods similar to those that
occurred in 1996. A feasibility phase, focused on the Middle and Coast Forks of the Willamette
River, was initiated in 2004 to evaluate alternatives for modifying existing floodplain features to
reduce flood damages while restoring natural wetlands and floodplain functions to benefit
aquatic and terrestrial species. During FY 2007, the project will develop a series of alternative
floodplain restoration plans addressing the priority sites and reaches individually and in groups.
The feasibility phase will be completed in 2008 and will be followed by an implementation
phase that may include modifying floodplain features, and acquisition or protection of critical
habitats. This project is directly linked to the proposed project. The Willamette Floodplain
Restoration Study is collecting a significant amount of technical data, both physical and
biological, that will be used by the proposed project. Information and data from the Willamette
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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Floodplain Restoration Study will help define the flow recommendations developed in the
proposed project. The flow targets developed as part of the proposed project will help refine the
floodplain restoration plans developed in the Willamette Floodplain Restoration Study.
Amazon Basin/Eugene Wetlands-Phase II 199205900 is a project administered by The Nature
Conservancy (TNC) focusing on enhancement and restoration prescriptions and techniques,
habitat type indexing and qualification, general land management actions and acquisition
activities. The project manager was an active member of and contributor to the Technical
Advisory Group which is developing site specific restoration plans for the Willamette Basin
Mitigation Program Middle Fork and Coast Fork Willamette focus areas.
McKenzie River Focus Watershed Coordination 199607000 is an on-going project in the basin
which provides focus and coordination for the fish and wildlife mitigation activities occurring in
this watershed. Coordination with this project will provide information on potential
enhancement and acquisition sites in the watershed that can be tied to flow restoration.
http://www.mckenziewatershedcouncil.org/pdf/AnnualReport2005BPA.pdf
Bull Trout Assessment-Willamette/McKenzie 199405300 is an on-going Resident Fish project
which will continue to provide valuable information to the mitigation efforts in the McKenzie
River in particular. The data will be useful in other tributaries of the Willamette where bull trout
occurred historically (e.g. Upper Middle Fork Willamette). Endangered Species Act
requirements will be an important consideration in developing flow recommendations in the
Willamette River and its tributaries, so information from this project will be critical to the
proposed project.
OWEB-Funded Projects
Elijah Bristow Floodplain Restoration project is a phased project managed by the Middle Fork
Watershed Council. The work is being conducted at the confluence of the Middle Fork of the
Willamette River and Lost Creek. The project goal is to restore the riparian forest along this
section of the Middle Fork of the Willamette River. Flow restoration in the river realized
through the proposed project could benefit the Elijah Bristow Floodplain Restoration project by
providing hydraulic connectivity between the river and the floodplain.
Coast Fork South Meadow Floodplain Restoration project is a project managed by the Friends of
Buford Park. The 200-acre project area includes a three-fourth-mile-long restored side channel
habitat, over 16,000 newly planted native trees, shrubs, and grasses and more than 40 acres of
exotic blackberry under control at the southwest base of Mount Pisgah. The location of the
project is close to the confluence of the Coast and Middle Forks of the Willamette River, which
is identified as a high priority area in the Willamette Subbasin Plan. Flow restoration in the
Coast Fork realized through the proposed project could benefit the South Meadow restoration
project by providing hydraulic connectivity between the river and the floodplain.
Oregon Chub Investigations is a project managed by the Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife, and is jointly funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Army Corps of
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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Engineers, the U.S. Forest Service and Oregon State Parks. The project is evaluating population
status, abundance and distribution of Oregon Chub, and evaluating, conducting and monitoring
re-introductions of Oregon Chub into historic habitat. The effects of flow restoration on Oregon
Chub will be an important consideration in developing the flow recommendations in the
Willamette River and its tributaries, so information from this project will be critical to the
proposed project.
E. Proposal objectives, work elements, methods, and monitoring and evaluation
The Nature Conservancy will work with the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Eugene
Water and Electric Board (EWEB) to determine the ecological flow requirements for three
tributaries of the Willamette River – the McKenzie, Middle Fork and Coast Fork – and for
portions of the mainstem river, and then to design and test several alternative flow releases from
the dams. The McKenzie River contains two Corps of Engineers dams and two Eugene Water
and Electric Board dams, and the Middle and Coast Forks contain five Corps of Engineers dams.
A key innovation will be to convene a “flow recommendations workshop”, which will bring
together leading biologists, hydrologists and engineers from state and federal agencies, academic
institutions and non-governmental organizations to develop ecological flow recommendations
for the McKenzie River. The flow recommendations will be informed by technical analysis of
pre- and post- dam hydrologic conditions, information on the flow requirements of key species
and communities and ecological models of flow-biotic relationships. For the Middle and Coast
Forks, preliminary flow recommendations have already been developed. The analysis will
integrate the information from the McKenzie and the Middle and Coast Forks to create a
comprehensive evaluation of the Willamette hydropower system, and will include development
and implementation of flow recommendations on the mainstem Willamette River downstream of
the confluence with the McKenzie River. The 18-month timeframe will include implementation
of initial changes in dam management and initiation of a monitoring and assessment program.
The project will address Basinwide Priorities 5.2.2.1, 5.2.2.5 and 5.2.2.6, Aquatic Habitat
Objective 5.3.1.2, and strategies 5.4.2.1, 5.4.2.2 and 5.4.3.1 of the Willamette Subbasin Plan
(Willamette Subbasin Plan pages 5-2, 5-3, 5-7, 5-8 and 5-22 through 5-25).
1. Objective: Provide ecological flows in the McKenzie River to benefit fish and wildlife
downstream of the Corps and EWEB dams
A. sub-objective: Implement initial flow releases from the dams
Work element: Determine pre- and post- dam hydrologic conditions on the
McKenzie River to inform development of ecological flow recommendations
Methods: Compile flow data from stream gages in McKenzie River and utilize
standard hydrologic data analysis techniques to characterize flow regimes both
spatially and temporally. Utilize recently developed analysis tool, Indicators of
Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) to compare natural and current flow regimes and
characterize changes in key environmental flow components, including low
summer flows, high flow pulses, small bankfull floods and large floods.
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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Produce report with graphs and summaries of current and historic flow regimes
and changes in key hydrologic statistics.
Work element: Develop flow-biotic relationships and ecological models for the
McKenzie to use in developing target ecological flows
Methods: Compile data and literature on the flow requirements for native
species and ecological processes in the river-floodplain system. Include
information on: 1) Key indicator species – including a range of species with
different life-histories, with flow requirements identified for specific life-history
stages; 2) Floodplain processes and functions – including functions such as
vegetation establishment, seed dispersal, riparian community structure and
function, seasonal access for fish, habitat for species such as amphibians and
birds, etc.; 3) Hydrogeomorphic processes – including channel formation,
sediment dynamics and gravel movement and 4) Water quality – including
temperature, DO, and nutrients. Produce ecological models showing the lifehistories of exemplar species and their relationship to ecological flow
components.
Work element: Determine target ecological flows for the McKenzie River and the
mainstem Willamette River immediately downstream of the confluence
Methods: Hold a workshop with key scientific experts to develop ecological
objectives and initial flow recommendations, and to identify critical information
gaps. The workshop will be composed of scientists from a variety of
disciplines, e.g., hydrologists, hydraulic engineers, geomorphologists, fisheries
biologists, riparian ecologists, water quality specialists, etc., to insure an
interdisciplinary perspective. It will utilize hydrologic and ecological
information from the work elements listed above. Initial quantitative flow
recommendations will include recommended ranges for a) Low flows (seasonal,
annual and extreme low flows; b) High flow pulses (up to bankfull discharge);
c) Small Floods (overbank flows, approximately 2- to 10-year return period); d)
Large Floods (floodplain maintenance flows, > approximately 10-year return
period). For each environmental flow component, flow requirements will be
evaluated for the following parameters: magnitude, frequency, duration, timing
and rate of change needed to sustain the biological requirements and
geomorphic and ecological processes. These recommendations will be
expressed as a range of desired flow conditions at one or more flow
measurement stations downstream of the dams as well as the Willamette River
immediately below the confluence of the McKenzie River and the current flow
target location at Salem. The outcome of the workshop will be a Workshop
Summary report that provides quantitative values for the ecological flows and
describes their ecological benefits.
Work element: Implement changes in dam management on the McKenzie River to
meet target ecological flows
Methods: Work with the Interagency Flow Management Work Group to
integrate flow recommendations into annual reservoir operations on the
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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McKenzie. The Interagency Flow Management Work Group, which consists of
representatives of all federal, state and local agencies with water resource
management responsibilities in the basin, provides input to the Corps of
Engineers on decision-making during the annual operating season. Evaluate
potential flow changes using the existing reservoir simulation model, ResSim.
ResSim is a computer model developed by the Army Corps of Engineers
designed to evaluate alternative reservoir operating criteria with a primary
output of changes in flow. Changes in flow can then entered into HEC-RAS, a
hydraulic model that evaluates the effects of flow changes on downstream
hydrographs and water surface elevations. Operation of the dams will be
modified to achieve the identified flow management targets at each of the flow
measurement stations to the greatest extent practical. The outcome is one or
more flow releases during the reservoir operations season.
Ensure public involvement in the process. At the onset, convene a one-day
workshop for stakeholders to discuss the project and provide input and
feedback. Throughout the process provide updates and information to interested
parties. Once target flow releases are identified, convene a series of public
meetings to inform stakeholders about the potential changes in dam operations.
B. M&E sub-objective: Monitor and evaluate effects of changes in reservoir operations
for the Corps and EWEB dams
Work element: Develop and implement a field monitoring program to assess the
ecological and biological benefits of changes in flow
Methods: Develop a monitoring program to evaluate the ecological effects of
implementing the recommended flow regimes. Identify ecosystem indicators
that are representative of the health of the river ecosystem, directly address
ecological goals, and are responsive to flow conditions in the short-term.
Monitoring will likely include:
 Hydrologic monitoring such as discharge, stage, and floodplain inundation
for pre and post implementation at key sites and locations
 Biological monitoring such as fish or redd counts, upstream or downstream
migration, macroinvertebrate surveys at key sites and locations, and riparian
vegetation seedling establishment.
 Water quality monitoring such as nutrients, DO, pH, etc.
Work element: Model effects of flow changes on reservoir operations and
ecological and biological response using hydrologic, hydraulic and biological
response models
Methods: Utilize model simulations or economic analysis to evaluate the effects
of flow changes on reservoir operations and ability to meet the multi-use
purposes of the dams. Evaluate biological response using several different
models and assessment tools. The primary “model” that will be used to
determine the biological benefits of flow restoration in the Willamette is
Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment (EDT). EDT has been developed for
Chinook for significant portions of the mainstem river and several of the larger
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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subbasins, and provides a framework for comparing either historic to current
habitat conditions, or in this case, current to projected habitat conditions. In
addition to EDT, Habitat Suitability Indices (HSI) are being developed for a
variety of species. These indices consist of graphs of weighted usable area
versus depth and velocity and are developed from field studies. EDT and HSI
will be used to characterize habitat suitability and potential use by target
species. By comparing the HEC-RAS outputs to the EDT and HSI habitat
parameters, we will be able to evaluate the habitat benefits of different flow
restoration scenarios.
2. Objective: Provide ecological flows in the Middle and Coast Forks to benefit fish and
wildlife downstream of the Corps dams
A. sub-objective: Implement initial flow releases from the dams
Work element: Implement changes in dam management on the Middle and Coast
Forks to meet target ecological flows
Methods: Work with the Interagency Flow Management Work Group to
integrate flow recommendations into annual reservoir operations on the Middle
and Coast Forks. The Interagency Flow Management Work Group, which
consists of representatives of all federal, state and local agencies with water
resource management responsibilities in the basin, provides input to the Corps
of Engineers on decision-making during the annual operating season. Evaluate
potential flow changes using the existing reservoir simulation model, ResSim.
ResSim is a computer model developed by the Army Corps of Engineers
designed to evaluate alternative reservoir operating criteria with a primary
output of changes in flow. Changes in flow can then entered into HEC-RAS, a
hydraulic model that evaluates the effects of flow changes on downstream
hydrographs and water surface elevations. Operation of the dams will be
modified to achieve the identified flow management targets at each of the flow
measurement stations to the greatest extent practical. The outcome is one or
more flow releases during the reservoir operations season.
Ensure public involvement in the process. At the onset, convene a one-day
workshop for stakeholders to discuss the project and provide input and
feedback. Throughout the process provide updates and information to interested
parties. Once target flow releases are identified, convene a series of public
meetings to inform stakeholders about the potential changes in dam operations.
B. M&E sub-objective: Monitor and evaluate effects of changes in reservoir operations
for the Middle and Coast Forks Corps dams
Work element: Develop and implement a field monitoring program to assess the
ecological and biological benefits of changes in flow
Methods: Develop a monitoring program to evaluate the ecological effects of
implementing the recommended flow regimes. Identify ecosystem indicators
that are representative of the health of the river ecosystem, directly address
ecological goals, and are responsive to flow conditions in the short-term.
Monitoring will likely include:
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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 Hydrologic monitoring such as discharge, stage, and floodplain inundation
for pre and post implementation at key sites and locations
 Biological monitoring such as fish or redd counts, upstream or downstream
migration, macroinvertebrate surveys at key sites and locations, and riparian
vegetation seedling establishment.
 Water quality monitoring such as nutrients, DO, pH, etc.
Work element: Model effects of flow changes on reservoir operations and
ecological and biological response using hydrologic, hydraulic and biological
response models
Methods: Utilize model simulations or economic analysis to evaluate the effects
of flow changes on reservoir operations and ability to meet the multi-use
purposes of the dams. Evaluate biological response using several different
models and assessment tools. The primary “model” that will be used to
determine the biological benefits of flow restoration in the Willamette is
Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment (EDT). EDT has been developed for
Chinook for significant portions of the mainstem river and several of the larger
subbasins, and provides a framework for comparing either historic to current
habitat conditions, or in this case, current to projected habitat conditions. In
addition to EDT, Habitat Suitability Indices (HSI) are being developed for a
variety of species. These indices consist of graphs of weighted usable area
versus depth and velocity and are developed from field studies. EDT and HSI
will be used to characterize habitat suitability and potential use by target
species. By comparing the HEC-RAS outputs to the EDT and HSI habitat
parameters, we will be able to evaluate the habitat benefits of different flow
restoration scenarios. Along with the biological analyses, the Corps is
developing a Hydrogeomorphic model (HGM) for the Middle and Coast Forks
as part of the Floodplain Restoration Study. This model links hydrogeomorphic
features such as primary and secondary channels, islands and barforms, and
floodplain features, with stream hydrology and hydraulics. Together, EDT, HSI
and HGM provide ecological outputs for a variety of flow alternatives
F. Facilities and equipment
No new facilities will be purchased or developed through this project. However, the Army
Corps of Engineers and the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) will contribute services
from existing dams. For the Corps, the dams are Lookout Point, Hills Creek, Dorena, Cottage
Grove and Fall Creek on the Coast and Middle Forks of the Willamette River, and Blue River
and Cougar on the McKenzie River,. For EWEB, the dams are Smith and Trail Bridge in the
Upper McKenzie watershed. In addition, the Corps, EWEB and the Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife will contribute field and laboratory equipment for project monitoring. The Nature
Conservancy will contribute office space and equipment.
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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G. Literature cited
Reference (include web address if available online)
Allan JD. 1995. Stream Ecology: Structure and Function of Running Waters.
Chapman & Hall. New York.
Bayley PB. 1991. The flood pulse advantage and the restoration of river-floodplain
systems. Regulated Rivers: Research & Management 6: 75-86.
Gregory S, Li H, Li J. 2002. The Conceptual Basis for Ecological Responses to Dam
Removal. BioScience 52: 713-723.
Hill, MT; Platts, WS; Beschta, RL. 1991. Ecological and geomorphological concepts
for instream and out-of-channel flow requirements. Rivers 2: 198-210.
National Research Council of The National Academies. 2004. Managing the
Columbia River: Instream Flows, Water Withdrawals, and Salmon Survival.
Washington, D.C.: The National Acadamies Press. 170 p.
http://www.nap.edu/books/0309091551/html/R1.html
Northwest Power and Conservation Council. 2000. Conclusions And Strategies For
Salmon Restoration In The Columbia River Basin. In: Return to the River. Council
Document 2000-12. p 445-467. (http://www.nwcouncil.org/library/return/200012.htm).
Northwest Power and Conservation Council. 2000. Columbia River Basin Fish and
Wildlife Program: A Multi-Species Approach for Decision Making. Council
document 2000-19. http://www.nwcouncil.org/library/2000/2000-19/Default.htm
Poff NL, Allan JD, Bain MB, Karr JR, Prestegaard KL, Richter BD, Sparks RE,
Stromberg JC. 1997. The Natural Flow Regime A paradigm for river conservation
and restoration. BioScience 47: 769-784.
Primozich, D., and R. Bastasch, 2005. The Willamette Subbasin Plan. 758 pages.
Prepared for Northwest Power and Conservation Council.
http://www.nwcouncil.org/fw/subbasinplanning/willamette/plan/
Richter BD, Braun DP, Mendelson MA, Master LL. 1997. Threats to Imperiled
Freshwater Fauna. Conservation Biology 11: 1081-1093.
Richter BD, Richter H. 2000. Prescribing Flood Regimes to Sustain Riparian
Ecosystems along Meandering Rivers. Conservation Biology 14: 1467-1478.
Richter BD, Mathews R, Harrison DL, Wigington R. 2003. Ecologically Sustainable
Water Management: Managing River Flows for Ecological Integrity. Ecological
Applications 13:206-224.
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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Reference (include web address if available online)
Runyon J, Grubert T, Allen J, Reed J, Rogers V, Mattson K. 2002. Lower Middle
Fork Willamette River Watershed Assessment. Oregon: The Middle Fork Willamette
Watershed Council. 159 p. http://www.mfwwc.org/downloads/mfwillamettev1.pdf
Sparks RE. 1995. Need for ecosystem management of large rivers and their
floodplains. BioScience 45: 169-182.
Stanford, J A; Ward, J V; Liss, W J; Frissell, C A; Williams, R N; Lichatowich, J A;
Coutant, C C. 1996. A general protocol for restoration of regulated rivers.
Proceedings of an international workshop on remedial strategies in regulated rivers
held in Lyckselle, Sweden, 25-28 September, 1995. p 391-413.
Trush WJ, McBain SM, Leopold, LB. 2000. Attributes of an alluvial river and their
relation to water policy and management. Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences 97: 11858-11863
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 2000. Biological Assessment of the Effects of the
Willamette River Basin Flood Control Project on Listed Species Under the
Endangered Species Act. Submitted to: National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service.
H. Key personnel
The Nature Conservancy will lead the project and contract with a private consulting firm to
complete the hydrologic and hydraulic analysis and modeling. The consulting firm will be
selected through a standard “Request for Proposals” process and will bring expertise in
hydrology, channel dynamics and streamflow and reservoir modeling. The consulting
engineer(s) have not yet been identified or selected.
Leslie Bach, Director of Freshwater Programs for The Nature Conservancy in Oregon (0.1
FTE/Year) Project Manager. Work closely with staff at the Army Corps of Engineers and the
Eugene Water and Electric Board to compile and assess the hydrologic and ecological
information. Oversee contractor in completing the hydrologic analysis and hydraulic and
reservoir modeling. Organize the flow recommendations workshop and ensure that outcomes of
the workshop are recorded and published. Participate in the Willamette Interagency Flow
Management Work Group and lead discussions of changes in operations with the group. Lead
development and ensure implementation of the monitoring program. Identify and inform
stakeholders throughout the process.
Education/ Training
Ph.D. in Hydrology & Water Resources, Department of Civil Engineering, Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, CO, 1989
M.S. in Soil Physics, Minor in Civil Engineering – Hydrology, Department of Crop & Soil
Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, 1984
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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B.S. in Soil and Water Science, Department of Land, Air & Water Resources, University of
California, Davis, CA 1981
Professional Experience
2004 – Present, Director of Freshwater Programs, The Nature Conservancy, Portland, OR.
Oversee development of a statewide freshwater program. Build internal capacity and external
partnerships to address key issues and opportunities related to freshwater biodiversity
conservation, develop assessments of natural flow regimes, and manage small grants program
providing funds for salmon habitat restoration projects. Provide hydrologic and water rights
expertise to the Klamath Basin water rights adjudication.
1999 –2004, Freshwater Specialist, The Nature Conservancy, Portland, OR.
1995 – 1999, Staff Scientist/Hydrologist, Oregon Water Trust (OWT), Portland, OR.
1994 – 1995, Watershed Analysis Coordinator, Oregon Dept. of Environmental Quality,
Portland, OR.
1991 – 1993, Forest Hydrologist, USDA-Forest Service, Umatilla National Forest.
1984 – 1991, Research Hydraulic Engineer, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Fort Collins
CO, and Tucson, AZ.
Expertise
Dr. Bach has 20 years of experience in various aspects of water resource management, including
watershed analysis, water quality and quantity monitoring, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling,
and stream and riparian restoration. She has extensive experience in program management,
including supervising teams of technical experts, hiring and overseeing contractors and
consultants, managing large grants and contracts, and completing NEPA and ESA compliance.
She has managed stream and wetland restoration programs, as well as provided technical
expertise on habitat protection. She has developed watershed assessments and watershed
management plans and implemented policies and programs for protection and restoration of
threatened and endangered aquatic species. She has designed and implemented water quantity
and quality monitoring programs.
Relevant Publications and Job Completions
2007 – Completion of initial flow recommendations for the Middle and Coast Forks Willamette
River. Publication: L.B. Bach, M. Rea, M. K. Scullion, K. Kanbergs and J. J. Opperman. 2007
(in review). Willamette River Oregon: Moving Toward Basin-wide Flow and Floodplain
Restoration. American Water Resources Association Water Resources IMPACT Magazine
2005 – Completion of a river/wetland restoration plan for a 7,000-acre floodplain delta at the
confluence of the Williamson River and Upper Klamath Lake. The restoration plan included
completion of a Final Environmental Impact Statement, a Biological Assessment and Biological
Opinion and state and federal wetland restoration permits.
2005 – Development of methods for assessing the importance of groundwater to protection and
restoration of aquatic ecosystems. Publication: Brown, J, L. Bach and A. Aldous. 2005.
Linking groundwater to aquatic biodiversity: Developing methods for freshwater
conservationists. River Voices 15:18-21.
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2005 – Assessment of effects of flow alteration on the Laguna de Terminos estuary, Gulf of
Mexico, Campeche, Mexico. Publication: Olson et al. 2006. Managing Freshwater Inflows to
Estuaries: A Methods Guide. U.S. Agency for International Development, Washington D.C.
2003 – Development of conservation plans for aquatic ecosystems in Latin America and the
Caribbean; Development of aquatic conservation strategies across the U.S. and Latin America.
Publications: Bach, L. B., M. T. Bryer, and A. R. Aldous 2003. Watershed conservation
planning at multiple spatial scales. Proc. III Congreso Latinoamericano de Manejo de Cuencas
Hidrográficas, Arequipa, Peru. www.congresocuencas.org.pe ; Braun, D. P., L B. Bach, K A.
Ciruna and A. T. Warner. 2000. Watershed-scale abatement of threats to freshwater biodiversity:
The Nature Conservancy’s Freshwater Initiative. Proceedings of the Conference Watersheds
2000, Water Environment Foundation, Vancouver, B.C.
Matthew Rea, Willamette Basin Coordinator (0.10 FTE/Year). Corps Project Liaison.
Coordinate with The Nature Conservancy and others to develop the flow recommendations.
Lead Corps work on hydrologic, hydraulic and reservoir analyses. Work with reservoir control
group to implement flow recommendations. Coordinate Interagency Flow Management Work
Group.
Education/ Training
BS, 1979, Resource Recreation Management, GPA 3.64, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Additional Training:
USACE Planning Associates Program; Executive Leadership Institute (ongoing), Portland State
Univ.; Civil Works Programming & Budgeting; Project Management; Portland District
Leadership Development Program; Foundations of Public Administration; Environmental
Quality Planning; Environmental Laws & Regulations; Public Involvement
Professional Experience
1992 – present, Community Planner, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District.
Serve as the Willamette Basin Coordinator for the District involving: coordinating real-time
operation of a 13 reservoir system through an interagency committee; coordinating District
consultation with National Marine Fisheries Service and US Fish & Wildlife Service under
Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA); serving as the district representative on a statedriven ESA recovery planning team for the Willamette Basin; preparing and implementing a
strategic plan for District response to endangered species recovery; serving as the District
representative to an interagency council assisting the State of Oregon in developing Total
Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for the Willamette River under the Clean Water Act. Project
Manager for Corps of Engineers GI and CAP planning studies.
1979 - 1992. Outdoor Recreation Planner, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District.
Expertise
Mr. Rea has 27 years of professional experience with the Corps of Engineers. In that period, Mr.
Rea’s work has focused heavily on Willamette Basin water resource and related land
management issues. Mr. Rea is the Willamette Basin coordinator for the Corps’ Portland
District. In that capacity he coordinates operation of the Willamette Basin reservoirs with an
FY 2007-09 Project Selection, Section 10
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interagency flow management work group. He has prepared Resource Management Plans for all
thirteen Corps reservoir projects in the basin, and is the coordinator for the Corps’ ongoing
Endangered Species Act consultation in the basin. Mr. Rea manages several congressionally
authorized studies and projects. He has extensive experience in project management and in
developing and managing budgets and contracts with outside consultants. He has lead and
participated in extensive public outreach and stakeholder involvement efforts throughout the
basin.
Relevant Publications and Job Completions
2007 – Completion of initial flow recommendations for the Middle and Coast Forks Willamette
River. Publication: L.B. Bach, M. Rea, M. K. Scullion, K. Kanbergs and J. J. Opperman. 2007
(in review). Willamette River Oregon: Moving Toward Basin-wide Flow and Floodplain
Restoration. American Water Resources Association Water Resources IMPACT Magazine
2006 – Completion of a four-month developmental assignment to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Headquarters. Publication: Revised Planning Guidance Notebook (ER 1105-2-100), particularly
Chapter 7, Environmental Planning and Evaluation.
2006 – Completion of temporary detail as Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Mission Task Manager following the February 1996 flood emergency. Coordinated Corps of
Engineers technical assistance and prepared reports and recommendations to FEMA for flood
damage sites.
Karl Morgenstern, Drinking Water Source Protection Coordinator for Eugene Water & Electric
Board (EWEB) has a B.S. in geography/soils science from the University of Kansas and over 20
years of experience in environmental protection. At EWEB, Mr. Morgenstern’s job is to protect
the McKenzie River watershed as Eugene's sole source of drinking water. He has spent the last
four years at EWEB developing and implementing a drinking water source protection program.
This program includes assessing and understanding the various threats to drinking water and
working with numerous partners and watershed stakeholders to implement actions that mitigate
for these threats. Prior to EWEB, Mr. Morgenstern spent 10 years at the Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality and seven years as an environmental consultant managing cleanups at
abandoned hazardous waste sites and responding to hazardous material spills. He is a member of
the American Water Works Association and the American Water Resources Association.
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