ODFW AQUATIC INVENTORY PROJECT STREAM REPORT STREAM: Mohawk Tributary 1 LLID: none BASIN: McKenzie River HUC NUMBER: 17090004 DATES: August 20 – September 5, 2012 SURVEY CREW: Chee Xiong, Maya Rommwatt, and Peggy Kavanagh REPORT PREPARED BY: Peggy Kavanagh USGS MAPS: Crawfordsville ECOREGION: Cascades West BASIN AREA: 1.99km 2 FIRST ORDER TRIBUTARIES: 1 STREAM ORDER: 1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Mohawk Creek Tributary 1 habitat survey began at the confluence of the Mohawk River and ended approximately 3000 meters upstream at a tributary split. Eight reaches were designated based on changes in land use, vegetation class, surveyor composition, or geomorphology. The land uses were second-growth timber (15-30cm dbh), large timber (30-50cm dbh), and mature trees (50-90cm dbh). The stream habitat was composed mostly of scour pool with riffle, rapid, and cascades. The substrate was a mix of fine sediment, gravel, and cobble. The trees observed most frequently in the riparian transect were hardwoods 3-15cm and conifers 3-30cm dbh. Large wood volume ranged from 1.6-23.2m 3 /100m. REACH DESCRIPTIONS: Reach 1: (T15S-R01W-S24NW) Length 409 meters. Reach 1 began at the junction with the Mohawk River and ended where the channel narrowed. The stream was unconstrained with multiple channels in a broad valley. Two pools (84%) composed most of the wetted area of the reach, with 18.5 percent unsurveyed (mix of habitat). The stream channel did not match the USGS topographic map and was difficult to find (see Map in report). Due to the challenges of the pooled habitat and the length of unsurveyed habitat, channel metrics and riparian transect were not conducted and reach assessment was incomplete. The average gradient was 0.6 percent. The substrate was mostly sand (18%) and silt and organics (48%). No trees were recorded. Reach 2: (T15S-R01W-S24NW) Length 212 meters. Reach 2 extended to narrowing of the valley. The stream was unconstrained with multiple channels in a broad valley. The average valley width index was 27.5 (range: 5.0-50.0). There were 93 meters of secondary channel habitat. The land use was second-growth timber. The average gradient was 2.0 percent. Scour pool (44.4%) and riffle (34%) composed most of the stream habitat. The substrate was predominantly silt/organic (85%). The residual pool depth was 0.24 meters. The trees found most frequently in the riparian zone were hardwoods 3-15cm dbh with conifers 3- 30cm dbh (based on two riparian transects). Large wood volume was 1.6m 3 /100m. Reach 3: (T15S-R01W-S13SW) Length 257 meters. Reach 3 ended due to changes in land use and vegetation class. The stream was an unconstrained single channel in a wide floodplain. The average valley width index was 7.4 (range: 1.0-20.). There were 27 meters of secondary channel habitat. The land use was second-growth timber. The average gradient was 3.4 percent. The stream habitat was a mix of scour pool (26%), riffle (37%), and rapid
54
Embed
ODFW AQUATIC INVENTORY PROJECT STREAM REPORTodfw.forestry.oregonstate.edu/freshwater/inventory...Transcription of crew notes – Mohawk Creek Tributary 1- 2012 August 20, 2012 Had
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
ODFW AQUATIC INVENTORY PROJECT STREAM REPORT
STREAM: Mohawk Tributary 1 LLID: none BASIN: McKenzie River HUC NUMBER: 17090004 DATES: August 20 – September 5, 2012 SURVEY CREW: Chee Xiong, Maya Rommwatt, and Peggy Kavanagh REPORT PREPARED BY: Peggy Kavanagh USGS MAPS: Crawfordsville ECOREGION: Cascades West BASIN AREA: 1.99km2 FIRST ORDER TRIBUTARIES: 1 STREAM ORDER: 1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Mohawk Creek Tributary 1 habitat survey began at the confluence of the Mohawk River and ended approximately 3000 meters upstream at a tributary split. Eight reaches were designated based on changes in land use, vegetation class, surveyor composition, or geomorphology. The land uses were second-growth timber (15-30cm dbh), large timber (30-50cm dbh), and mature trees (50-90cm dbh). The stream habitat was composed mostly of scour pool with riffle, rapid, and cascades. The substrate was a mix of fine sediment, gravel, and cobble. The trees observed most frequently in the riparian transect were hardwoods 3-15cm and conifers 3-30cm dbh. Large wood volume ranged from 1.6-23.2m3/100m. REACH DESCRIPTIONS: Reach 1: (T15S-R01W-S24NW) Length 409 meters. Reach 1 began at the junction with the Mohawk
River and ended where the channel narrowed. The stream was unconstrained with multiple channels in a broad valley. Two pools (84%) composed most of the wetted area of the reach, with 18.5 percent unsurveyed (mix of habitat). The stream channel did not match the USGS topographic map and was difficult to find (see Map in report). Due to the challenges of the pooled habitat and the length of unsurveyed habitat, channel metrics and riparian transect were not conducted and reach assessment was incomplete. The average gradient was 0.6 percent. The substrate was mostly sand (18%) and silt and organics (48%). No trees were recorded.
Reach 2: (T15S-R01W-S24NW) Length 212 meters. Reach 2 extended to narrowing of the valley.
The stream was unconstrained with multiple channels in a broad valley. The average valley width index was 27.5 (range: 5.0-50.0). There were 93 meters of secondary channel habitat. The land use was second-growth timber. The average gradient was 2.0 percent. Scour pool (44.4%) and riffle (34%) composed most of the stream habitat. The substrate was predominantly silt/organic (85%). The residual pool depth was 0.24 meters. The trees found most frequently in the riparian zone were hardwoods 3-15cm dbh with conifers 3-30cm dbh (based on two riparian transects). Large wood volume was 1.6m3/100m.
Reach 3: (T15S-R01W-S13SW) Length 257 meters. Reach 3 ended due to changes in land use and
vegetation class. The stream was an unconstrained single channel in a wide floodplain. The average valley width index was 7.4 (range: 1.0-20.). There were 27 meters of secondary channel habitat. The land use was second-growth timber. The average gradient was 3.4 percent. The stream habitat was a mix of scour pool (26%), riffle (37%), and rapid
(27%). The substrate was primarily fine sediment (46%), gravel (25%), and cobble (17%). The residual pool depth was 0.12 meters. The trees found most frequently in the riparian zone were conifers 3-15cm dbh. Conifers 15-30cm and hardwoods 3-15cm dbh were recorded (based on two riparian transects). Large wood volume was 2.9m3/100m.
Reach 4: (T15S-R01W-S13SW) Length 496 meters. Reach 4 extended to a geomorphological
change. The stream was unconstrained with a single channel in a wide floodplain. The average valley width index was 5.0 (range: 1.2-10.0). There were 37 meters of secondary channel habitat. The land uses were large timber and mature trees. The average gradient was 4.8 percent. Rapid (28%), riffle (37%), and scour pool (25%) composed most of the stream habitat. The substrate was a mix of gravel (29%), fine sediment (40%), and cobble (27%). The residual pool depth was 0.12 meters. The trees found most frequently in the riparian zone were conifers 3-50cm dbh (based on four riparian transects). Large wood volume was 23.2m3/100m.
The stream was constrained by multiple terraces in a broad valley. The average valley width index was 7.0 (range: 2.5-10.0). There were 23 meters of secondary channel habitat. The land use was large timber. The average gradient was 6.3 percent. Rapid (36%), riffle (24%), and scour pool (30%) composed most of the stream habitat. The substrate was a mix of fine sediment (46%), gravel (22%), and cobble (29%). The residual pool depth was 0.13 meters. The trees found most frequently in the riparian zone were hardwoods 3-30cm dbh (based on three riparian transects). Large wood volume was 12.4m3/100m.
Reach 6: (T15S-R01W-S14NE) Length 219 meters. Reach 6 ended when the land use changed.
The stream was a constrained by hillslopes in a moderate v-shaped narrow valley. The average valley width index was 1.7 (range: 1.0-3.0). There were 12 meters of secondary channel habitat. The land uses were large timber and second-growth timber. The average gradient was 11.2 percent. The stream habitat was predominantly cascade (70%). Cobble (36%), fine sediment (28%), gravel (15%) and bedrock (17%) constituted the stream substrate. The residual pool depth was 0.11 meters. The trees found most frequently in the riparian zone were hardwoods 3-30cm dbh (based on one riparian transect). Large wood volume was 6.3m3/100m.
Reach 7: (T15S-R01W-S14NE) Length 544 meters. Reach 7 continued until the surveyor
composition changed. The average valley width index was 2.0 (range: 1.0-3.3). There were 98 meters of secondary channel habitat. The land use was second-growth timber. The average gradient was 9.7 percent. Rapid (41%), cascade (22%), and riffle (19.7%) composed most of the stream habitat. The substrate was mostly fine sediment (45%), gravel (16%), and cobble (28%). Fourteen percent of the reach length was actively eroding. The residual pool depth was 0.10 meters. The trees found most frequently in the riparian zone were conifers 3-15cm dbh (based on four riparian transects). Large wood volume was 5.3m3/100m.
Reach 8: (T15S-R01W-S12SW) Length 303 meters. Reach 8 ended at a tributary split. The stream
was constrained by alternating hillslopes and terraces in broad valley. The average valley width index was 6.0 (range: 1.0-10.0). There were 51 meters of secondary channel habitat. The land use was second-growth timber. The average gradient was 12.8 percent. Cascade (61%) dominated the stream habitat. The stream substrate was mostly fine sediment (64%) with a mix of gravel (12%), cobble (11%), boulder (8%), and bedrock (5%). Thirty-seven percent of the reach length was actively eroding. The residual pool depth was 0.14 meters. The trees found most frequently in the riparian zone were conifers 15-30cm dbh (based on two riparian transects). Large wood volume was 15.4m3/100m.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Fish, including trout, were observed through unit 362 (2108 meters). A fish presence/absence survey was not conducted. A potential natural barrier to fish movement was recorded at unit 412 (2458 meters). It was a bedrock step 1.5 meters high. Wildlife observations included hornets, deer tracks, red-legged frog, canine tracks, rough skin newt, crayfish, wren, and beaver activity (chewed sticks and dam). Hardpan clay was present and analyzed as bedrock. Refer to the Comment Summary for units with hardpan clay. There may be fewer channel-forming debris jams than the Comment Summary presented. Yellow, white and green striped, and orange dotted flags were noted.
The photo summary represents Reach 8. Photographs from the other reaches were lost. Reach 1 stream channel did not enter the Mohawk River as the USGS topographic map indicated. See the map in the report to reflect the channel at the time of the survey.
Transcription of crew notes – Mohawk Creek Tributary 1- 2012 August 20, 2012
Had difficulty finding the survey start. From the Mohawk River, there was a 1.5 meter step to a culvert crossing. The culvert was 0.5m in diameter. The culvert was not immediately visible from either side of the road. Nor was any sort of channel. On the opposite (non-Mohawk River) side of the road, Carex and skunk cabbage indicated the presence of water. No channels to speak of. Roaming yielded 2+ ‘channels’ of skunk cabbage and lots of young Alder. We left this section alone (U1 MX). Upstream was a large pond ~80W X 10L meters with a path leading to it from the road and a constructed (decommissioned?) road along it, parallel to the main road. Pond = U2. U3 = MX between the pond and where our survey begins (U5). U4 = marsh visible from survey start at U5.
Survey has multiple channels, blackberry (native and Himalayan), Carex, skunk cabbage, young trees/shrubs, tall grasses. Some channels were well-defined; others not. There were many short channels connecting the primary channels. Substrate=boot-sucking silt = prohibited exploration. Some surveying from creek bank or islands necessary. Had to estimate a metric due to deep muck.
Reach 3 = forested single channel HS = ST conifer replant Saw water striders, rough skin newt, fish Beaver activity present, but low
Description: mouth at end of tributary to Mohawk River is a swamp/bog area creating long pond that ended at Road 1900A. There seems to be no obvious outlet of the pond to the mainstem Mohawk River. The left bank Mohawk River has 2 dried small culvert and underground water seeps. Swamp has 3 channels. 1 channel is dried up. Marsh goes until it goes into 1 channel. Channel is small and brushy with young 2nd growth timber. Substrate of swamp is silty and channel substrate is sand with gravel. Beaver activity was sighted above the swamp. August 21, 2012 Roadbed on either side after crossing of Road 1900A2 Reach change to unharvested lovely MT, LT with cedar, Doug firs, conifers, and Alder. Noticeably more wood in creek. Towards end of day, fewer conifers on HS, road on left gone, road on right ending. Channel changed from US to CA/CT - didn’t feel US but numbers (metrics) say so ACW ~2meters, but feels bigger. Survey pace is slow though units are short Small pools, some with fish. Look like trout; no positive id Description: Channel is narrow with heavy downfall wood. It is very brushy. Substrate has lots of cobble, gravel, and silt/sand. There are also some areas with underground flow. Riparian has younger trees near mouth but upper we start to see alder trees and D30-50 and C 30-50. Lots of grasses on the ground. August 22, 2012 Change from LT, MT with mix of conifer to mostly D50. Conifers mostly on hillslope. Mix of shrubs to ferns. Shrubs are blackberry or vine maple. Lots of small short units. Pools, ~2.5m long and fast water ~7m.
More so CT/MT or CA/CT Old roads at Zone 3 of Rips. Not so noticeably road bed, but not hillslope either. Long hike in due to following roads too much! Hike out was much more direct. Slow-going with short units! Ug! I’m not sure how many more days until we get to the end…2? 3?
Description: Channel is narrow with lots of small units often followed by a pool then a step. Units are complex and short. Units have a lot of erosion activity. There were a few side channels and half of them were dried channels. Valley opens up for a good 100 meters or so and then narrows back down. There
were a few fish spotted in the pools…could be salmonids but unidentified. Riparian has a lot of fern/forb cover with D30-50 being the dominant tree. August 23, 2012
After a good start to the day, we were both stung multiple times by yellow jackets. Soon thereafter RB lengthened to CB. Longer units = more distance covered! Land use changed from LT to ST Valley changed from CA/US to CH/MV Towards end, conifers ST were closer to creek Ended after a series of CB Fish seen, little else. Some deer prints and tracks Section / property boundary marker seen CH changed from SV to OV to MV
Description: Stream valley narrows down with steep hill slope. Hardly any terrace. Riparian is second-growth timber. Forest floor has lots of duff and grass/forb cover. Not much shrubs growing. Stream is very cascade and rapid-like. The substrate is changing to a lot of bedrock and big boulders. Almost every pool has fish. There is also a significant amount of land erosion. There are a few secondary channels. The land is increasing in slope. September 5, 2012 Maya and I returned to complete the survey. Many small, not fully-formed channels were present. Some had flow, others not.
The metrics and channels indicate US/WF, because the ACW is only 1m or so. The hillslopes were close. ACW 1+ forced US calls regardless of feeling less unconstrained.
Maya stung twice from single incident. Few signs of deer trails and prints (deer, dog, mouse) Changed from CB to RI/LP/SC sequence to long CB Ended at marshy spot. Survey ended here. This agrees with BLM map at end at TJ/TJ split (versus a road crossing as on the USGS topo). ST conifers, gental HS, ferns, some downed wood. More sticks than countable wood. Survey began in cascade-over-boulder with numerous secondary channels. Surrounding land was all secondary timber with some deciduous trees along the creek. The creek shifted back and forth between a lower gradient with an unconstrained channel and a large amount of silt in the substrate to the previous description (boulder cascade). The survey ended at the headwater of the creek in a marshy junction of tributaries.
Reach 8 - Unit 431 - An upstream view of the creek and riparian zone. Reach 8 - Unit 431 - A downstream view of the creek and riparian zone.
and riparian vegetation. channel margin: many shrubs and downed trees
Reach 8 - Unit 450 - Upstream view - active channel was Reach 8 - Unit 459 - Looking upstream at Unit 460 log step0.5-1.0 meters wide
Reach 1 - Unit 71 - Egg mass close-up
Reach 8 - Unit 480 - Upstream view of channel less than 1 meter wide.
Mohawk Creek Tributary (McKenzie Basin) 2012 Summer Habitat Survey Photographs
Reach 8 - Unit 489 - An upstream view of the creek, horsetails, and riparian zone.
and riparian vegetation. channel margin: many shrubs and downed trees
Reach 8 - Unit 489 - A closer look at the stream, just downstream Reach 8 - Unit 489 - Upstream of the survey endof the horsetails (though in the same unit)
Mohawk Creek Tributary (McKenzie Basin) 2012 Summer Habitat Survey Photographs