North Olympic Peninsula Watershed Page
- For Salmon Recovery Planning and Watershed Pages by WRIA, click here
- For Salmon and Habitat Information Resources, click here
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DRAFT, last updated 6/27/05
Dungeness River Watershed Page – WRIA 18, Tier 1
A. Watershed Information:
- General Watershed Description: Shared Strategy Watershed Profile: Dungeness
- Hatchery impacts: See Table 4. Current Hatchery Information
- Stakeholders: the Dungeness River Management Team was formed in 1988 to provide a forum to resolve watershed issues. Local citizens and governmental agencies meet monthly to coordinate salmon recovery, water quality and quantity, and flood management activities in the watershed. DRMT has served as the planning and oversight body for major watershed plans and salmon recovery activities for the area between Jimmycomelately Creek and Siebert Creeks east Clallam County. When considering nearshore issues, the western boundary is Morse Creek. DRMT-appointed subcommittees provide input to and receive guidance from the DRMT. The DRMT provides input and guidance to the governments participating in management of the Dungeness watershed. The governments in turn provide information to the DRMT on the projects and processes that affect the watershed.
- Tier explanation (from NOPLE Salmon Habitat Recovery Strategy): Historically,
the Dungeness was highly productive (i.e., relative productivity
level of 5 with 5 being the highest) (Figure
2). The basin of
the Dungeness is also among the
largest within the NOP; hence, total productive output was invariably
high (Figure
3). The Dungeness has experienced
significant decreases in stock productivity levels (from 5 to 2).
There are numerous arguments for what has caused these decreases,
ranging from impacts to habitat, harvest activity, and changes in
the oceanic environment. Our efforts should focus on returning these
and all Tier 1 systems to stable, highly productive, and diverse
producers of fish. The Dungeness contained 11 individual
populations, the highest of any basin in the NOPLE area. Negative impacts
to habitat over the past 150 years were responsible, in part, for the
decline of many of these stocks, and today, 3 of these stocks are
now listed as Threatened under ESA, an indicator of current diversity
conditions. A number of additional stocks are
also considered either critical or extirpated by SASSI and the NOP
TRG
(Table 2);
another indicator of current diversity conditions.
Bibliography:
- Shared Strategy Watershed Profile: Dungeness
- NOPLE Salmon Habitat Recovery Strategy
- Dungeness River Habitat Plan ("Blue Book")
- DRWUA Water Conservation Plan EIS
- Dungeness-Quilcene Water Resources Management Plan 1994 (DQ Plan)
- WRIA 18 Limiting Factor Analysis, throughout
- WRIA 18 Watershed Plan at section 2.8 (watershed characterization) and section 3.13 (recommendations)
- Sequim-Dungeness Regional Plan
- WDFW SalmonScape maps
- WRIA 18 Department of Ecology resources
- Streamkeepers of Clallam County
- State of the Waters of Clallam County, 2004 at pp. 82-91
- Clallam County critical area maps
- Clallam County, Dungeness River
B. Salmon Habitat Recovery Priorities:
- Salmonid stocks & their status. From State
of Our Watersheds Report 2004, NWIFC SSHIAP, p. 132:
SASSI Stocks (SaSI)
Origin
Prod_Type
Dungeness Chinook (Map)
Native
Composite
Critical
Dungeness Coho (Map)
Mixed
Composite
Depressed
Dungeness Summer Chum (Map)
Native
Wild
Not Rated
Dungeness East Strait Tribs Fall Chum (Map)
Native
Wild
Unknown
Lower Dungeness Pink (Map)
Not warranted
Native
Composite
Critical
Upper Dungeness Pink (Map)
Not warranted
native
Wild
Depressed
Dungeness Summer Steelhead (Map)
Unresolved
Unresolved
Depressed
Dungeness Winter Steelhead (Map)
Not warranted
Unresolved
Unresolved
Depressed
Upper Dungeness Bull Trout/Dolly Varden
Threatened
Native
Wild
Healthy (1998)
Dungeness/Grey Wolf Bull Trout/Dolly Varden
Threatened
Native
Wild
Unknown (1998)
- Priority salmon stocks. Recovery efforts will be focused on the ESA-listed species (Puget Sound Chinook, Summer Chum, and Bull Trout) because they are ESA listed.
- For recovery goals, see Shared Strategy Watershed Profile: Dungeness
- For status of recovery plans, click here.
- Priority Limiting Watershed Process & Habitat Features.
- From State
of Our Watersheds Report 2004, NWIFC SSHIAP:
- Floodplain connectivity (diking, bank armoring, channelization, floodplain encroachment)
- Channel instability-bedscour (channelization, riparian/floodplain development, inadequate riparian function)
- fish passaage (culvers, fish screens, small dams)
- large woody debris/jams (poor riparian recruitment, channelization, LWD removal)
- altered hydrology (irrigation withdrawals, poor stormwater management, forest practices)
- see also Shared Strategy Watershed Profile: Dungeness
- Priority actions and areas to protect and improve
- See Shared Strategy Watershed Profile: Dungeness
- Also see detailed Dungeness Restoration Project List-- Supplement for EDT Analysis and Bull Trout April 30, 2005 submitted with Answer to April 30, 2005 Shared Strategy Response to Question D. What on-the-ground actions can be accomplished in the next 5 to 10 years and what will be the result for populations and habitat functions (i.e. actions to turn the negative trend around)? What are the next steps to advance other changes that cannot be addressed in the shorter timeframe?
C. Recovery Projects:
E1. Dungeness Estuary/Lower River Restoration (Active)
E2. Hurd Creek Habitat Restoration (Completed)
E3. Tri-Irrigation Re-Regulation Reservoir (Active)
E4. Dungeness Water Conservation (Completed)
E5. Dungeness Water Conservation/Instream Flows (Active)
E6. Kinkade Island Dike Removal (Compelted)
E9. Upper Dungeness Road Project (Active)
E10. Dungeness Salmon Restoration (Completed)
E13. Dungeness River Railroad Bridge Reach Restoration (Active)
E14. Agnrew Irrigation District/Dungeness Water Conservation Project (Active)
D. Monitoring:
- Washington Department of Ecology
- WDOE 303(d) Map
- USGS Real-time flow monitoring
- Streamkeepers of Clallam County