Fish, Habitat and Sediment Monitoring Programs
In support of Federal Section 10/404 permit requirements for installation and maintenance of a multi-faceted shoreline and aquatic habitat improvements project located in Puget Sound, Lally Consulting LLC was selected under a competitive proposal process and contracted to complete 10-year fish, habitat and sediment monitoring programs on behalf of the Owner. The key objectives of these stipulated programs were to inspect and document changes in habitat conditions and fish use in terms of salmonid spawning, emergence, migration, and rearing activities resulting from new shoreline, nearshore, and maintenance dredging activities implemented on site.
Lally LLC’s fisheries biologists, scientists, and coastal engineers performed the year-round surveys in compliance with monitoring plans as required by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe – Fisheries Division (MITFD). Specific work included;
- Dive Inspections. Completed quarterly, we inspected and documented nearshore and shoreline features, including constructed salmon spawning reefs and upwelling systems, adjoining beaches, rock and timber bulkheads, boat basin, pond and stream systems, and offshore water intakes by SCUBA.
- Bathymetry and Substrate Composition. Lally LLC conducted annual bathymetric surveys to measure temporal changes in nearshore bathymetry at transects established with the USACE and MITFD. Sediment sampling was also conducted annually over the spawning reefs to assess particle (gravel) size trends, and inform nourishment needs. Lally engineers and scientists developed innovative sampling methods in order to uniformly collect substrate samples at depth using an agency-specified sediment core sampler, and commissioned particle size (sieve) analyses for comparison with agency-specified salmonid spawning gravel composition.
- Fish Use Surveys. Under annual Scientific Collection Permits from WDFW, Lally LLC fisheries biologists conducted scheduled seasonal fish use characterization via monitoring focused on Salmonid spawning, fry emergence, migration and rearing. Fall / winter spawning surveys evaluated spawning Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). Observations related to other Salmonid and non- Salmonid species were assessed by snorkel and pedestrian survey for the distribution and abundance of redds and live or dead adult fish. If redds were observed, emergent fry traps were deployed and maintained, so the abundance of fry could be surveyed and estimated. Per the stipulated monitoring programs, fish surveys were conducted twice-per-month late winter through July every year to document the general location, abundance, and species of emergent and rearing fry, juveniles, and adult fish. Two complementary sampling methods were employed: snorkel surveys, conducted along established transects used for spawning surveys; and beach seine surveys.
All monitoring activities followed the protocols presented in the monitoring plans and were summarized with accompanying survey analyses and data infographics in annual reports submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Muckleshoot Indian Tribe – Fisheries Division.
Services Provided
Bathymetric Surveys and Sediment Transport Analyses
Fish Habitat Surveys
Coastal Structure Surveys
Spawning Reef Sediment / Gravel Sampling
Snorkel Surveys
Seine Surveys
Emergent Fry Trap Deployment
Annual Fish and Habitat Monitoring Reports and Data Infographics
Aquatic Habitat Maintenance Design
Location
Washington, USA
Period
2009 – 2020