Silver Creek Geomorphic and Habitat Assessment

Recreationists on Lower Stalker Creek in the Silver Creek Watershed

Rio ASE and Ecosystem Sciences partnered to evaluate geomorphic and habitat conditions in the Silver Creek watershed to provide an assessment in support of the project team goal of creating habitat conditions suitable for a sustainable, resilient, wild trout spring creek fishery. The assessment included both watershed- and reach-scale analysis.

At the watershed-scale, the entire drainage basin was divided into reaches based on geomorphic and biological character. The reaches were evaluated at a high level using readily available remote data and past reports to understand basic issues, potential restoration targets, and recommended treatments to address those targets. Additionally, fish use potential, restoration feasibility, and habitat uplift potential were evaluated to prioritize each reach for more refined analysis at the reach-scale.

Two reaches were selected for refined analysis at the reach-scale. Refined analysis included bathymetric survey, hydraulic modeling, sediment transport analysis, identification of geomorphic target conditions, and development of appropriate treatment examples to address the identified targets. Finally, specific conceptual restoration designs were developed from the synthesis of available data and analysis through collaboration with the project team understanding the goals and constraints within the targeted project reaches.