How To Restore A Shoreline In City Of Granite Falls

Transcription

1 Shoreline Restoration Planning Element for City of Granite Falls Shoreline: South Fork Stillaguamish River and Pilchuck River Prepared for: City of Granite Falls 206 South Granite Avenue P.O. Box 1440 Granite Falls, WA April 2011

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3 CITY OF GRANITE FALLS GRANT NO S HORELINE R ESTORATION P LANNING E LEMENT for City of Granite Falls Shoreline: South Fork Stillaguamish River and Pilchuck River Prepared for: Prepared by: City of Granite Falls 206 South Granite Avenue P.O. Box 1440 Granite Falls, WA rd Avenue, Suite 725 Seattle, Washington This report was funded in part through a grant from the Washington Department of Ecology. April 2011 The Watershed Company Reference Number: The Watershed Company Contact Person: Dan Nickel Printed on 30% recycled paper.

4 Cite this document as: The Watershed Company and Makers. April Shoreline Restoration Plan for the City of Granite Falls Shoreline: South Fork Stillaguamish River and Pilchuck River. Prepared for the City of Granite Falls, Granite Falls, WA.

5 TABLE OF C ONTENTS Page # 1 INTRODUCTION SHORELINE INVENTORY SUMMARY Introduction Shoreline Boundary Inventory Land Use and Physical Conditions Biological Resources and Critical Areas RESTORATION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES EXISTING AND ONGOING PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS Washington State Department of Ecology Washington State Conservation Commission Snohomish County Public Works- Surface Water Management Snohomish Basin Salmon Recovery Forum Stillaguamish Watershed Council Snohomish County Drainage Needs Program City of Granite Falls Plans and Projects City of Granite Falls Critical Areas Regulations City of Granite Falls Stormwater Management City of Granite Falls Flood Damage Prevention Plan INVOLVEMENT OF OTHER AGENCIES AND ENTITIES Puget Sound Partnership Snohomish County Public Works- Surface Water Management Snohomish County Shoreline Management Master Program Critical Areas Monitoring and Adaptive Management Program Stillaguamish River Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan Stillaguamish Tribe Watershed monitoring Stillaguamish Capacity Fund Stilly-Snohomish Fisheries Enhancement Taskforce Other Environmental Organizations STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE LOCAL RESTORATION GOALS Printed on 30% recycled paper.

6 City of Granite Falls Shoreline Restoration Plan 6.1 Capital Facilities Program Development Opportunities Development Incentives Tax Relief / Fee System Resource Directory Volunteer Coordination Regional Coordination PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION TARGETS AND MONITORING METHODS Project Evaluation Monitoring and Adaptive Management Reporting REFERENCES L IST OF TABLES Table 1. Area of shoreline jurisdiction Table 2. Impervious surface and vegetated area by shoreline reach Table 3. Land use zoning patterns for the City of Granite Falls by shoreline reach Table 4. Habitat conditions summary for the Pilchuck River-Middle (RM RM 8.5) Table 5. (Snohomish River Basin Salmonid Recovery Technical Committee 2002) Implementation Schedule and Funding for Restoration Projects, Programs and Plans L IST OF E XHIBITS Figure 1. Map of Shoreline Jurisdiction... 5

7 The Watershed Company April 2011 S HORELINE R ESTORATION P LANNING E LEMENT CITY OF GRANITE FALLS SHORELINES: SOUTH FORK STILLAGUAMISH RIVER AND PILCHUCK RIVER 1 INTRODUCTION The City of Granite Falls Shoreline Master Program applies to activities in the shoreline jurisdiction zone. Activities that have adverse effects on the ecological functions and values of the shoreline must be mitigated. By law, the proponent of that activity is required to return the subject shoreline to a condition equivalent to the baseline level at the time the activity takes place. It is understood that some uses and developments cannot always be mitigated fully, resulting in incremental and unavoidable degradation of the baseline condition. The subsequent challenge is to improve the shoreline over time in areas where the baseline condition is degraded, severely or marginally. WAC Section (2)(f) of the Shoreline Master Program Guidelines (Guidelines) 1 says: master programs shall include goals and policies that provide for restoration of such impaired ecological functions. These master program provisions shall identify existing policies and programs that contribute to planned restoration goals and identify any additional policies and programs that local government will implement to achieve its goals. These master program elements regarding restoration should make real and meaningful use of established or funded nonregulatory policies and programs that contribute to restoration of ecological functions, and should appropriately consider the direct or indirect effects of other regulatory or non-regulatory programs under other local, state, and federal laws, as well as any restoration effects that may flow indirectly from shoreline development regulations and mitigation standards. Degraded shorelines are not just a result of pre-shoreline Master Program activities, but also of unregulated activities and exempt development. The new Guidelines also require that [l]ocal master programs shall include regulations ensuring that exempt 1 The Shoreline Master Program Guidelines were prepared by the Washington Department of Ecology and codified as WAC The Guidelines translate the broad policies of the Shoreline Management Act (RCW ) into standards for regulation of shoreline uses. See for more background. 1

8 City of Granite Falls Shoreline Restoration Plan development in the aggregate will not cause a net loss of ecological functions of the shoreline. While some actions within shoreline jurisdiction are exempt from a permit, the Shoreline Master Program should clearly state that those actions are not exempt from compliance with the Shoreline Management Act or the local Shoreline Master Program. Because the shoreline environment is also affected by activities taking place outside of a specific local master program s jurisdiction (e.g., outside of city limits, outside of the shoreline area within the city), assembly of out-of-jurisdiction actions, programs and policies can be essential for understanding how the City fits into the larger watershed context. The latter is critical when establishing realistic goals and objectives for dynamic and highly inter-connected environments. Restoration of shoreline areas, in relation to shoreline processes and functions, commonly refers to methods such as re-vegetation, removal of invasive species or toxic materials and removal of bulkhead structures, piers, and docks. Consistent with Ecology s definition, use of the word restore, or any variations, in this document is not intended to encompass actions that reestablish historic conditions. Instead, it encompasses a suite of strategies that can be approximately delineated into four categories: Creation (of a new resource) Restoration (of a converted or substantially degraded resource) Enhancement (of an existing degraded resource) Protection (of an existing high-quality resource). As directed by the Guidelines, the following discussions provide a summary of baseline shoreline conditions, list restoration goals and objectives, and discuss existing or potential programs and projects that positively impact the shoreline environment. In total, implementation of the Shoreline Master Program (with mitigation of projectrelated impacts) in combination with this Restoration Plan (for restoration of lost ecological functions that occurred prior to a specific project) should result in a net improvement in the City of Granite Falls shoreline environment in the long term. In addition to meeting the requirements of the Guidelines, this Restoration Plan is also intended to support the City s or other non-governmental organizations applications for grant funding, and to provide the interested public with contact information for the various entities working within the City to enhance the environment. 2

9 2 SHORELINE INVENTORY SUMMARY 2.1 Introduction The Watershed Company April 2011 The City recently completed a comprehensive inventory and analysis of its shorelines (January 2011) as an element of its Shoreline Master Program update. The purpose of the shoreline inventory and analysis was to gain a greater understanding of the existing condition of Granite Falls shoreline environment to ensure the updated Shoreline Master Program policies and regulations are well-suited to protecting ecological processes and functions. The inventory describes existing physical and biological conditions in the shoreline zones within City limits and includes recommendations for restoration of ecological functions where they are degraded. The Shoreline Analysis Report for City of Granite Falls Shoreline: South Fork Stillaguamish River and Pilchuck River (TWC 2011) is summarized below. 2.2 Shoreline Boundary As defined by the Shoreline Management Act of 1971, shorelines include certain waters of the state plus their associated shorelands. At a minimum, the waterbodies designated as shorelines of the state are streams whose mean annual flow is 20 cubic feet per second (cfs) or greater and lakes whose area is greater than 20 acres. Shorelands are defined as: those lands extending landward for 200 feet in all directions as measured on a horizontal plane from the ordinary high water mark; floodways and contiguous floodplain areas landward 200 feet from such floodways; and all wetlands and river deltas associated with the streams, lakes, and tidal waters which are subject to the provisions of this chapter Any county or city may determine that portion of a one-hundred-year-floodplain to be included in its master program as long as such portion includes, as a minimum, the floodway and the adjacent land extending landward two hundred feet therefrom Any city or county may also include in its master program land necessary for buffers for critical areas (RCW ) The City s Shoreline Master Program first adopted the Snohomish County SMP, as amended in 2006, by reference in the City Comprehensive plan. Together the County SMP, combined with the goals and policies in the city's Comprehensive Plan and provisions in the City s Municipal Code represent the City's current SMP. The City s existing shoreline management area includes the shorelines of the South Fork Stillaguamish River and Pilchuck River (Table 1). 3

10 City of Granite Falls Shoreline Restoration Plan Table 1. Area of shoreline jurisdiction. Shoreline Area (acres) Total Shoreline Jurisdiction Length (linear feet) South Fork Stillaguamish ,616 Pilchuck River , Inventory TOTAL ,210 The City of Granite Falls shoreline inventory includes all land currently within the City s proposed shoreline jurisdiction (see the Shoreline Analysis Report Technical Appendix C (TWC 2011)). The total area subject to the City s updated SMP, not including aquatic area, is approximately acres, and encompasses approximately 5,210 linear feet of shoreline. In order to break down the shoreline into manageable units and to help evaluate differences between discrete shoreline areas, the City s shorelines have been divided into two assessment units based primarily on location, as well as biological character and dominant land use: South Fork Stillaguamish River Pilchuck River The South Fork Stillaguamish River is located on the northeastern edge of the City, and the Pilchuck River runs along the City s southern edge (Figure 1). Table 1 shows the jurisdictional area for each shoreline reach. The following inventory and analysis information is summarized from detailed information presented in the Shoreline Analysis Report. 4

11 The Watershed Company April 2011 Figure 1. Map of Shoreline Jurisdiction Land Use and Physical Conditions The City of Granite Falls is located in Snohomish County in the Puget Sound Region, and contains freshwater shorelines associated with Washington State s Water Resource Inventory Areas (WRIA) 5 and 7 Stillaguamish and Snohomish, respectively. The Stillaguamish River Basin includes more than 4,618 miles of streams and rivers (Stillaguamish Technical Advisory Group (STAG) 2000) and drains an area of 684 square miles, making it the fifth largest basin draining to Puget Sound. It extends from the Cascade Mountains along the eastern boundary to Port Susan (Puget Sound) near Stanwood in the west. No dams or reservoirs occur along either fork of the Stillaguamish River or the mainstem, so flows in the basin are essentially unregulated, although diking of the lower mainstem is prevalent. Within the City, the South Fork Stillaguamish runs through a narrow, deep valley surrounded by steep, forested banks. The banks and upland areas are generally well forested and the land is currently undeveloped within the City s shoreline jurisdiction. On the south side of the City, the Pilchuck River is part of the Snohomish River watershed- WRIA 7, which covers approximately 1,856 square miles, making it the 5

12 City of Granite Falls Shoreline Restoration Plan second largest watershed in the state of Washington. The Pilchuck River Basin covers 132 square miles, stretching from the peaks of Mount Pilchuck to the East to its confluence with the Snohomish River in the city of Snohomish. Surface flows are generated from both snow and rain events with base flow primarily fed by groundwater as there are few if any snowfields in the sub-basin by the end of June (Savery and Hook 2003). Within Granite Falls, the banks of the Pilchuck River are gradual, riparian vegetation is patchy, and most of the shoreline jurisdiction is located within the revised floodplain (FEMA 2010). Summary details for current impervious surface and vegetative cover for the City s shorelines are listed in Table 2. Table 2. Impervious surface and vegetated area by shoreline reach. Shoreline Reach Impervious Area (acres) % Impervious Vegetation Area (acres) % Vegetated South Fork Stillaguamish ~ Pilchuck River ~ Total ~ Land along the South Fork Stillaguamish consists of a single undeveloped parcel. Present low density residential zoning allows the potential for subdivision of the shoreline jurisdiction into 26 residential parcels. The proposed environment designation for this shoreline unit would allow commercial, industrial, multifamily, or single family residential development, which is not consistent with existing zoning or comprehensive plan designation. It is expected that zoning and comprehensive plan designations may change to reflect the allowances of the environment designation. Land along the Pilchuck River reach consists of 56 parcels, without the potential for further subdivision, zoned entirely Rural Residential 2.3 acre Dwelling Unit. A mixture of residential uses is present along the Pilchuck River. Approximately five lots are developed with permanent single-family residences. Another eight lots are developed with semi-permanent (mobile) structures. Several other lots without residential structures do have accessory structures (i.e. gazebos, sheds, small garages). Of the five lots developed with permanent single-family residences, only 3 appear to be within 150 feet of the River (setbacks for those properties are approximately 20, 30, and 80 feet based on aerial photography). Shoreline armoring is present along at least two of the developed parcels, but overall, channel migration is relatively unrestricted. Table 3 provides a breakdown by reach of various zoning patterns as well as the quantity of vacant lots. 6

13 The Watershed Company April 2011 Table 3. Land use zoning patterns for the City of Granite Falls by shoreline reach. Shoreline Reach South Fork Stillaguamish Pilchuck River Zoning Type % Low Density Residential Rural Residential 2.3 acre dwelling unit Total Number of Lots Vacant Lots (100%) (77%) Biological Resources and Critical Areas Within the City s jurisdiction, the South Fork Stillaguamish River has steep, forested banks and a relatively small floodplain. The reach is located just above Granite Falls, the City s namesake waterfall, and a fish ladder allows passage of anadromous fish. Priority fish species on the South Fork Stillaguamish include bull trout, coho salmon, pink salmon, and resident rainbow and steelhead trout. In contrast to the steep banks of the South Fork Stillaguamish, the Pilchuck River has gradual banks and a broad, active floodplain in the southern portion of the reach. Priority species within the City s jurisdiction on the Pilchuck River include Harlequin duck, bull trout, Chinook salmon, chum salmon, coho salmon, pink salmon, and cutthroat and steelhead trout. The Harlequin duck habitat occurs in the southern portion of the the reach, which also provides the best floodplain and off-channel salmon rearing habitat in the City. The City s critical areas regulations include wetlands, geologically hazardous areas (areas susceptible to erosion, landslides, seismic events, liquification, and other geologic events), aquifer recharge areas, flood hazard areas, and fish and wildlife habitat areas, including streams, creeks, lakes, and other surface water. The inventory mapping of critical areas, provided as a part of this Shoreline Master Program update, was based on a wide range of information sources, including City GIS, critical area inventories, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife databases, and other relevant maps and literature obtained from the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Ecology, National Marine Fisheries Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Geologically hazardous areas within shoreline jurisdiction include a high seismic hazard area encompassing the entire shoreline jurisdiction along the Pilchuck River. Additionally, FEMA identifies floodplains along both the South Fork Stillaguamish and Pilchuck River. 7

14 City of Granite Falls Shoreline Restoration Plan 3 RESTORATION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The City of Granite Falls Comprehensive Plan (City of Granite Falls 2005) developed a list of goals and policies within the Natural Features Element specific to habitats, water, and air quality, many of which are relevant to the City s shoreline jurisdiction, and subsequently are applicable to this restoration plan. Goals and policies in the Comprehensive Plan applicable to the City s shoreline master program are as follows: Goal 1 Goal 2 Goal 3 To achieve a harmonious relationship between the built and natural environments. To promote community-wide stewardship of the natural environemnt for future generations. To protect, preserve, and enhance natural features most sensitive to human activities and most critical to fish and wildlife survival and propogation. These goals provide direction and guidance for the restoration plan s objectives. Objectives refer to specific actions, ideally measurable, that can be taken to achieve the stated goals. For example, to meet the goal of improving floodplain connectivity, an objective would be to remove armoring. Policies from the habitats, water, and air quality section of the City s comprehenisve plan (NFP 6-20), identified below, serve as objectives toward meeting the City s shoreline goals: 1) Seek to protect and enhance diverse fish and wildlife habitat, preferably in corridors as designated by the land use element. 2) Preserve and enhance the Pilchuck and South Stillaguamish Rivers as wildlife and vegetation habitats. 3) Work with other jurisdictions on regional environmental issues such as surface and ground water quality and the maintenance/enhancement of the Stillaguamish and Pilchuck Rivers. 4) Preserve and maintain sensitive and critical areas in as natural a state as possible, discouraging alterations when alternatives exist. 5) Apply sensitive site design and construction methods to protected environmental areas. 6) Granite Falls will work with local health districts to reduce and ultimately eliminate pollution from dysfunctional on-site septic systems. 7) Granite Falls will use Best Management Practices when appropriate to reduce or eliminate stormwater quantity and quality problems. 8

15 The Watershed Company April ) Encourage new development to be compatible with sensitive links in ecological systems such as streams and rivers, aquifers, wetlands, hillsides, and woodlands. 9) Cooperate with county and regional efforts to preserve and improve water quality and the conditions of area streams to provide water for human and wildlife use. These efforts may include activities such as monitoring the quality of the Pilchuck and Stillaguamish Rivers and their tributary streams and drainage ways for spawning ground water. 10) Cooperate with the state in their efforts to manage or improve conditions for wildlife in streams and drainage ways. 11) Insure that developments along stream corridors or wetlands maintain a greenbelt 100 ft wide measured from the outside boundary of the designated wetland. 12) Maintain a mix of overstory and understory plants within the required greenbelt. Native vegetation is preferred such as water tolerant species in the flood hazard area and less water tolerant ones farther up the bank. Prior to updating its Shoreline Master Program in 2011, the City had incorporated by reference the Snohomish County Shoreline Management Master Program (as amended in 2006). Goals and policies from the existing Snohomish County Shoreline Management Master Program that are relevant to the City of Granite Falls could be incorporated into the City s Comprehensive Plan at some time in the future. 4 EXISTING AND ONGOING PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS The following series of existing projects and programs, which contribute to the restoration of shoreline conditions in Granite Falls through regulations, coordination, or implementation of planned actions, are generally organized from the larger state and watershed scale to the City-scale in the Granite Falls area. 4.1 Washington State Department of Ecology The City of Granite Falls continues to utilze Ecology staff as a resource for technical support and regulatory assistance when needed. The City continues implementation of the Phase II National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Permit (NPDES Phase II). Ecology s 2005 Stormwater Management Manual for Western Washington serves as the City s minimum stormwater standards (see below). 9

16 City of Granite Falls Shoreline Restoration Plan 4.2 Washington State Conservation Commission The completion of the 2002 Salmonid Habitat Limiting Factors Analysis for the Snohomish River Watershed (WRIA) 5 and 7 was a collaborative effort of the Washington State Conservation Commission and the Watershed Lead Entities. The document identifies areas in the Snohomish watershed in need of protection, as well as data gaps. Specific to the shorelines in and around Granite Falls, the WRIA 7 report identifies reports that raw sewage discharges into the Pilchuck River have been documented from the Granite Falls sewer outfall (~RM 19) in the past (Carroll in Haring 2002). The report recommends taking actions to ensure that water released into the Pilchuck River from the Granite Falls water treatment plant is adequately treated (Haring 2002). The WRIA 5 report identifies that the Granite Falls fishway, just downstream of shoreline jurisdiction, has contributed to steelhead and coho salmon production in the Stillaguamish watershed by expanding the available stream habitat for these species (Washington State Consercation Commission 1999). Nevertheless, the report identifies the potential to improve the fishway, which occasionally strands fish when it dewaters during summer low flows. 4.3 Snohomish County Public Works- Surface Water Management The Snohomish County Public Works Department- Surface Water Management Division encompasses several programs that incorporate restoration goals and recovery plans and strategies. The City coordinates with the County on Shoreline management through GMA planning, the Snohomish Basin Salmon Recovery Forum, and the Stillaguamish Watershed Council. These are described in the following sections Snohomish Basin Salmon Recovery Forum The City of Granite Falls is a member of the Snohomish County Salmon Recovery Forum (Forum). Formed in 1998, the Forum completed the 2001 Snohomish River Basin Chinook Salmon Near Term Action Agenda and promotes implementation of the Snohomish River Basin Salmon Conservation Plan (Snohomish Basin Salmon Recovery Forum 2005), a guide to protection and restoration actions in the Snohomish River Basin. The Plan is a multi-salmonid strategy emphasizing Chinook, bull trout and coho salmon, using them as proxies for other species as well. Recovery strategies in the Plan are: 1. Protection efforts this involves acquisitions, regulations, incentives, education and outreach. 2. Restoration efforts evaluate current/potential fish use, habitat conditions, and watershed conditions; use results to develop an overall basin restoration strategy, identify limiting factors in sub-basins, and develop hypotheses and 10

17 The Watershed Company April 2011 strategies for each sub-basin group; develop alternatives for focusing efforts, including specific restoration sites; and model Plan alternatives. 3. Harvest and hatchery this is an ongoing multi-entity effort. 4. Integrated recovery plan the Plan was developed in a coordinated fashion, addressing habitat, harvest and hatchery together. 5. Adaptive management governed by monitoring efforts. In addition to these general strategies, the Snohomish River Basin Salmon Recovery Plan (Snohomish Basin Salmon Recovery Forum 2005), details recommended actions for subbasins, including the Pilchuck River in and around Granite Falls, which is categorized in the mainstem- primary restoration group. This strategy group contains the core Chinook salmon spawning and rearing habitat, as well as important bull trout habitat for rearing, sub-adult overwintering, and adult foraging. The mainstem group also comprises migratory habitat for all salmonids in the basin. The recommended recovery focus for the mainstem-primary restoration is Watershed process restoration focused on restoring forests, increasing floodplain connectivity, and increasing channel complexity. The greatly diminished quanitity and quality of rearing habitat, particularly along the channel margins, is thought to be the primary bottleneck. Proposed restoration actions will also improve spawning conditions by reducing fine sediment intrusion and redd scouring and increasing the area of holding pools. The primary ecological actions that would contribute to recovery in this strategy group are listed as: 1. Preserve and protect the remaining and best habitat along critical reaches; prevent further floodplain development or fill; maintain opportunity for rivers to migrate, protect intact riparian forests and off-channel habitats. 2. Protect hydrologic and sediment processes; protect wetlands; minimize increase in impervious surfaces; retain forest cover; and prevent urban sprawl. 3. Remove human-made instream barriers along or adjacent to priority stream reaches. 4. Reconnect off-channel habitats to provide rearing habitat. 5. Restore shorelines by removing riprap and usng large woody debris to protect property where necessary. 6. Restore hydrologic and sediment processes; increase wetland functions; reconnect floodplains; reduce impervious surfaces; and replant forests. 7. Enhance riparian zones to improve habitat and protect streams from urban impacts. 11

18 City of Granite Falls Shoreline Restoration Plan The recovery plan also identifies specific project ideas and opportunities. One opportunity, specific to the Pilchuck River just east of the City of Granite Falls, is the protection of the high quality riparian forest and channel conditions at the Smith Meander. The property is currently in private ownership, and protection could occur through property acquisition or the acquisition of a conservation easement at the site. The 2002 Snohomish River Basin Salmonid Habitat Conditions Review (Snohomish River Basin Salmonid Recovery Technical Committee 2002) rated the condition of habitat elements important to salmon and, while the report does not make restoration recommendations, it identifies data gaps within the Middle Pilchuck River reach, which contains Granite Falls. Table 4 summarizes the results of the review. Table 4. Habitat conditions summary for the Pilchuck River-Middle (RM RM 8.5) (Snohomish River Basin Salmonid Recovery Technical Committee 2002) Habitat Element Habitat Conditions Instream artificial barriers Sediment Hydrology Water quality Wetlands/riparian and shoreline vegetation/lwd Shoreline condition and floodplain connectivity Moderately degraded Data Gap Moderately degraded Degraded Degraded Moderately degraded Stillaguamish Watershed Council Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 5 participation is accomplished through the Stillaguamish Watershed Council (SWC), formerly known as the Stillaguamish Implementation Review Committee (SIRC). The mission of the SWC is to maintain a healthy, functioning Stillaguamish Watershed by providing a local forum in which agencies, organizations, communities, and the public can engage in a collaborative watershed based process of decision making and coordination. Snohomish County and the Stillaguamish Tribe are co-leads in the Stillaguamish Watershed conservation planning, with the goal of restoring healthy, viable populations of Chinook salmon to a level where natural population production is healthy enough to support recreational and commercial fisheries. The Stillaguamish Watershed Chinook Salmon Recovery Plan (Stillaguamish Implementation Review Committee 2005) outlines a plan for recovering Chinook salmon through the integrated management of hatchery, harvest, and habitat. Habitat strategies are as follows: 1) Prevent further fragmentation of habitat; 12

19 The Watershed Company April ) Improve connectivity between isolated habitat patches; 3) Protect and restore areas surrounding critical salmon habitat from further degratation. The Stillaguamish Technical Advisory Group (2000), which develops technical recommendations for the watershed, also identified the following habitat recovery goals: 1) Maintain and restore natural watershed processes; 2) Maintain a well-dispersed and well-connected network of high quality habitat that addresses the needs of all life history stages; and 3) Develop, evaluate, and adapt land use activities using monitoring and assessment in order to achieve the objectives listed above. In addition to the general habitat strategies and goals, the plan identifies recommended actions for sub-basins, including the South Fork Stillaguamish River. Recommended restoration actions applicable to the South Fork Stillaguamish include: riparian restoration, large woody debris (LWD) enhancement, floodplain reconnection, and restoration of hydrological and sediment transport processes. The plan also identifies habitat protection tools, including: land use planning and policy recommendations, outreach opportunities, acquisitions, and enforcement. Finally, the plan outlines the approach to monitoring progress toward recovery through implementation monitoring (is the plan being implemented?), effectiveness monitoring (are the projects functioning as intended?), and validation monitoring (are the fish responding as anticipated?), as well as a process for adaptive management. The plan provides general project and program recommendations listed below that apply to cities (including the City of Granite Falls), counties, state and federal agencies, tribes, and stakeholder organizations: Support low density/low impact land uses in rural areas outside of urban growth areas; Protect and restore appropriate riparian areas; Maintain and restore natural streambank conditions; Protect and restore natural watershed functions in the floodplain and channel migration zone; Retain large woody debris in streams to support salmon habitat and restore natural watershed processes; Eliminate existing fish passage barriers such as culverts and tide gates and prevent the creation of new barriers; Achieve no net loss of wetland functions and values, and restore degraded wetlands where possible; Avoid cumulative adverse impacts to streams, riparian corridors, and wetlands throughout the watershed; and 13

20 City of Granite Falls Shoreline Restoration Plan Address salmon habitat protection in management plans for natural areas and open spaces Snohomish County Drainage Needs Program In December 2002, Snohomish County completed a two-year study in the County's urban growth areas (UGAs) that inventoried drainage systems, assessed stormwater drainage problems, and developed solutions. Through its Drainage Needs Program, the Snohomish County Surface Water Management Division funded a culvert replacement project at Menzel Lake Road in the Granite Falls UGA. The project replaced a failing culvert on a tributary to the Pilchuck River on the east side of Granite Falls with a new culvert that meets WDFW s fish passage requirements. These types of drainage improvements should improve the sediment and water processes in the regional vicinity, enhancing overall shoreline function within the City. 4.4 City of Granite Falls Plans and Projects The City of Granite Falls implements elements of the Growth Management Act through the adoption of the City s Comprehensive Plan and the Granite Falls Municipal Code, which includes Critical Areas Regulations. The City also adopted a Stormwater Management Plan and a Flood Damage Prevention Plan. The City s Comprehensive Plan contains a section on habitat, water and air quality within the Natural Features Element. In many cases, these policies are directly applicable to shorelines, and in other cases, shorelines are implicit in their meaning. These policies are listed in section City of Granite Falls Critical Areas Regulations The City of Granite Falls critical areas regulations are found in Granite Falls Code Chapter The regulations are based on best available science, and provide protection to critical areas in the City, including streams, lakes, wetlands, frequently flooded areas, geologically hazardous areas, and fish and wildlife conservation areas. Some of the basic components of the critical areas regulations include adoption of the 4- tiered stream classification system outlined in WAC , as amended, with standard buffers ranging between 50 and 150 feet. The South Fork Stillaguamish and Pilchuck Rivers are both identified as Type S streams that require buffers of 150 feet. Critical areas regulations also apply to wetlands using Ecology s four-tiered wetland rating system with standard buffers ranging from 25 to 100 feet. Management of the City s critical areas using these regulations should help ensure that ecological functions and values are not degraded and impacts to critical areas are mitigated. These critical areas regulations are important tools that will help the City meet its restoration goals. 14

21 The Watershed Company April City of Granite Falls Stormwater Management In 2009, Granite Falls adopted a stormwater management plan, which identifies the City s requirements for 5-year stormwater discharge permit (Phase II NPDES permit) issued by Ecology. The plan includes stormwater tasks and the timeline for implementing such tasks over the 5-year permit cycle. Activities include outreach, regulations, maintenance practices, and reporting requirements. The City also enacted new stormwater management regulations in February 2010 (GFMC 13.20, Ordinance ); these regulations refer to the Washington Department of Ecology s 2005 Stormwater Management Manual for Western Washington for minimum stormwater management requirements. The regulations encourage the use of Low Impact Development (LID) approaches as a means to manage stormwater and reduce impervious surfaces City of Granite Falls Flood Damage Prevention Plan In April, 2010, the City adopted a new flood damage prevention section to the Granite Falls Municipal Code (GFMC , Ordinance ). The City identified several purposes for developing the new section, including the following: Protect human life, health and property from the dangers of flooding; Minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood damage repair and flood control projects; Qualify the City of Granite Falls for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, thereby giving citizen and businessess the opportunity to puchase flood insurance; Maintain the quality of water in rivers, streams, lakes, estuaries, and marine areas and their floodplains so as to protect public water supplies, areas of the Public Trust, and wildlife habitat protected by the Endangered Species Act; Retain the natural channel, shoreline, and floodplain creation processes and other natural floodplain functions that protect, create, and maintain habitat for threatened and endangered species; Prevent or minimize loss of hydraulic, geomorphic, and ecological functions of floodplains and stream channels. The plan defines the regulated floodplain, establishes a permit requirement for development that may affect flood hazards, water quality, and habitat, and sets protection standards to ensure that development will not increase flood damage potential or negatively affect floodplain functions. The plan contains protective 15

22 City of Granite Falls Shoreline Restoration Plan standards applied to the subdivision of land and site design, as well as hazardous materials and critical facilities. These protective standards require that new development not reduce the effective flood storage volume of the floodplain. Additionally, a habitat impact assessment is required of any development within the regulated floodplain. 5 INVOLVEMENT OF OTHER AGENCIES AND ENTITIES In addition to projects and programs with which the City of Granite Falls is directly involved, several agencies and organizations operate programs and plans that complement the City s shoreline goals and objectives. 5.1 Puget Sound Partnership The Puget Sound Partnership consists of representatives from a variety of interests from the Puget Sound region including business, agriculture, the shellfish industry, environmental organizations, local governments, tribal governments, and the Washington state legislature. Some of the Partnership s key tasks are as follows: Develop a set of recommendations for the Governor, the Legislature and Congress to preserve the health of Puget Sound by 2020 and ensure that marine and freshwaters support healthy populations of native species as well as water quality and quantity to support both human needs and ecosystem functions. Engage citizens, watershed groups, local governments, tribes, state and federal agencies, businesses and the environmental community in the development of recommendations. Review current and potential funding sources for protection and restoration of the ecosystem and, where possible, make recommendations for the priority of expenditures to achieve the desired 2020 outcomes. The Partnership through the Leadership Council released an Action Agenda in December Implementation of this Action Agenda has resulted in State and Federal funding of restoration and protection initiatives and projects. This includes integrating the work of the Puget Sound Nearshore Restoration Project to increase focus on completing work necessary to request Puget Sound restoration funds under the Water Resources Development Act slated for

23 The Watershed Company April Snohomish County Since the City of Granite Falls is surrounded by unincorporated Snohomish County, County shoreline policies, projects, and programs will influence the condition of shorelines within the City Snohomish County Shoreline Management Master Program Similar to the City of Granite Falls, Snohomish County is in the process of updating its shoreline master program (SMP). The County s SMP generally applies to areas within the County outside of incorporated cities. The County s restoration element identifies the need for large woody debris enhancement in the South Fork Stillaguamish and the need for riparian revegetation, channel and floodplain restoration, channel connectivity and structure removal, and large woody debris enhancement in the Pilchuck River Critical Areas Monitoring and Adaptive Management Program The goal of this program is to determine the effectiveness of Snohomish County s critical area regulations in protecting critical areas in the County. The program assesses changes in land cover, shoreline conditions, and chemical and biological conditions in small catchments using remote sensing and other methods Stillaguamish River Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan The Stillaguamish River Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan was developed by the Snohomish County Surface Water Management Division with input from the public and an advisory committee comprised of agency staff and public officials and representatives. The City of Granite Falls was invited to participate in the advisory committee. The purpose of the plan was to identify areas that may contribute to increased flood damages and determine actions that can be taken to reduce those damages while preserving the positive environmental effects of flooding. (Snohomish County 2003). Plan goals include: 1) Save lives and reduce public exposure to risk; 2) Reduce or prevent damage to public and private property; 3) Reduce historic and prevent future adverse natural resource impacts of flood hazard management; 4) Reduce the costs associate with flood hazard management; and 5) To the maximum extent possible, allow and encourage natural floodplain processes. A similar Flood Hazard Management Plan exists for the Snohomish basin, but it only addresses flood risk in the lower Snohomish River (Snohomish County 1991). 17

24 City of Granite Falls Shoreline Restoration Plan 5.3 Stillaguamish Tribe Watershed monitoring The Stillaguamish Natural Resources Department operates water quality and juvenile Chinook population monitoring programs on the Stillaguamish River. The Tribe maintains a water quality database for selected sites on the North and South Forks and the Mainstem Stillaguamish River, as well as selected tributaries. The Department collects a water quality samples on a quarterly basis. Water qaulity parameters tested include temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, total suspended solids, alkalinity, hardness, and fecal coliform. The Natural Resources Department also monitors outmigration of juvenile Chinook salmon on an annual basis. Together, these monitoring programs will provide information on shoreline ecological functions in the South Fork Stillaguamish and the entire Stillaguamish watershed Stillaguamish Capacity Fund The "Stillaguamish Capacity Fund" provides funds to support activities by watershed partners that contribute to the implementation of habitat protection and restoration capital projects consistent with the Watershed Resource Inventory Area 5 (WRIA 5) Chinook Salmon Recovery Plan. The capacity fund may be used to address, grant writing, project implementation assistance, technical assistance, and stewardship and outreach activities. 5.4 Stilly-Snohomish Fisheries Enhancement Taskforce The Stilly-Snohomish Fisheries Enhancement Task Force is a non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure the future of healthy salmon runs in the Stillaguamish and Snohomish River basins and Island County watersheds. The Task Force partners with agencies, organizations, and local landowners to implement restoration projects and conduct educational outreach or stewardship events. The Task Force has recently partnered with a private landowner to improve aquatic and riparian habitat conditions along 300 feet of the river on the Pilchuck River, near Granite Falls. The results of this project included placement of 60 pieces of large wood and planting of 2,000 native trees and shrubs in 0.4 acres. 5.5 Other Environmental Organizations Several environmental groups maintain offices and/or programs in Snohomish County. While these groups have not historically worked in the shoreline jurisdiction of Granite Falls, this does not preclude involvement in restoration activities in the future. Potentially active groups include: Cascade Land Conservancy 18

25 The Watershed Company April 2011 The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition Trout Unlimited Snohomish Conservation District 6 STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE LOCAL RESTORATION GOALS This section discusses programmatic measures for the City of Granite Falls designed to foster shoreline restoration and achieve a net improvement in shoreline ecological processes, functions, and habitats. With projected budget and staff limitations, the City of Granite Falls is limited in implementing restoration projects or programs on its own. However, the City s SMP represents an important vehicle for facilitating and guiding restoration projects and programs that can be partnerships with private and/or nonprofit entities. The City can provide direction and leadership to assure that restoration designs meet the identified goals of the various plans. The discussion of restoration mechanisms and strategies below highlights programmatic measures that the City may potentially implement as part of the proposed SMP, as well as parallel activities that would be managed by other governmental and non-governmental organizations. 6.1 Capital Facilities Program The City could incorporate shoreline restoration goals and projects into the City s Capital Facilities Program (CFP) to facilitate implementation. The City could review the various elements of previously adopted and yet to be adopted plans that apply to shoreline areas and develop a prioritized list of projects. 6.2 Development Opportunities When shoreline development occurs, the City has the ability to look for opportunities to conduct restoration in addition to minimum mitigation requirements as part of the SMP. Development may present timing opportunities for restoration that would not otherwise occur and may not be available in the future. Mitigation may also be allowed through the use of a fee-in-lieu-of or exchange of land for banking opportunities. In certain cases, on-site mitigation opportunities are limited due to building site constraints, limited potential ecological gains, or other site-specific factors. In these instances, the City Shoreline Administrator could identify an off-site restoration site within the immediate sub-basin that could be contributed to in lieu of on site mitigation. The City can also provide coordination of the various non-profit groups or citizen volunteers that can assist with the installation and monitoring of restoration projects. The City should also strongly encourage the participation of citizens to build a strong 19

26 City of Granite Falls Shoreline Restoration Plan sense of stewarship that comes through their investment of time, money or materials in the project. 6.3 Development Incentives In the future, the City may provide development incentives for restoration, including the waiving of some or all of the development application fees, infrastructure improvement fees, parks mitigation fees or stormwater fees. This may serve to encourage developers to try to be more imaginative or innovative in their development designs to include more access and preservation. Examples include the building of trails, installation of rain gardens or LID features above and beyond DOE requirements, shared parking, exceeding landscape or open space requirements or other innovative measures that benefit the environement and the citizenry. 6.4 Tax Relief / Fee System A tax relief/fee system to directly fund shoreline restoration measures could be investigated. One possibility is for the City to work with the County to craft a preferential tax incentive through the Public Benefit Rating System administered by the County under the Open Space Taxation Act (RCW 84.34) to encourage private landowners to preserve natural shore-zone features for "open space" tax relief. Ecology has published a technical guidance document for local governments who wish to use this tool to improve landowner stewardship of natural resources. More information about this program can be found at The guidance in this report provides technically based property selection criteria designed to augment existing open space efforts with protection of key natural resource features that directly benefit the watershed. Communities can choose to use any portion, or all, of these criteria when tailoring a Public Benefit Rating System to address the specific watershed issues they are facing. A second possibility is a Shoreline Restoration Fund. A chief limitation to implementing restoration is local funding, which is often required as a match for State and federal grant sources. To foster ecological restoration of the City s shorelines, the City may establish an account that may serve as a source of local match monies for non-profit organizations implementing restoration of the City s shorelines. This fund may be administered by the City shoreline administrator and be supported by a levy on new shoreline development proportional to the size or cost of the new development project. Monies drawn from the fund would be used as a local match for restoration grant funds, such as the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB), Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account (ALEA), or another source. 20