Steelhead Recovery in San Juan and Trabuco Creeks Watershed
Are there fish now?
Overview Final San Juan and Trabuco Creeks Watershed Management Plan Fish & Game Implementation NOAA Steelhead Recovery and Basic Needs of Steelhead Designing Trabuco Fishways Trout Unlimited s Role in Steelhead Recovery
Watershed Location
Middle San Juan Creek Reach fall survey Field Survey Habitat Assessment 25% 0% 75% Pools < 2' Pools >4' deep 2'< Pools <4' deep Pool Depth by Percent Occurrence in Surveyed Reaches
Field Survey Water Quality Assessment Middle Trabuco Creek Reach, fall survey
Field Survey Habitat Assessment Upper San Juan Creek Reach Lower San Juan Creek Reach spring survey
DFG Steelhead Management Goal and Strategy for Recovery Goal: Increase natural production so that steelhead populations are self sustaining (Salmon, Steelhead Trout And Anadromous Fisheries Program Act of 1988). Strategy: Protect spawning and rearing areas including estuaries, Restore degraded habitat, Restore access to historic habitat, Review angling regulations to prevent over-harvest, Facilitate research on steelhead biology, behavior, and habitat needs to address deficiencies in our knowledge of southern steelhead.
Limiting Factors to Steelhead Recovery Water quality, supply, and temperature Natural and manmade barriers Invasive plants and animals
Orange County Steelhead Restoration Projects Trabuco Creek fishway at I-5 Trabuco Creek fish passage at Metrolink RR crossing San Juan low flow barrier removal projects San Juan Watershed invasive plant removal project San Juan Creek Lagoon
National Marine Fisheries Service Endangered Southern California Steelhead Recovery Planning Planning Areas Recovery Planning Steelhead Habitat Requirements
Southern California Steelhead Distinct Population Segment
Steelhead Recovery Plan Biogeographic Planning Areas Watsonville Salinas Carmel Basin Big Sur Coast Interior Coast Range San Luis Obispo Terrace San Luis Obispo Monte Arido Highlands Conception Coast Santa Barbara Southern California / South-Central California Coast Recovery Domain Biogeographical Population Groups Santa Monica Mountains Los Angeles Long Beach Mojave Rim San Clemente Californi a Santa Catalina Gulf Coast San Diego Southern California/ South-Central California Coast Recovery Domain 0 50 Miles
ESA Recovery Planning Process ESA Requires Recovery Plans Threats Assessment Recovery Strategies with Specific Goals and Actions Ultimate Goal is Viable Steelhead Populations within the DPS
ESA Recovery Plan Elements Objective Measurable Criteria for Recovery Site Specific Management Actions to achieve Recovery Goals Estimates of Time and Costs to Achieve Recovery Goals Ultimate Goal is Viable Steelhead Populations within the DPS
NMFS Steelhead Recovery Plans: Take-home message Recovery Plans are not regulatory documents Recovery Plans are road-maps to recovery Recovery Plans must be adaptive to new information and circumstances Federal Agencies have an obligation to ensure actions are consistent with Recovery Plans
- Steelhead Habitat Needs - Primary Constituent Elements of Steelhead Critical Habitat
Freshwater Spawning Sites (Adults) Sufficient Water Quantity Sufficient Water Quality Proper Substrate
Freshwater Rearing Sites (juveniles) Sufficient Water Quantity Sufficient Water Quality Refuge and Cover Forage
Freshwater Migration Corridors Adequate Depth Free of Obstruction Resting Areas Adequate Water Quality
Estuaries Uncontaminated Water and Substrate Forage Refuge
Marine Areas Water Quality Forage Refugia
Locations of Trabuco Fishways Project Site I-5 Metrolink RR Trabuco Trabuco Creek Creek Metrolink Site Oso Oso Creek Creek
Field Survey Lower Trabuco Creek 2,600 ft length located between I-5 and Metrolink Low-gradient, meandering, riffle-pool channel with broad, well developed floodplain (C2/3/4) Gradient set by 3 grade control structures Deep, quiescent pools upstream of Metrolink Bullfrogs & largemouth bass Engineered channel downstream of I-5
Trabuco Creek Steelhead Barrier Assessment & Design I-5 Metrolink
Our Mission: To conserve, protect, and restore North America's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. Concrete lined San Juan Creek below confluence with Trabuco Creek. Source: Trout Unlimited
Our Vision: By the next generation, Trout Unlimited will ensure that robust populations of native and wild coldwater fish once again thrive within their North American range, so that our children can enjoy healthy fisheries in their home waters.
Educating the public
Get involved Volunteer in monitoring and invasive removal projects Join Trout Unlimited Partner on upcoming projects Final San Juan and Trabuco Creeks Steelhead Recovery Watershed Management Plan available online at www.tu.org/sanjuansteel head