The Smith River of northwestern California supports salmon and steelhead fisheries of ecological and economic importance. Moreover their value goes beyond material benefits; they are an affirmation of natural abundance and vitality. Although the fisheries of the Smith River have declined since the turn of the century, their restoration has wide support due to these important values. Despite historic changes in the river system, there is an outstanding opportunity for fisheries restoration. Restoration is favored by the lack of dams on the Smith River and its high capacity to recover rapidly from ecological degradation. Fisheries also benefit from protection conferred by the Smith River National Recreation Area. Under the Northwest Forest Plan, the Smith River basin is further protected as a "key watershed", an island of biotic integrity in a region of compromised rivers (FEMAT 1993). Because most of the Smith River system is in relatively non-degraded condition, there is an outstanding opportunity for renewal of anadromous fisheries in this river system. (Anadromous fishes are those that spend part of their life in freshwater and part in the ocean.) In the regional context, increased fish production in the Smith River may produce excess returning spawners that will gradually reinhabit other rivers and streams.

This report, sponsored by the Institute for River Ecosystems at Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, proposes a series of steps for maintaining and renewing the Smith River ecosystem and its fisheries (Table 1). The first and most difficult step is collaboration of all concerned parties in setting general goals, such as "quality of life" and economic goals. This report explains goal-setting methods, but the goals themselves must emerge from a larger public dialogue beyond the scope of this report. This report more extensively covers Step 2 which includes gathering information, analyzing information, identifying research needs and monitoring methods, and suggesting restoration methods (Table 2). Step 3 involves evaluating suggested activities in relation to community goals and then assembling the selected activities into an implementation strategy. Like Step 1, Step 3 requires a public dialogue that is beyond the scope of this report. Step 4 is implementation of selected activities, and includes integration of new knowledge acquired by monitoring these activities. Finally, Step 5 provides an avenue for community goals to evolve over time, with corresponding changes in ecosystem management.

Within the overall process outlined above (Table 1), this report advocates six specific priority actions (Table 2). The first priority is communication about needs and goals (Action 1). This communication must aim to integrate both the needs of the local community and regional goals for fisheries restoration. This step is needed to ensure solid political support for restoration efforts so that they may continue over years and decades.

Besides the social and political foundation, restoration of the Smith River steelhead and salmon runs must be solidly grounded on biological principles, and in particular on two overlapping aims: 1) better understanding of stream ecosystem integrity, including potential methods of restoring it; 2) better understanding of salmon and steelhead populations and their habitats, including methods of restoring them. Both of these aims require understanding streams and fish in the watershed context. In the Smith River system, several characteristics of the watershed context are of primary importance. First, conditions in the headwaters and upper tributaries are probably not limiting fish populations. Secondly, preliminary analysis suggests that declines in fish populations are primarily caused by changes in the estuary, lower river, and lower tributaries.

The first aim of biological investigation, understanding stream ecosystem integrity, depends on the measurement of "indicators" that describe key ecosystem processes. Important stream ecosystem indicators include streamside vegetation, amounts of large wood in the stream channel, size of sediment particles, rate of sediment movement, and shape of the stream channel. Observation of these indicators points to several priority actions for restoration. First, biotic refuges (habitat in good condition) can be identified and protected (Action 2). Similarly, areas adjacent to biotic refuges should be protected so that larger biotic refuges will develop. As refuges increase in size, populations of sensitive species will probably increase also. These areas should be protected from human activities that degrade stream habitat (Action 3). For example, in order to supply large woody debris to streams, firewood cutting should not be allowed in riparian areas. Actions 2 and 3 rely on ecosystem processes to restore habitat with little human engineering.

The second aim of biological investigations, understanding salmon and steelhead populations and their habitats, is obviously intimately related to stream ecosystem integrity. This second aim reaches into more difficult and risky undertakings. Actions 4, 5, and 6 explore the feasibility of direct modification and engineering of habitats to benefit specific fish species.

Potential projects aimed specifically at salmon and steelhead are identified by envisioning the timing and distribution of habitat needs of these fish during their migrations through the river network. This in-depth analysis intends to reveal specific habitat needs that limit salmon and steelhead populations, and to suggest specific locations for restoration projects. Then these projects are setup as formal experiments that include monitoring procedures to evaluate their effectiveness. Because it is suspected that characteristics of the estuary, lower river, and lower tributaries are limiting fish populations, these areas are logical candidates for small-scale "test-of-concept" restoration projects (Actions 4, 5, and 6).

Several characteristics of the estuary and lower Smith River are particularly relevant to fisheries restoration and enhancement. First, the levees along the lower river and estuary not only reduce the size of the estuary and floodplain, they also restrict interaction between the river, estuary, and floodplain. In rivers and estuaries without levees, high stream flows wash across the floodplain, creating side channels and other forms of habitat complexity. Thus, the levees decrease habitat complexity while also reducing the size of the estuary and rearing habitat for fish. This may restrict overall fish populations, especially chinook salmon. A controversial possibility is removal or relocation of levees around the estuary and lower Smith River. Although this would have major economic impacts on local industries, this possibility must be addressed in any credible fisheries restoration proposal for the Smith River. Another characteristic of the lower river and estuary that contributes to habitat complexity and improves fish habitat is the presence of large wood in the aquatic habitat. Strategies for increasing large wood in the estuary and lower river habitats are potentially important and relatively non-controversial restoration measures.

Increasing the presence of high stream flows, tidal flows, and large wood in the lower river and estuary will increase the quantity and quality of habitat. Conditions for migration of salmon and steelhead will improve. A likely result is higher fish populations in the Smith River watershed. Actions that test these theories while minimizing risks are recommended (Actions 4, 5, and 6). If these actions provide encouraging results, larger long-term projects may be proposed, based on knowledge gained through pilot projects.

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