# Presentation: 210404

## From headwaters to ocean...

**From headwaters to ocean...**

**Paul Heimowitz -  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Region**
**Linda Jauron-Mills -  Oregon State Univ., Marine Resource Management program**

***Building the capacity of coastal watershed councils to address aquatic invasive species***

## Aquatic invasions from

**the watershed perspective...**

** ****Watersheds as a “new” frame of reference for aquatic ecosystem management**
** **

** ****Aquatic invasions as an indicator and linkage for watershed and estuarine health**
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|  | Florida Integrated Science Center - Gainesville |

**5mm**

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|     | U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological SurveyBiological Resources
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|  | HomeComments |

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**Notes:**

Florida Integrated Science Center - Gainesville      
5mm    
Potamopyrgus antipodarumUF 88519 Specimen (#1)Artist: Susan Trammell 10/99
Florida Museum of Natural HistoryWaikato River, North Island, New ZealandT.H. Aldrich (collector)Collected between 1908 - 1946  
U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological SurveyBiological Resources

HomeComments 

## The role of watershed councils

- Growing local force in watershed planning and restoration
- Over 500 groups in California, Oregon, and Washington

- Primary invasive species focus is control/removal of riparian weeds

## Putting 

- Putting
- invasive species
- on the watershed
- council radar
- screen...

## West Coast evaluation

- 2003 assessment of protocols, watershed group reports, and survey of watershed coordinators
- Results will help steer future development of guidance and training

## Watershed Group Efforts:

*Assessment- “How healthy is our Watershed?”*
*Action Plan- “What will we do to improve it?”*
*Monitoring- “Have we improved it?”*

## Project targets

*Review of protocols and guidelines used by west coast watershed groups*
*Perform needs survey of watershed coordinators in California, Oregon, and Washington*

**Notes:**
0:01

## Advisory Committee

*Kevin Anderson, PSWQAT*
*Henry Lee III, US EPA*
*Deb Merchant, For the Sake of Salmon*
*Ken Bierly, OWEB*
*Erin Williams, USFWS*

*Roger Buttermore, USFWS*
*Scott Smith, WDFW*
*Susan Ellis, CDFG*
*Mark Sytsma, PSU*

## Description of Document Review

*Target Documents*
*Search Tool developed*
*Document Review*

**Notes:**
0:01 Methods  
Documents targeted-  Connect Documents with Groups using them
Some assesments were included in review, to observe the final result.

## Documents reviewed included: 

*Cal Fish and Game Bioassessment Worksheet, *
*North Coast watershed  Assessment Program Methods Manual (State of California Resources Agency), *
*Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Assessment Manual*
*San Francisco Estuary Institute’s monitoring tool*

*EPA “Estuarine &Coastal Marine Waters: Bioassessment and Biocriteria Technical Guide” *
*Washington Forest Practices Board “Standard Methodology for conducting Watershed Analysis”*
*USFW Aquatic Habitat Assessment-Common Methods  *

## Overview of Document Review Results

*Most references found referred to a short list of riparian weeds*
*“**Non-native animals usually grouped*
*No document reviewed had a specific segment regarding Aquatic Nuisance Species*
*Prevention, control and eradication segments seldom found in documents*

**Notes:**
0:02

Reed Canarygrass, Himalayan Blackberry, Gorse, were most often cited as invasives, and these were also where most control efforts were focused
When non-native animals were mentioned, it was usually in the context of “non-native as a group, rather than individual species.
Documents reviewed included Cal Fish and Game Bioassessment Worksheet, North Coast watershed  Assessment Program Methods Manual (State of California Resources Agency), Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Assessment Manual, EPA “Estuarine &Coastal Marine Waters: Bioassessment and biocriteria technical Guide” , USGS manual San Fransisco Estuary Institute’s Monitoring tool, Washington Forest Practices Board “Standard Methodology for conducting Watershed Analysis”  USFW Aquatic Habitat Assessment-Common Methods  Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team

## Description of Watershed Group Survey

*Watershed groups diverse entities*
*70 surveys were mailed out to watershed groups in California, 26 to groups in Oregon, and 57 to groups in Washington*

**Notes:**
0:01  Recipient numbers, description, how delivered

## Preliminary Survey Results

*General awareness of ANS in watershed tends to be low*
*Education and training regarding ANS viewed by Watershed Coordinators as being helpful to watershed groups*

**Notes:**
0:02

## Conclusions 

*ANS are of concern to watershed groups*
*Existing guidance to watershed groups lacks much helpful information regarding**ANS monitoring, control, and prevention*
*Groups welcome support via trainings, etc*
*Due to the diverse array of watershed groups responding, results may translate to other regions beyond the west coast*

**Notes:**
0:02  Results, issues with project, suggestions, weaknesses, challenges.

## What’s next...

-    National Sea Grant funding to Oregon Sea Grant to develop ANS support to watershed groups
- Guidance materials
- Training workshops
- Pilot programs ($15K)

## Acknowledgements

- Funding provided by the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species, Holt Educational Fellowship, Oregon Sea Grant, and Oregon State University Extension Service.
- Special thanks to Molly Engle, Oregon State University; Mark Sytsma, Portland State University; Deb Merchant, For the Sake of the Salmon; Erin Williams and Roger Buttermore, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Kevin Anderson, Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team;  Scott Smith, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; Susan Ellis, California Fish and Game; Henry Lee, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Ken Bierly, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for providing support to this project.

**Notes:**
This Far Side cartoon by Gary Larson helps emphasize a point about "biological pollution."  It says: “Well shucks! I’ve lost again.  Talk about your alien species luck!”  But, biological invaders are not just lucky.  Often, they have attributes that give them a competitive advantage over our native species.  They are usually aggressive and prolific species that mature quickly.  They frequently leave behind diseases, parasites, predators, competitors, and other factors that keep the populations in their native ranges in check.  Because they’re kept in check, these species usually are not a problem in their native habitat. They also have life histories that allow them to be easily spread.

95% of introductions never get established
10% of those that become established cause problems.  But, that 10% cost us about $138 billion annually. That is more than double what we spend on natural disasters.