Vision to Actions South Slough NERR and Coos Watershed - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Partnership for Coastal Watersheds Vision to Actions

South Slough NERR and Coos Watershed Association Monitoring Infrastructure (plus NOAA)

Additional data from many partners: ODFW, DEQ, ODF, USFS, NAMPAN, NOAA…etc.

Water

• 2008 Resource Condition

Scorecard- Water

• Estuarine Water Quality
• Stream Water Quality
• Special Issue- pH shift in the

South Slough Estuary

• Local Tide Heights
• Sediment Sources
• (Contaminants- not yet

completed)

• (Stream Hydrology- not yet

completed) Habitat

• 2008 Resource Condition

Scorecard- Habitat

• Stream Habitat- Aquatic

Habitat Inventory

• Eelgrass Bed Distribution and

Density

• Tidal Wetlands
• (Forest Health in the Project

Area – not yet completed)

• (Freshwater Wetlands- not yet

completed) Living Resources

• 2008 Resource Condition

Scorecard- Living Resources

• Salmon in the project area
• Dungeness crabs
• Recreational clams
• Birds in the County
• (Large Mammals- not yet

completed)

Local Tide Height: Trend in

mean tide height recorded at NOAA’s tide station in Charleston

Summary: Based on 36

years of continuous tidal data, the mean tidal height at the Charleston tide station is rising at a rate of ~1.3 mm per year.

Why do we care: Sea level

rise will cause increased frequency of coastal flooding and associated erosion sometime in the future. This trend does not take into account the likelihood of sea level rise acceleration due to thermal expansion of the

• cean and other factors.

Monitoring Effort: High Funding Source: NOAA

NOAA CO-OPS Tide Station

Controlling Factors

Climate: Local and regional

air temperature trends

Summary: Annual average

maximum temperatures in North Bend have dropped since 1902; the biggest drop being in summer max temps. Maximum temperatures have increased inland at Medford, OR.

Why do we care: The

temperature difference between the valley and the coast is a key controlling factor regulating summertime north winds on the coast. Strong north winds cause coastal upwelling which brings cool ocean waters to the surface along the coast, cooling coastal areas and frequently produces fog.

Monitoring Effort: High Funding Source: NOAA Weather Service

Medford

Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) Cooling? PDO Warming? PDO Warming?

NOAA Weather Service stations, NB Airport, Medford

Controlling Factors

Invasive Species: Trends in

species invasions and eradication success

Summary: 2008 resource

condition assessment: “Alien species have caused or are likely to cause severe declines in some but not all ecosystem components and reduce ecosystem integrity. “

Why do we care: Invasive

species cause ecological and economic damage to natural and developed landscapes.

Invasive species are found throughout the project area.

Controlling Factors

Purple Loosestrife NZ Mud Snail Assiminea parasitologica Gorse

Land Use: Historic and

anticipated changes in land use in the project area

Summary: Nearly 85% of

all land in the partnership project area is zoned as either harvestable or conservation forest. Residential and commercial land each cover 5% while industrial zoning is the lowest land-use category represented, at 0.04%.

Why do we care: Zoning

boundaries indicate the current extent possible for different forms of

• development. By analyzing

how different zones are geographically located and grouped, we can visualize maximum build-out scenarios in our community.

Controlling Factors

Climate Change

• Habitat simplification/degradation (invasive species) -> Re-establish habitat

complexity using “climate-sensitive” species

• Habitat elimination or conversion -> Plan for habitat and species migrations (e.g.,

tidal wetlands, eelgrass beds); protect vulnerable habitats (e.g., key habitats threatened by coastal erosion or disease)

• Confusion about local effects of climate change -> Develop scenarios describing

the most likely local effects of climate change; assess local “vulnerabilities”

Influence of Controlling Factors

• n Environmental Actions (e.g.)

Climate Change

• Habitat simplification/degradation (invasive species) -> Re-establish habitat

complexity using “climate-sensitive” species

• Habitat elimination or conversion -> Plan for habitat and species migrations (e.g.,

tidal wetlands, eelgrass beds); protect vulnerable habitats (e.g., key habitats threatened by coastal erosion or disease)

• Confusion about local effects of climate change -> Develop scenarios describing

the most likely local effects of climate change; assess local “vulnerabilities”

Land Use (historic)

• Habitat simplification -> Re-establish habitat complexity*
• Habitat elimination or conversion -> Re-establish habitat
• Habitat degradation (pollution) -> Eliminate or reduce source/remove

contaminants

Influence of Controlling Factors

• n Environmental Actions (e.g.)

*Includes invasive species

Climate Change

• Habitat simplification/degradation (invasive species) -> Re-establish habitat

complexity using “climate-sensitive” species

• Habitat elimination or conversion -> Plan for habitat and species migrations (e.g.,

tidal wetlands, eelgrass beds); protect vulnerable habitats (e.g., key habitats threatened by coastal erosion or disease)

• Confusion about local effects of climate change -> Develop scenarios describing

the most likely local effects of climate change; assess local “vulnerabilities”

Land Use (historic)

• Habitat simplification -> Re-establish habitat complexity*
• Habitat elimination or conversion -> Re-establish habitat
• Habitat degradation (pollution) -> Eliminate or reduce source/remove

contaminants

Land Use (developing/anticipated)

• Habitat simplification -> Minimize habitat simplification
• Habitat elimination or conversion -> Minimize habitat change
• Habitat degradation (pollution) -> Eliminate or minimize contaminant source(s)

Influence of Controlling Factors

• n Environmental Actions (e.g.)

*Includes invasive species