2.13      High Priority Areas and Actions

2.13.1	Protection
2.13.2	Restoration
2.13.3	Inventorying and Monitoring
2.13.4	Public Policy and Rules
2.13.5	Public Involvement and Education
2.13.6	Summary

Implementation funds for watershed protection and restoration projects in the near future will be scarce. It is important therefore, to prioritize efforts to achieve the most benefit. To begin focusing efforts of the Johnson Creek Watershed Council in terms of restoring watershed processes to maintain a healthy and sustainable watershed, high priority areas were defined and include:

1. Areas of existing high quality core habitats and refuge areas. These areas will be the focus of protection efforts to ensure no further degradation.
2. Areas that contribute to or affect processes and watershed functions and provide the highest restoration benefit.
3. Areas that are expected to see significant benefit if protected or restored and where existing opportunities exist:
   1. Implementation funds exist or significant planning efforts are already underway, or
   2. A key watershed function can currently be protected or restored and could significantly reduce future risks, or
   3. A focused concentrated effort could greatly benefit, open other doors, or provide additional opportunities.
4. Areas that are known contributors of water quality problems or degradation to downstream core habitat areas or refuge areas.

High priority areas are shown on Figure 14 (PDF, 791 KB).

2.13.1       Protection

Protection values as used within the EDT model are the values of protecting a stream section from further degradation. The protection value indicates the decline in abundance in Johnson Creek coho salmon populations that would occur if the section were degraded, and represents the habitat value presently provided by the section. 

Evaluations of habitat conditions in Johnson Creek indicate that the best remaining habitat occurs in upper and middle Johnson Creek sections. One of the highest priorities for bringing back salmon in Johnson Creek is to protect these areas from further degradation. Priority areas for protection include Reaches 4-5 (Tideman-Johnson), Reach 8 (82^nd to I-205), 10 (SE 106th to SE 110th), and Reaches 12-16 (Brookside to Palmblad Road). Preliminary findings from the EDT Model point to the middle and upper sections of the creek as providing the greatest capacity and productivity for salmonids, and therefore the best areas for habitat protection efforts. Specifically, the section of Johnson Creek from Butler Creek to Hogan Creek (ODFW Reach 16) has the highest quality habitat along the entire mainstem and should receive additional protection measures.  In fact, the EDT assessment of Johnson Creek habitat relative to coho salmon indicated that virtually all successful life history trajectories calculated originated from a two-mile stretch of the creek from about Gresham’s Main City Park up to Hogan Creek. Due to the fact that overall productivity within Johnson Creek is relatively low and nearly all the production is somewhat dependent on these areas, protecting them is a high priority (McConnaha, 2002). The City of Gresham is proposing to develop an industrial area just upstream of this reach. Planning efforts are underway for this area and are critical for proactively protecting and minimizing downstream impacts to high priority protection reaches. .

Other priorities include the protection of additional high quality reaches in the middle sections of Johnson Creek, finding additional funds for the willing seller programs, and ensuring that future development in the Pleasant Valley, Damascus, and Springwater annexation areas do not degrade habitat (Mudbug/Prescott 2002).

The highest priority protection needs include:

1. Protect the highest quality habitat core areas and current fish usage areas
   1. Johnson Creek (Tideman-Johnson – Reach 4-5)
   2. Johnson Creek (Butler Creek to Hogan Creek - Reach 15-16)
   3. Crystal Springs Creek
   4. Kelley Creek (mouth to Clatsop Creek), and
   5. Lower Hogan Creek
   6. Other refugia areas
2. Protect those areas that are threatened by future development within the urban growth boundary and expansion areas.
3. Protect to ensure a diversity of habitats exist so that there are multiple nodes with high quality habitat dispersed along Johnson Creek and throughout the watershed.
4. Protect existing off-channel and known over-wintering habitat or areas with stable wintertime flows (Crystal Springs Creek, Brookside, etc.).
5. Protect remaining “pristine” areas on slopes.

2.13.2  Restoration

Restoration value as described within the EDT modeling process is the benefit that could be gained by restoring a given section. It indicates the increase in abundance in Johnson Creek coho salmon populations that would occur if the section were restored, and represents the increase in watershed function gained by restoring each section. Evaluation of habitat conditions in Johnson Creek indicate that middle and lower Johnson Creek have lost much of their historical habitat potential, and would provide the greatest benefit to salmon in Johnson Creek if restored. Specific reaches that will provide the most benefit from restoration include Reaches 4-5, 8, and 12-14 in Johnson Creek, Crystal Springs Creek, Kelley Creek from the mouth to Clatsop Creek, and those areas that are presently contributing known and ongoing water quality problems downstream including Johnson Creek Reaches 17-23, Sunshine Creek, and Kelley Creek. Additional findings from the EDT Model point to the middle and lower sections of Johnson Creek as the best locations to receive the benefit of restoration efforts located nearby or upstream. Restoration activities should address the lack of large wood in the creek, grading of banks and lining of channels as a result of WPA work, high summer water temperatures, excessive sediment loading and sedimentation, and lack of food sources. Restoration priorities include funding projects identified in the Johnson Creek Restoration Plan, especially those in the middle section of Johnson Creek, implementing the Westmoreland Park Restoration project to remove a duck pond, and addressing other well-known heat sources in Crystal Springs Creek (Middaugh/Prescott 2002).

The highest priority restoration needs include:

1. Expand and restore core habitat areas including Johnson Creek Reaches 4-5 and expand outward to include Crystal Springs Creek, and Johnson Creek Reaches 15-16 and expand outward to include Kelley Creek;
2. Restore off-channel and over-wintering habitat areas;
3. Improve quality of reaches that connect habitat core areas including Johnson Creek Reaches 12-14, and off-channel habitats to the main channel;
4. Address watershed wide water quality problems such as sediment, temperature, toxics, and bacteria (focus on upstream sources including Johnson Creek Reaches 17-23, Sunshine Creek, and Kelley Creek that are contributing to problems in downstream habitat core, refuge, and high priority areas).  Start with small early action and demonstration projects aimed at sediment and temperature control once sources are identified.

The following is a brief summary of Habitat Attribute Priorities from EDT Model Analysis:

Lower Johnson Creek Segment

1. Habitat Diversity
   1. removal of WPA
   2. add Large Wood
   3. restore riparian
2. Temperature
   1. cool Crystal Springs
3. Sediment
   1. probably derived from upstream sources but need to identify any local sources 
4. Channel Stability
   1. removal of WPA lining
   2. add large wood
5. Pollutants
   1. identify local sources

Middle Johnson Creek Segment

1. Habitat Diversity
   1. removal of WPA lining
   2. add large wood
   3. restore riparian
2. Sediment
   1. many upstream sources contributing to depositional areas
3. Temperature
   1. poor riparian areas
   2. no low flow channel due to WPA lining
4. Flow
   1. little winter flow refugia. Remove WPA lining to form low flow channel
5. Food
   1. minimal and more than likely a reflection of significant sediment and water quality problems

Upper Johnson Creek Segment

1. Sediment
   1. many local sources need to be identified and controlled
2. Habitat Diversity
   1. need to increase large wood
3. Flow
   1. summer base flows are a problem could be buffered by increasing habitat, complexity, and protecting and restoring riparian areas
4. Food
   1. minimal and more than likely a reflection of significant sediment and water quality problems
5. Temperature
   1. downstream temperature problems start here. Protect and restore riparian especially in headwaters and tributaries.

2.13.3      Inventorying and Monitoring

The top-tier priority inventorying and monitoring activities identified by the Watershed Assessment include (see Chapter 5 for a list of all high priority monitoring projects):

1. Conduct Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Turbidity monitoring to identify point and nonpoint pollution sources.
2. Baseline monitoring of E. coli bacteria levels to support establishment and implementation of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).
3. Identification of sources of toxics.
4. Perform EDT modeling for Cutthroat Trout.
5. Additional fish surveys to determine presence and extent of use of all tributaries.

2.13.4      Public Policy and Rules

The top-tier priority activities for developing or implementing public policies and rules include (see Chapter 5 for a list of all high priority public policies and rules):

1. Particpate in creation of concept and implementation plans for the Springwater Concept Plan.
2. Support implementation of Clackamas County Water Environment Services (WES) new Development Standards related to Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control.
3. Support implementation of new Development Standards related to City of Portland Title 10 – Erosion Control.
4. Participate in creation of concept and implementation plans for the Damascus Concept Plan.
5. Participate in creation of concept and implementation plans for the Pleasant Valley Concept Plan.

In addition, provide long-term sustainable funding sources for conservation programs and land acquisition. Priority Land Protection and Acquisition areas include:

1. Confluence of Sunshine, Badger, North Fork Johnson Creek and the mainstem of Johnson Creek
2. Just downstream in Reach 17 to connect to Reach 16
3. Large wetland complex in the middle of Sunshine Creek
4. Errol Heights Creek and Johnson Creek Oxbow areas
5. Small perennial unnamed tributary (referred to as “Wheeler Creek”) and the confluence of the mainstem Johnson Creek
6. Lents area east of Freeway Land Company and south of Foster
7. Lents area west of I-205

2.13.5      Public Involvement and Education

The top-tier priority activities to reach out and engage the public include (see Chapter 5 for a list of all high priority public policies and rules):

1. Implement Lower Willamette Agricultural Water Quality Plan.
2. Implement Landowner Outreach Program in Upper Johnson Creek.
3. Work with private landowners to restore creek and riparian areas to provide flood storage and improve habitat and water quality in Middle Johnson Creek.
4. Implement watershed wide construction BMP program.
5. Implement a comprehensive stormwater/watershed Public Involvement & Education program that includes information, education, involvement, and stewardship.

2.13.6      Summary

For watershed action implementation to be successful, restoration and protection actions need to be prioritized in terms of need, effectiveness, and effect on future actions and programs. Actions need to be sequenced so that implementing one doesn’t impact the effectiveness of another. As suggested in the City of Portland’s Framework for Integrated Management of Watershed and River Health the following elements and their order is a matter of importance:

1. Protect existing populations and their habitats. Rebuilding an existing population is far more likely to be successful than reintroducing a population that has been lost.
2. Reconnect favorable habitats. This allows existing populations to provide ‘colonists” that can reestablish satellite populations in nearby habitat where populations have been extirpated.
3. Identify and control sources of degradation. Causes of degradation should be identified and quantified before their impacts within the watershed are addressed.
4. Restore the processes that maintain watershed health.
   1. Normalize flow and hydrology;
   2. Restore physical habitat;
   3. Improve water quality; and
   4. Reestablish biological communities.

Other activities that require attention, program development, additional assessment and need to be implemented generally include:

1. Water quality improvements in areas that are upstream and contributing to high priority areas;
2. Low flow augmentation and irrigation efficiency improvements;
3. Channel and floodplain reconnection;
4. Fish passage improvement and connectivity.