Home > CLOSED: Shasta River Spawning Gravel Evaluation RFP

CLOSED: Shasta River Spawning Gravel Evaluation RFP

Submission deadline passed.

Prior to the construction of Dwinnell Dam on the Shasta River and diversion of Parks Creek into Lake Shastina, salmonids were able to migrate to the foothills and headwaters reaches, where spawning habitat was likely abundant. Several other tributaries also provided abundant spawning habitat accessible to adult salmonids. Gold mining, gravel mining, stream channelization, and permanent dam construction have all cumulatively reduced salmonid access to available spawning gravels, and degraded the quality of remaining spawning gravels. In addition, the combination of volcanic geology and low‐gradient morphology of the main stem Shasta River result in much less spawning habitat than is typical of many other main stem river channels. Coarse sediment supply and the availability of suitably‐sized spawning gravel may thus be constrained by both natural and anthropogenic causes in reaches currently accessible to salmonids.

Despite a growing awareness of this condition, spawning habitat quantity and quality have not been well documented. A spawning gravel augmentation project was implemented by DWR in the early 1980’s, and remnants of those gravels are heavily used by salmonids (primarily Chinook) to the present day. An assessment of spawning gravel quality (but not spawning gravel abundance) was conducted in 1997 (Ricker 1997) along the main stem Shasta River. The Shasta River Watershed Restoration Plan (SVRCD 1997) recommended a detailed assessment of spawning gravel conditions that would lead to an effective long range plan of action. The Recovery Strategy for California Coho Salmon (CDFG 2004) recommended preparation of a gravel budget for the watershed as a high priority task (Shasta HM‐3a). Recently, the Watershed‐wide Permitting Program (Program) developed by the Shasta Valley Resources Conservation District (SVRCD) and the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) (CDFG Draft EIR 2008) identified the need to develop and implement a Spawning Gravel Enhancement Plan for the Shasta River watershed. As stated in the Draft EIR “ Under the Incidental Take Program, SVRCD will work with CDFG to develop and implement a Spawning Gravel Enhancement Plan (Gravel Enhancement Plan). The Gravel Enhancement Plan will identify areas where gravel for coho salmon spawning could be placed effectively and where gravel can be recruited, and prioritize immediately‐ needed gravel enhancement projects throughout the Program area”.

This project will evaluate the quantity, quality, distribution, and sources of existing coarse sediment and spawning gravel supplies, to determine if spawning gravel augmentation is needed in the Shasta River and tributaries. Based on the results of this evaluation, the project will develop a Spawning Gravel Enhancement and Monitoring Plan that recommends spawning gravel restoration or enhancement actions, identifies potential spawning gravel augmentation locations, specifies augmentation methods and volumes, develops sediment composition specifications, and recommends initial augmentation sources and frequencies. The Plan will evaluate the need for spawning habitat structures to enhance and/or retain existing gravel supplies and, if deemed necessary, recommend at least five priority stream reaches where spawning gravels should be augmented. Where river access is available, the Plan should encompass the following reaches: the Shasta River Canyon, Yreka Creek, Shasta River from Dwinnell Dam to Hwy A12, Parks Creek, Big Springs Creek, the Little Shasta River, and the mouth of Julian Creek.

Q&A Responses - posted 1.19.09

Memo Announcing Selected Contractor - posted 2.13.09

Original posting date: 1.5.2009

Download RFP Jan. 5, 2009 alt text