In addition to hatcheries, habitat restoration is also used as a way to mitigate for human-caused habitat destruction. Currently, great effort and cost is spent on restoring streams to a more historically natural state in hopes of increasing salmonid survival and abundance. One of the most widely used techniques is to add large woody debris to the stream channel to increase sediment retention and reduce stream bedload movement. Although this technique is thought to benefit other aquatic species, little empirical data exist to support or refute this hypothesis. To address this knowledge gap, QET biologists are working on a study to evaluate if salmonid habitat restoration benefits another Pacific Northwest species of concern, the Pacific Lamprey. We are testing the hypothesis that adding large woody debris will increase the amount of fine sediment that lamprey inhabit thereby increasing their presence. The results from this study can then be used and applied in "best management practices" type publications, in addition to, working groups and fish recovery boards to help optimize salmonid habitat restoration projects for lamprey.
Research