Development of a geomorphic monitoring strategy for stage 0 restoration in the South Fork McKenzie River, Oregon, USA

• Published in: Earth surface processes and landforms 2022-06, Vol.47 (8), p.1937-1951
• Main Authors: Hinshaw, Sarah, Wohl, Ellen, Burnett, Jonathan D., Wondzell, Steve
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Coefficients; Connectivity; Correlation coefficient; Correlation coefficients; Data collection; floodplain; Floodplains; Fluid flow; Geomorphology; Grain size; Heterogeneity; Hydraulics; hydrologic connectivity; Hydrology; large wood; Log jams; Monitoring; Oregon; Particulate matter; Patchiness; Plant cover; Restoration; River beds; Rivers; Sediment; Sediments; Spatial heterogeneity; Stage 0; Substrates
• ISSN: 0197-9337; 1096-9837
• DOI: 10.1002/esp.5356

The South Fork McKenzie River (SFMR) in western Oregon, USA hosts one of the largest Stage 0 stream restoration projects implemented to date. Stage 0 refers to a multichannel planform with strong hydrologic connectivity to the adjacent floodplain and surface–subsurface connectivity. Stage 0 restoration was implemented on a 900‐m‐long reach of the SFMR by re‐grading the channel and floodplain using 65,000 m3 of sediment to raise the channel bed. Thousands of large logs were added and the ends of some logs were buried in the sediment to provide foundations for future log jams. Our primary objective is to present a monitoring protocol based on randomly located sampling plots. We also analyze results from 2 years of data collection since project implementation. Within each plot, we measured canopy cover, wood volume, flow depth and velocity, organic cover (area covered by coarse and fine organic material), and substrate grain size. We used intracluster correlation coefficients and variance of measured variables to assess heterogeneity at three spatial scales: within plots, between adjacent plots, and across the entire site. Here, we evaluate changes in the first 2 years after restoration (i.e., not pre‐ vs. post‐restoration). We hypothesized that heterogeneity within a plot would decrease as the plot adjusted to local‐scale hydraulics and sediment and particulate material transport. We hypothesized that heterogeneity would increase between adjacent plots and across the entire site. We found that spatial heterogeneity of geomorphic variables decreased within plots. Heterogeneity of organic cover, sediment size, and flow depth increased between adjacent plots, although other variables did not change. Site‐scale heterogeneity decreased for all variables except organic cover and substrate. We interpret the observed geomorphic responses to reflect decreased longitudinal connectivity and increased lateral and vertical connectivity at the restoration site. Stream restoration on the South Fork McKenzie River in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, USA utilized abundant large wood placement across the floodplain and gradation of the valley bottom to fill incised channels and cut high surfaces. The scale and nature of the project inspired a new style of plot‐based monitoring in which two years of data and heterogeneity estimates are presented.