Cedar River Instream Flow Management Balancing Certainty and Flexibility

Setting the Context: 5 LINKS--Headwaters to Sea

Cedar River Watershed HCP Preserves and protects the upper 2/3 of the Cedar River basin Preserves and protects the upper 2/3 of the Cedar River basin Fish passage facilities to restore access for chinook, coho and steelhead into over 17 miles of habitat Fish passage facilities to restore access for chinook, coho and steelhead into over 17 miles of habitat Innovative sockeye hatchery supplementation program Innovative sockeye hatchery supplementation program Capital improvements throughout the Lake Washington Basin Capital improvements throughout the Lake Washington Basin Improved instream flow management program Improved instream flow management program Broad-based monitoring and research program Broad-based monitoring and research program

Stream Flow Management: Protecting Instream Resources Seattle’s water storage and diversion activities have a substantial effect on stream flows in the lower Cedar River Seattle’s water storage and diversion activities have a substantial effect on stream flows in the lower Cedar River Stream flow is a key component of the aquatic/riparian ecosystem that supports salmon and many other species Stream flow is a key component of the aquatic/riparian ecosystem that supports salmon and many other species Social values and species protection priorities change over time Social values and species protection priorities change over time The applied science of stream flow management is complex, relatively new, and continues to evolve The applied science of stream flow management is complex, relatively new, and continues to evolve

Geographic Overview 5 Storage reservoir receives run-off from the upper 43% of the basin Approx. 20% of average annual flow diverted at the Landsburg Diversion Dam

Complex Array of Objectives Protect all life stages of salmon Protect all life stages of salmon Provide sufficient flows to Lake Washington and the Ballard Locks Provide sufficient flows to Lake Washington and the Ballard Locks Minimize impacts to lake dependent species in Chester Morse Reservoir Minimize impacts to lake dependent species in Chester Morse Reservoir Promote natural biophysical processes that shape and maintain the aquatic/riparian ecosystem Promote natural biophysical processes that shape and maintain the aquatic/riparian ecosystem

Cedar River Salmon Life Stages

Complex Array of Objectives Protect all life stages of salmon Protect all life stages of salmon Provide sufficient flows to Lake Washington and the Ballard Locks Provide sufficient flows to Lake Washington and the Ballard Locks Minimize impacts to lake dependent species in Chester Morse Reservoir Minimize impacts to lake dependent species in Chester Morse Reservoir Promote natural biophysical processes that shape and maintain the aquatic/riparian ecosystem Promote natural biophysical processes that shape and maintain the aquatic/riparian ecosystem

The HCP Flow Tool Box Capital improvements to help protect fish Capital improvements to help protect fish Detailed mngmt. prescriptions that protect the river and maintain municipal water supply capacity Detailed mngmt. prescriptions that protect the river and maintain municipal water supply capacity Limitations on diversions to ensure flexibility to adapt and improve flow management Limitations on diversions to ensure flexibility to adapt and improve flow management Continued monitoring and research Continued monitoring and research Commitment to apply research results Commitment to apply research results Collaborative oversight Collaborative oversight

Capital Improvements SCL’s Cedar Falls hydropower facilities improved to protect fish and flows SCL’s Cedar Falls hydropower facilities improved to protect fish and flows Fish passage and water efficiency improvements at the Ballard Locks Fish passage and water efficiency improvements at the Ballard Locks Habitat protection/restoration in the lower river downstream of Seattle’s ownership boundary Habitat protection/restoration in the lower river downstream of Seattle’s ownership boundary

Prescriptions for real-time management Guaranteed flows Guaranteed flows Minimums below which flows are not allowed to drop Minimums below which flows are not allowed to drop Supplemental flows provided according to hydrologic conditions and biological need Supplemental flows provided according to hydrologic conditions and biological need Downramping requirements to moderate rates of stream flow reduction Downramping requirements to moderate rates of stream flow reduction Reduce the risk of fish stranding and, Reduce the risk of fish stranding and, More closely emulate patterns of natural flow recession More closely emulate patterns of natural flow recession

Guaranteed Flow Regime

2000 Compliance Graph

Preserving Flexibility: Cedar River Hierarchy of River Flows

Monitoring and Research-- Supplemental Biological Studies Dedicated funding to investigate up to 19 prioritized study questions addressing the effects of stream flow on: Dedicated funding to investigate up to 19 prioritized study questions addressing the effects of stream flow on: Chinook and sockeye spawning and incubation Chinook and sockeye spawning and incubation Steelhead spawning and incubation Steelhead spawning and incubation Chinook early life history Chinook early life history Water temperature Water temperature Natural ecological processes that shape and maintain riparian and in-channel habitat Natural ecological processes that shape and maintain riparian and in-channel habitat

Commitment to Apply Results

Oversight Cedar River Instream Flow Commission Representatives from: National Marine Fisheries Service National Marine Fisheries Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Muckleshoot Indian Tribe Muckleshoot Indian Tribe Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife Washington Department of Ecology Washington Department of Ecology King County King County U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle City Light Seattle City Light Seattle Public Utilities Seattle Public Utilities

Does the Tool Box promote the right mix of certainty and flexibility? Capital improvements to help protect fish Capital improvements to help protect fish Detailed mngmt. prescriptions that protect the river and maintain municipal water supply capacity Detailed mngmt. prescriptions that protect the river and maintain municipal water supply capacity Limitations on diversions to ensure flexibility to adapt and improve flow management Limitations on diversions to ensure flexibility to adapt and improve flow management Continued monitoring and research Continued monitoring and research Commitment to apply research results Commitment to apply research results Collaborative oversight Collaborative oversight