A tool for prioritizing gravel augmentation reaches for sediment starved rivers

River Research and Applications
By: , and 

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Abstract

Gravel augmentation is a widely used restoration technique used to improve habitat below dams, including salmonids spawning habitat. However, gravel augmentation can be cost-prohibitive, and it is often unclear which stream segments have the highest potential to benefit spawning salmonids. A tool to help prioritize reaches for gravel restoration could aid managers in making good decisions. To address this need, we convened a group of fishery managers to create Intrinsic Potential (IP) habitat models. We used stream attributes related to salmonid spawning habitat: elevation, width, and gradient from the synthetic stream channel dataset NetMap. We then used the IP models to develop an easy-to-use and flexible tool for identifying high spring-run Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) IP along ~100 m reaches based on a conceptual model developed by the fishery managers. The tool allows for the inclusion of winter steelhead (O. mykiss) IP spawning habitat and allows users to incorporate mean August stream temperature maxima under recent conditions and projected under future climate change, land ownership (public or private or both), reach access distance, distance to and type of gravel sources, and relative gravel movement potential. We explore the prioritization tool with three demonstration strategies for the Upper Rogue River basin, Oregon, USA: (1) Spring Chinook Salmon Strategy, (2) Co-occurrence with winter steelhead Strategy, and (3) Climate Change Strategy. Our analysis demonstrates that altering management priorities directly influences which stream reaches are identified for gravel augmentation. In the three strategies we compared, a small number of current conservation reaches located downstream of spring Chinook Salmon spawning were identified using the tool. In addition, we identified a small number of reaches with no conservation strategy for winter steelhead spawning that meet prioritization criteria. Furthermore, under a climate change scenario, we highlight how new gravel source permitting could expand the set of viable augmentation reaches. The tool is publicly available on GitHub.

Suggested Citation

Wohner, P.J., Samarin, P.A., and Peterson, J.T., 2026, A tool for prioritizing gravel augmentation reaches for sediment starved rivers: River Research and Applications, v. 42, no. 5, p. 1069-1082, https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.70121.

Study Area

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title A tool for prioritizing gravel augmentation reaches for sediment starved rivers
Series title River Research and Applications
DOI 10.1002/rra.70121
Volume 42
Issue 5
Publication Date February 26, 2026
Year Published 2026
Language English
Publisher Wiley
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Seattle
Description 14 p.
First page 1069
Last page 1082
Country United States
State Oregon
Other Geospatial Upper Rogue River basin
Additional publication details