Pacifc Salmonid Spawning Habitat Restoration

Course Description | Course Objectives | Prerequisites | You Supply | Course Schedule | Registration | Instructor Information

Course Description

Designed for practitioners and agency personnel involved with field data collection, detailed design and/or review of river restoration projects, this course provides general training in design, implementation and monitoring of in-stream habitat improvement projects in regulated streams and rivers, with an emphasis on the issues surrounding salmonid spawning in California's Central Valley. You will learn techniques for assessing existing habitat and collecting and analyzing field data. Discover how to integrate physical, biological and aesthetic objectives into habitat improvement design; characterize and estimate sediment transport and budgets for enhancement sites; and to design effective monitoring programs. Material selection, contracting procedures, and data and project presentation will be covered. Examples of techniques will be provided from both successful and failed restoration projects. You will also visit an ongoing enhancement project where techniques will be demonstrated. All students receive a comprehensive habitat restoration manual.

Course Objectives

The course will provide general training in:

1. design, implementation, and monitoring of instream habitat improvement projects in regulated streams and rivers.  Emphasis will be on improvements associated with salmonid spawning in California’s Central Valley. 

It will explain and demonstrate common techniques for

1. assessing existing habitat and collecting and analyzing field data;
2. integrating physical, biological and aesthetic objectives into habitat improvement design;
3. characterizing and estimating sediment transport and sediment budgets for enhancement sites;
4. designing effective monitoring programs;
5. choosing appropriate fish habitat improvement designs;
6. understanding enhancement limitations.

It will also cover equipment and material selection, contracting procedures, and data and project presentation.  

As part of the course, participants will visit an ongoing enhancement project where several field techniques will be demonstrated.

Prerequisities

Suggested – “the Ecology of Pacific Salmonids”

You Supply

Classroom supplies (pen, paper, calculator, ruler etc.).  Course manual is provided.

Please wear comfortable clothing appropriate for the prevailing weather.  Please come with chest waders and appropriate field gear as needed (ie rain gear).

Course Schedule

Course schedule information is available here.

Registration

Registration information is available here.

Instructor Information

Joseph E. Merz, Ph.D., is a registered scientist with the American Fisheries Society. He has over 18 years experience working with aquatic resources and has been the principal scientist on several salmonid habitat restoration programs in the California Central Valley. He has taught environmental science, salmon biology and restoration courses for the past eight years.