FRPA 101 D 3 Water Body Classification Region

FRPA 101 -D 3 Water Body Classification Region III

Contents Part I: Overview Part II: Definitions Part III: Water Body Classification System Part IV: Criteria for Classifying Surface Waters in Region III Part V: Classification Procedures

Part I Overview

Riparian Areas Water body classifications determine the width of required riparian areas where timber retention or additional protection measures apply. Riparian area AS 41. 17. 950 (22)

Water Body Classification System The classification system: 1) 2) 3) Is specific for each region, May vary by landowner, Allows higher standards on land managed by DNR than on other public or private lands.

Water Body Classification System The classification system is based on: § § § Fish use, Stream characteristics, and Stream response to adjacent timber harvest activities.

Questions?

Part II Definitions

Definitions When a question arises about interpretation of the FRPA, first check the definition sections of the Act and regulations. AS 41. 17. 900 11 AAC 95. 950

“Surface Waters” § Freshwater springs, lakes or ponds, or streams, the designated uses of which are protected under state water quality standards. § All surface waters are classified as either a specific water body type or as “other surface waters”. 11 AAC 95. 900 (84) 11 AAC 95. 265 (a) Yukon Flats lakes, ponds, and streams

A “Stream” is 1) A perennial flow of water along a defined channel, or 2) An intermittent flow of water along a defined channel that is significant for protection of downstream water quality. 11 AAC 95. 900(82) Goodpaster River Intermittent stream

“Tributary” Any branching stream segment within a drainage that contributes to downstream flow Lignite Creek – tributary to Nenana River

“Lake or Pond” A confined fresh water body with perennial water and defined shorelines, and either a) An identifiable inlet and outlet, or b) A population of anadromous or high value resident fish. 11 AAC 95. 900(39) Jeff Foley, POW Island

“Fish-bearing Waters” 1) Anadromous, and 2) High value resident fish waters. 11 AAC 95. 900 (31)

An “Anadromous Water Body” is 1) Included in the ADF&G Anadromous Waters Catalog, or 2) Is determined by ADF&G to contain or exhibit evidence of anadromous fish. AS 41. 17. 950(1) AS 16. 05. 871

An “Uncatalogued Anadromous Water Body” 1) Must contain or exhibit evidence of live anadromous fish, eggs, or their remains, and 2) Extends up to the first point of physical blockage. AS 41. 17. 950(1)(B) Uncatalogued anadromous tributary to the Teklanika R.

Anadromous Fish

“High Value Resident Fish” Resident fish that have a documented use for 1) 2) 3) 4) Recreation, Personal, Commercial, or Subsistence purposes. AS 41. 17. 950(9) Arctic grayling Arctic char

High Value Resident Fish populations are only considered high value resident fish if they are actively used over a sustained period. Arctic char

“Estuarine Area” § The area that extends from the seaward limit of salt-tolerant vegetation to a stream’s delta at mean lower low water. § An estuarine riparian area has the same classification as the adjacent classified water body and the same length along the shoreline as the width of the delta. 11 AAC 95. 900 (26)

“Mouth of a Stream” The mouth of a stream coincides with the seaward limit of adjacent salt-tolerant vegetation where the stream enters salt water.

Questions?

Part III Water Body Classification System

Region III: forests north of the Alaska Range

Classification & Land Ownership The water body classification system in Region III is the same for private, state, and other public lands.

Fish-bearing Waters Streams, lakes, and ponds supporting populations of anadromous or high value resident fish are classified into one of three water body types and have a designated riparian area. AS 41. 17. 950(22)(A), (C); (38 -40)

Non Fish-bearing Waters § Waters that do not support anadromous or high value resident fish are considered “other surface waters. ” § Other surface waters are not classified nor do they have designated riparian areas, but they are subject to surface water quality BMPs in the FRPA regulations. Other surface water: Standard Creek

Determining whether an intermittent stream is significant An intermittent flow of water along a defined channel that is significant for protection of downstream water quality is a stream for classification purposes. The significance of an intermittent stream for protection of downstream water quality depends on its potential to transport sufficient sediment to degrade water quality and adversely impact beneficial uses in the receiving water body.

Intermittent Streams – determining significance Location Channel characteristics and conditions, Timing, duration, and volume of flow Nature of the receiving water body. Training note #03 -03

Significance – Location and Timing Distance to the receiving water body Flow timing Training note #03 -03

Significance - Channel Characteristics Channel activity Channel gradient, incision, and stability Sediment storage and filtration Potential to generate a debris avalanche Training note #03 -03 Purple book

Significance – Receiving waters Volume of flow Water quality Beneficial uses Training note #03 -03 Purple book

Questions?

Part IV Classifying Surface Waters in Region III.

Classification of Fish-bearing Waters All anadromous or high value resident fish surface waters in Region III are classified. 11 AAC 95. 265 (a)(2 & 5)

Water Body Types Classified waters are divided into three types of water bodies. 1) Type III-A water body, 2) Type III-B water body, and 3) Type III-C water body. AS 41. 17. 950(38 -40)

Classification Criteria Fish-bearing waters are classified by 1) Presence or absence of anadromous or high-value resident fish 2) Glacial vs. non-glacial water 3) Stream width 4) Characteristics of backwater sloughs AS 41. 17. 950(38 -40)

Type III-A Water Body Type III-A water bodies are 1) Non-glacial water bodies that are >3 feet wide and have high-value resident fish, 2) Non-glacial water bodies with anadromous fish, or AS 41. 17. 950(38) 3) Backwater sloughs. Goldstream Cr. Birch Lake

Definition: “Backwater slough” A water body that 1) Has sluggish flow, is warm in summer, and is typically only connected to the main stem or a side channel at one end, 2) Carries river current only under high-water conditions, and 3) May only have a seasonal connection to the main stem or side channel. Examples include Totchaket Slough and many unnamed sloughs along the Chena, Tanana, and other large rivers. AS 41. 17. 950(2) Unnamed slough on Chena River

Type III-A: Examples • Birch Creek • Chena River • Goldstream Creek • Goodpaster River • Harding Lake • Kateel River • Koyukuk River • Piledriver Slough • Porcupine River • Quartz Lake • Tolovana River Koyukuk River Birch Creek Piledriver Slough

Type III-B Water Body Type III-B water bodies include all glacial water bodies that have anadromous or highvalue resident fish except for backwater sloughs. Backwater sloughs are Type III-A. AS 41. 17. 950(39) Kuskokwim River

Type III-B: Examples • Kuskokwim R. • Tanana River • Toklat River • Nenana River • Teklanika River • Wood River • Phelan Creek • Tok River • Yukon River Some water bodies named “sloughs” on maps are side channels under FRPA, for example: • Salchaket Slough • 17 -Mile Slough • Swan Neck Slough Tanana River

Type III-C Water Body A Type III-C water body: 1) Is non-glacial 2) Has high-value resident fish but not anadromous fish 3) Is <3 feet wide. AS 41. 17. 950(40) Keystone Creek

Type III-C: Examples • Type III-C waters are typically the upper reaches of streams in upland areas. • Many Type III-C streams are unnamed Little Chena R. tributary – winter crossing Unnamed tributary of Nixon Fork with resident grayling

Key to Region III waterbody classification s Ye Is it a non-glacial stream <3’ wide at OHWM with HVR but not anadromous fish? Yes Type III-C: Small HVR streams Does the waterbody have anadromous or high value resident fish at least seasonally? Other surface waters No Is it a glacial water body other than a backwater slough? No s Ye Type III-B: Glacial waters other than backwater sloughs No Type III-A: Non-glacial HVR waters >3’ wide, non-glacial anadromous waters, & backwater sloughs

Questions? Backwater slough in Chena drainage

Part V Classification Procedures

Classification on Public Land DOF or the managing agency indicates the stream classification in the FLUP or DPO. 11 AAC 95. 265 (a)(5)

Presumption of anadromy on state land In the absence of a site-specific determination by ADF&G, DOF shall presume for planning purposes that a stream is anadromous if it is connected to anadromous waters that are without a documented physical blockage and have a gradient <8%. AS 41. 17. 118(c)

Classification on Private Land The initial water body classification is conducted by the operator using the criteria in 11 AAC 95. 265 and the stream class definitions in AS 41. 17. 950 (39 -41). 11 AAC 95. 265 (a)(2)

Field Review § An operator or DOF may request ADF&G to conduct a field review to determine the presence or absence of anadromous or high value resident fish, or § During a DPO review an agency may determine field review is necessary to verify the classifications made by the operator. 11 AAC 95. 265 (d) 11 AAC 95. 265 (c)

Field Review (cont. ) Unless otherwise agreed to by the operator, field review to determine the presence or absence of fish must be conducted within the time period provided for review of a DPO. 11 AAC 95. 265(d)

New Fish-bearing Streams An operator shall promptly inform DOF if a previously unknown fish-bearing water body is found in an operating area. Operations in the vicinity of a newly discovered or reclassified water body that has standing timber remaining in the riparian area must comply with the riparian standards with respect to the remaining timber. 11 AAC 95. 230 (d), . 265(e)

Reclassification § DOF will reclassify a stream if it has been incorrectly classified. § Reclassification will be based on 1) the definitions for stream classification (AS 41. 17. 950(39 -41), and 2) evidence or lack of evidence of anadromous or high value resident fish. 11 AAC 95. 265(c)

Reclassification (con’t) A water body is subject to the appropriate riparian standard from the point in time it is reclassified with respect to any remaining standing timber. 11 AAC 95. 265 (e)

Questions? END Stream Classification Region III

Type III-A examples Anvik River Birch Cree Birch Lake Chatanika River Chena River Deadman Lake Delta Clearwater R. Faith Creek Fivemile Clearwater R. George Lake Glacier Creek Goldstream Creek Goodpaster River Harding Lake Healy Lake Hess Creek Jim River Julius Creek Kateel River Koyukuk River Lignite Creek Long Creek Medicine Lake Otter Creek Piledriver Slough Porcupine River Quartz Lake Richardson Clearwater River Salcha River Shaw Creek Tolovana River Volkmar Lake

Type III-B examples Chisana River Kuskokwim River Nenana River Phelan Creek Salchaket Slough 17 -Mile Slough (Nenana) Soldier Slough Swan Neck Slough Tanana River Teklanika River Toklat River Wood River Yukon River

Photo credits Chris Stark: Slide 11 a – Goodpaster River Slide 11 b – Ephemeral stream in Nixon Fork drainage Slide 12 – Lignite Creek Slide 16 – Uncatalogued tributary to Teklanika River Slide 44 b – Unnamed tributary in Nixon Fork drainage Slide 59 – Unnamed slough in Chena drainage Jeff Foley: Slide 13 – POW Island pond

Robert Ott: Photo credits Slide 1 – Tanana River Slide 4 – Buffer diagram Slide 7 – Tanana River Slide 42 – Tanana River Slide 56 – Tanana River sunset DOF: Slide 22 – Small stream background (RII) Slide 24 – FRPA regions map (Hans Buchholdt) Slide 27 – Standard Creek bridge Slide 33 – Small stream background (RII) Slide 38 a – Goldstream Creek Slide 51 – Field inspection

Photo credits ADF&G: Slide 15 – Anadromous Waters map Slide 18 – Arctic grayling Slide 41 – Kuskokwim River Slide 43– Keystone Cr. (Jim Durst) Slide 44 a – Little Chena R. tributary (Jim Durst) Slide 46 – Backwater slough in Chena drainage (Jim Durst) US Fish & Wildlife Service: Slide 10 – Yukon Flats Slide 40 a – Koyukuk River

Photo credits US Geological Survey Slide 38 b – Birch Lake Slide 40 b – Birch Creek Tanana Valley Watershed Association: Slide 40 c – Piledriver Slough Slide 17 -- Poster of salmon species: http: //www. alaskalodgesandyachts. com/activities/10 salmon-fishing Slide 19 -- Arctic char: www. The. Alaska. Life. com