About Dataset
Built using 1:100k, NHD Hydrography - We developed a reach level intrinsic potential (IP) analysis for application to stream-type Chinook and steelhead spawning reaches to assess habitat quality within currently and historically occupied portions of the Interior Columbia Basin (ICB). This approach enabled us to formulate a baseline perspective from which we could assess contemporary changes to productivity. Utilizing established relationships between habitat type, stream structure, landscape processes, and spawning use, we built a locally adapted Geographic Information System (GIS) based model incorporating regional spatial data, fisheries surveys, and professional knowledge. The GIS was used for the development, presentation, management and modeling of spatially referenced data. Modeled geomorphological characteristics were assigned to unique categories of gradient, width, and valley confinement, from which additional stream and landform modifiers were incorporated to adjust intrinsic potential. We then evaluated these classes against known distributional densities in order to test modeled habitat quality. Results from these comparisons were used to weight and summarize reach areas for the entire stream network within the ICB based on relative Chinook salmon and steelhead habitat preferences. We used the following process to develop the historical intrinsic potential analysis for Interior Columbia basin tributary habitats: 1. Fish density vs. habitat characteristics: Reviewed literature and available data sets relating simple measures of habitat characteristics to production potential for salmon and steelhead. 2. GIS data acquisition: Acquired and developed GIS data describing key habitat measures related to salmon and steelhead production potential for ICB ESU populations as determined in step 1. 3. Determining boundaries: Identified and applied criteria for defining the upper and lower boundaries to Chinook salmon and steelhead production within ICB watersheds using natural barrier locations and other habitat factors. 4. Initial classification: Classified stream reaches based on habitat characteristics (stream width, gradient, valley confinement) into categories representing varying levels of relative productivity. These habitat classes were then used to attribute spawning reaches, with respect to modeled salmon and steelhead production potentials, as high, moderate, low, negligible or none. 5. Preliminary validation and updating: Compared results from step 4 against specific measures of relative abundance of spawning adults and provided output to regional fisheries biologists for review. Additional habitat factors (reflected in GIS layers) were incorporated into the IP analysis to improve the correspondence of modeled distributions with empirical data and field observations. 6. Finalizing and applying reach level ratings: Finalized relative spawning potential rating categories as a function of physical habitat characteristics, and generated weighted totals by population and associated sub areas.
Source Type | Description | Upload Date | Data File/Connection | EditDelete |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File | This compressed file contains a shapefile describing intrinsic potential habitat for listed steelhead and stream-type Chinook within Interior Columbia Basin ESU/DPSs. | 12/4/2025 |
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Coverage Areas (1)
Contact Name | Title | Agency | Email | EditDelete |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damon Holzer | Project Manager | NOAA Fisheries | damon.holzer@noaa.gov |
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Title | Ecosystem | Last Updated | Version | Contact Names | EditDelete |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No data found!! | |||||
