9:00

Welcome by Bill Paleck, Superintendent, North Cascades National Park Service Complex

9:30

Mark Downen

In accordance with the Diablo and Gorge Lake Fisheries Section 7.6.4 of the Skagit Fisheries Settlement Agreement, the purpose of the Diablo and Gorge Reservoir Fishery Enhancement and Ross Lake Rainbow Trout Captive Broodstock Program is to supplement rainbow trout populations in Diablo and Gorge Reservoirs in a manner consistent with the Wild Salmonid Policy, NPS management policies, and with the Northwest Forest Aquatic Conservation Plan.

10:00

Carl O. Ostberg, Presenter, Fishery Biologist, Western Fisheries Research Center, Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, 206-526-6282 X 323, fax 206-526-6654, carl_ostberg@usgs.gov.

Russell J. Rodriquez, Microbiologist, Western Fisheries Research Center, BRD-USGS, Seattle, rusty_rodriquez@usgs.gov.

Genetic analysis of tissue samples collected non-lethally during 1999, 2001, and 2002 from the Stehekin River drainage, North Cascades National Park, indicated extensive hybridization between native westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) and introduced rainbow trout (O. mykiss) throughout the Stehekin drainage. Only two non-hybridized westslope cutthroat populations were observed; both occur above potential barriers to upstream migration. Genetic analysis and water temperature data suggest that a partial thermal barrier may exist at the confluence of the Stehekin River and Bridge Creek that limits the upstream migration of fish composed of predominately rainbow trout genes. Colder water temperatures in the Stehekin River above the Bridge Creek confluence during the spawning times of rainbow and westslope cutthroat trout may limit the extent of hybridization and introgression of rainbow trout genes into native westslope cutthroat trout in the Stehekin River above the Bridge Creek confluence, while warmer temperatures within Bridge Creek and below the Bridge Creek confluence may be favorable for hybridization and introgression.

10:30

Ed Connor, Ph.D., Aquatic Ecologist, Seattle City Light, ed.connor@seattle.gov.

Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) are a top aquatic predator within North Cascades National Park and the upper Skagit River watershed. This species was listed as a "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act in late 1999 because of declining populations and widespread habitat degradation throughout the northwest. Bull trout require cold water temperatures and pristine habitat conditions for spawning and juvenile rearing. The Skagit River possesses the largest population of bull trout in the Puget Sound region, and probably in Washington state.

The National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, British Columbia Parks, and Seattle City Light are conducting a joint research study in the upper Skagit River to better understand the life history, habitat requirements, migratory behavior, and genetic structure of native char populations in the upper Skagit River drainage. One of the key components of this investigation is a radiotelemetry study, which is being used to track the migration patterns and spawning areas of individual bull trout over a period of several years. We have placed radiotags in over 70 adult bull trout in upper Skagit drainage, and are tracking these fish throughout the watershed. The majority of bull trout studies to date have focused on interior populations within the U.S. and Canada, especially in the Columbia River drainage. Based upon these studies, bull trout have been assumed to have a high fidelity for the same spawning areas from year to year, resulting in highly isolated populations that are genetically distinct from subbasin to subbasin. The findings of our research project in the upper Skagit is starting to provide many new insights regarding bull trout populations in western Washington and southwestern British Columbia. Based upon the results of our study to date, we have found that the bull trout in the Ross Lake are migratory and may possess dynamic life history patterns. We have tracked individual bull trout moving from one part of the watershed to another within a period of a few days. The short-term movements of bull trout appear to target areas where food (mainly smaller fish) is abundant. Over the long-term, our data suggest that some bull trout may spawn in different streams from one year to the next. Based upon daily and seasonal movement patterns, we believe that there is a high level of genetic interchange within the upper Skagit River native char population. This hypothesis will be tested through genetic analysis commencing this year. The information yielded from this study will be used to improve management and conservation guidelines to protect this important native fish species in Washington and British Columbia.

11:00

Rodney Pond, Ph.D. student, University of Washington, fishmael@u.washington.edu.

Glacial outwash deposits along Pacific Northwest watersheds have yielded easily extractable aggregate materials such as gravel, sand and cobble for construction for over a hundred years. Discontinued mines throughout the Cascades may be subject to volunteer colonization by seral native plant species overtime however, highly altered topography, lack of topsoils, risk of erosion and threat of invasive plant establishment precludes reliance on a passive approach to restoration. Techniques supporting native plant establishment and survival on former gravel mines and other disturbed sites lacking significant topsoils have involved accelerating the development of biologically active soils through the use of amendments and mulches.

The Goodell Creek Gravel Mine Restoration project is a 0.7 acre portion of a 6 acre site on the eastern bank of Goodell Creek, a tributary of the Skagit River, in the North Cascades National Park Complex near Newhalem, Washington. Gravel mining ceased approximately 20 years ago at Goodell and has since been used as a construction staging and aggregate storage area. The restoration site occupies the riparian terrace zone immediately adjacent to the creek. Using two reference sites as models three native tree species and 19 native understory species were introduced utilizing a site design that is both a restoration and a research project.

Straw, woodchips, or no mulch was laid over an incorporated partially digested paper mill sludge soil amendment or no amendment in a 2 X 3 factorial design. The six treatment combinations were evaluated for their effect on the survival and growth of three native tree species and a 19 species native understory seed mix. Initial measurements indicate trees respond positively to mulches and amendment while the seed mix has more successful germination and survival without mulch regardless of amendment.

11:30

Sean Smukler

Re-establishing autogenic soil nutrient cycling is a fundamental component to the ecological restoration of degraded wildlands. Soil amendments have long been used in restoration projects in an attempt return these nutrient cycles to their pre-disturbance state. The application of soil amendments however can be expensive and often favor the establishment ruderal invasive species. Invasive species may have a competitive advantage over natives on disturbed sites where amendments with a high quantity of labile nutrients, particularly nitrogen, have been applied. Organic waste products, otherwise known as residuals, can be recycled as cheap ecologically sound amendments and potentially mixed to favor the establishment of native plants. The Balanced Soil Amendment Approach is a methodology designed to help restoration practitioners customize residual application rates to meet the objectives unique to each ecological restoration project and site. This study examines the utilization of a residual amendment mix combined with mulch to return nitrogen pools to a sustainable state while favoring the establishment and growth of native vegetation.

The study was established at a gravel mine along Goodell Creek in North Cascades National Park. Sawdust and secondary pulp and paper/ash biosolids were mixed to achieve a carbon to nitrogen of 125:1 and incorporated in randomized blocks to a depth of 15 cm. Two different types of mulch were applied to amended and un-amended plots in a factorial design. The amended plots showed little difference in plant available nitrogen from the un-amended sites indicating the amendment had increased the nutrient pool and organic matter content of the site without increasing available nitrogen. Soil moisture was significantly improved by the application of residuals which correlated with a substantial increase in Alnus rubra growth.

1:00

Matthew Ramsey, Graduate Student, University of Washington, mramsay@u.washington.edu.

Sub-alpine sites that have been denuded by recreational impacts may remain as bare ground even after decades of closure to continued use. Direct seeding with locally collected native plant species holds great promise as an efficient method of establishing vegetation cover while preserving the genetic integrity of the local ecosystem. However, this method has historically proven challenging. It is generally thought that poor establishment and high seedling mortality are due, in part, to high soil temperatures and low soil moisture.

This research project will investigate the effects of two different soil amendments and two different watering regimes on seed germination and seedling establishment using seven native plant species at denuded sub-alpine sites at Cascade Pass, NOCA. Soil moisture content and soil temperature will be measured in each of the soil treatments in order to

determine the amendments' effect on the soil's moisture holding capacity and temperature. In addition, seed germination, seedling mortality, growth and establishment will be measured in each soil treatment. Plant response will be measured in plots that will be watered at high and low intervals during the summer in order to determine the effectiveness of this aftercare measure. In the lab, climate controlled growth chambers will be used to further test the effects of three different watering intervals on seed

germination and seedling establishment using the same set of species and seed source.

1:30

Todd Newburger, Master's Candidate in Geography, Huxley College of the Environment,

Western Washington University, 360-650-2056, toddnewburger@yahoo.com.

Protected areas of wilderness are attracting more recreational users each year. Various parks and agencies have applied different methods to manage recreational use. As use increases, many wilderness areas are showing impacts on soils and vegetation. Trapper Lake represents a unique case study in a remote wilderness location that has sustained noticeable recreational impact. Surrounded by steep slopes and accessible only by unmaintained trails, Trapper Lake is currently slated for new management under proposed revisions to the wilderness management plan at North Cascades National Park. This study determines the effects of recreation on the ecological integrity of Trapper Lake Basin through examination of impacts on vegetation cover, species composition and soils. Field data have been collected on soil compaction, soil organic layer, soil water infiltration, plant species composition, vegetation height and percent-cover of vegetation. All social trails have been mapped and inventoried within Trapper Lake Inlet. Analysis of air photos will determine the extent of historical changes of social trails and campsites that have occurred in the last thirty years. Considering several factors including topography, elevation, vegetation type, soil type, and amount and types of recreational use, this case study will provide perspectives on many pending management concerns.

2:00

Mignonne Bivin, North Cascades National Park Service Complex, 360-873-4590 X 58. mignonne_bivin@nps.gov.

This presentation will review the results of the botany forays conducted in 2002 by park staff and University of Washington students in Thunder Basin, Cascade Pass and basins below Lighting Creek and Little Beaver drainages. It will be followed by a preview of plans for vegetation studies to be done in the summer of 2003 including rare plant surveys, Whitebark pine, human impact surveys and more forays.

2:30

Patrick Moran, pwmoran@usgs.gov, and Robert Black, rwblack@usgs.gov; , 253-428-3600.

Snow and ice are critical resources at North Cascades NPS Complex(NOCA), Mount Rainier National Park (MORA), Olympic National Park (OLYM), and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie and Olympic National Forests. In NOCA alone, there are more than 300 small glaciers and numerous perennial snowfields that feed 245 mountain lakes,and a myriad of streams, wetlands and aquifers. The waters from these glaciers and snowfields function as the lifeblood of plant and animal communities found in all of these parks and forests. Pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals enter the atmosphere' as volatile contaminants, are transported across the landscape by wind currents, and scrubbed from the air by heavy snowfall and deposited along the mountain ridgeline in glaciers and snowfields as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Subsequent snowmelt washes these pollutants into the mountain lakes and streams to be absorbed and accumulated in the food chain. Contaminant levels of PCB, DDT and toxaphene in fish tissues in the Canadian Rockies are well above the Canadian tissue residue guidelines for wildlife consumers, such as mink, otter, bald eagles and osprey. These contaminants are public and ecological health problems. The National Park Service wishes to know where and at what concentrations these pollutants exist in the environs. This intensive study will begin the assessment of these federal lands and provide a resource baseline in support of future long-term ecological monitoring.

This study has two objectives. The first is to determine the relation of watershed area, elevation, snow and ice drainage to the accumulation of organochlorine pesticides and other persistent organic pollutants and mercury in fish and/or amphibians and compare the relative levels of these pollutants in the tissue of aquatic organisms between glacial-fed and non glacial-fed lakes. The second objective is to derive a relationship between contaminant burden in fish and/or amphibian tissues and those of organisms at lower trophic levels and lake bottom sediment, relate contaminant concentrations found in the top predators at each lake to other physiographic/biologic factors of the recipient watershed, and evaluate the immune system efficiency of top predator fish.

This effort will focus on natural resources within the National Parks of the Puget Sound area and help identify the level of anthropogenic contamination in glacial and non-glacial fed lake sediment and aquatic biota traditionally believed to be contaminant free. If contamination is found, innovative methodologies will be employed to determine the potential health effects of the contaminants on the aquatic biota. The refinement of these methodologies and results of this work could be utilized in other aquatic systems throughout the US. The proposed study is also extremely relevant and important to the National Parks within the study area. Knowing if contaminants are present in the environment would play a significant role in the Park's management of the resources as well as the visitors.

9:30

Jon Riedel, Geologist, North Cascades National Park Service Complex, 360-873-4590 X 21, Jon_Riedel@nps.gov.

Deposits from the early Fraser Glaciation are rarely preserved and exposed in the intensely glaciated, remote North Cascades. Several well-exposed sections along Ross Lake record the transition from non-glacial to full glacial climate and contain abundant plant macrofossils. At 24,000 (radiocarbon) ybp, deposition in the valley was in a floodplain setting that contained an Engelman spruce-subalpine fir forest with aquatic buttercup growing in shallow ponds surrounded by sedge. An alpine valley glacier flowing down Big Beaver Creek dammed the valley by 21,400 ybp, and led to deposition of stratified and laminated (varve?) lake deposits. Subalpine forest persisted along Glacial Lake Skymo until approximately 18,000 ybp, and indicates that the Port Moody Interstade was a regional event not localized to the southern Coast Mountains. Sometime after 17,400 ybp, the upper Skagit watershed was overwhelmed by the Cordilleran Ice Sheet. Dense glacial till deposited by the ice sheet caps the exposed sections and contains abundant Canadian erratics.

10:00

Rob Burrows, North Cascades National Park Service Complex, 360-873-4590 X 53, Rob_Burrows@nps.gov.

There are more than 300 glaciers in North Cascades National Park Complex (NOCA). Glaciers are a vital component of Pacific Northwest aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and hydrologic systems. They influence stream flows, flooding, soil development, vegetation distribution, and are unique indicators of climate change. Since 1993, the National Park Service has monitored three glaciers in NOCA (a fourth was added in 1995). Three trips to each glacier are made every year to assess the amount of snowfall accumulated during the previous winter (winter balance) and the amount of snow, firn, and ice lost (summer balance) over the summer season. The resulting net balance provides an index of glacier health from year to year. This information contributes to a long-term record of glacier and climate change in the Pacific Northwest that can be compared to other glacier studies and correlated to climate indices such as El Nino/Southern Oscillation and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Glaciers serve as storehouses of large amounts of water and are important contributors to regional stream flows especially in late summer. Glacial meltwater is important for fisheries, hydroelectric power generation, recreation, irrigation and many other water based resources and habitats. Depending on the year and the watershed, glaciers contribute between 6 and 45 percent to total summer runoff for NOCA watersheds.

10:30

Crystal Briggs, Washington State University

Wilderness areas and National Parks in the western United States have historically been excluded from soil inventories due to the huge investments required to map the rugged and inaccessible terrain. This has led soil scientists to develop more efficient means of mapping soils in areas that would otherwise not be mapped. With GIS and remote sensing technology along with a focused effort at describing soils in the field, modeling the distribution of soils in these areas becomes a cost-effective alternative to traditional soil surveys. The Thunder Creek watershed was chosen jointly by WSU and staff of North Cascades National Park because it has been the focus of research and inventory for fire history, surficial geology, current vegetation, and other attributes and this information is available in digital form for use in a GIS. This study is intended to serve as a demonstration project to establish the feasibility of using a GIS-assisted modeling approach to map the soils of the remaining portions of the North Cascades National Park. Field work was initiated in 2002. This presentation will present an update of this project.

A digital map of the soils of the Thunder Creek watershed, as well as the GIS model used to generate the map, will be delivered to North Cascades National Park at the completion of Crystal Briggs's Master's degree project (estimated date: December, 2003). The map will be useful for resource management planning and visitor education in the park. The GIS-based model will be very useful in designing the mapping project for the remainder of the national park and in developing a common protocol to achieve seamless soil mapping in National Parks in Washington state and adjacent lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service.

Objectives of Field Research:

1. Observe, describe, sample, and analyze soils at 60 observation sites (2002 field season) or as many as 100 observation sites (2002 and optional 2003 field seasons combined) on combinations of surficial geologic map units and plant community types in the Thunder Creek watershed.
2. Use the observations from 1) to develop key functional relationships among climate, vegetation, geology and the resulting distribution of soils in the watershed.
3. Use the field observations and relationships to develop a functioning GIS model to predict (map) the distribution of soils in the watershed.

11:00

David Tucker, Western Washington University.

The Pliocene-aged Hannegan volcanics occur in the headwaters of the Chilliwack River and underlie Hannegan, Ruth, and Icy Peaks. They are exposed in an elliptical 3 X 8 kilometer by 1000 meter thick outcrop pattern. Geologic mapping demonstrates that the eruptive mechanism for deposition of the rhyolitic northern portion of the Hannegan volcanics was a violent, catastrophic caldera collapse, occurring 3.72 million years ago. Over a period of hours to days, perhaps 50 cubic kilometers of dense-rock equivalent ash, pumice and rock fragments were vented in this eruption and blanketed the countryside for tens of kilometers. Pyroclastic flows swept down valleys and over ridges, incinerating everything in their paths. Choking clouds of volcanic ash buried the surrounding landscape. Areas affected by these events were devastated and left devoid of life. After the caldera collapsed, a lake deposited some 50 meters or more of fossiliferous, ashy sediments.

During the 2002 field season, a more complex stratigraphy emerged. The overlying portion of the Hannegan rocks, on Ruth and Icy Peaks, are composed of andesitic lavas and pyroclastic flows. The source for these rocks was a previously unknown volcanic vent that became active some time after the caldera-forming eruption. This volcano is now almost entirely stripped by erosion.

These upper volcanics are intruded by younger granite, likely the frozen magma that fed the volcanism. These must be among the youngest granites exposed on the planet. Virtually all the Hannegan rocks are altered by circulating hydrothermal fluids.

Since Hannegan time, the trace of subsequent magmatic activity has been linear, in a southwest direction. The focus of magmatism migrated beneath the present Mount Shuksan, leaving small granite bodies, and is responsible for the 1.15 Ma Kulshan caldera between Mounts Shuksan and Baker. Further migration of the focus produced the Pleistocene Black Buttes volcano and culminates in today's Mount Baker. This alignment is anomalous and unexplained.

Prior to this study, no volcanic vents had been described in North Cascades National Park. The project focuses on description of the Hannegan volcanic rocks, interpretation of the eruptive events that deposited them, and the subsequent emplacement of related plutons. It is hoped that geochemical analysis will assist in relating these distinct igneous rock groups. An effort will be made to determine the process that is driving the migration of magmatism and volcanism to the southwest. This could provide valuable insights into timing and location of volcanic successors to the current active vent at Mount Baker.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESES:

1. To systematically describe volcanic deposits in North Cascades National Park for the first time;
2. To verify my hypothesis that the rocks of the Hannegan Volcanic Formation were deposited primarily by catastrophic caldera collapse, and subsequent emplacement of dikes and eruption of lavas;
3. To devise a hypothesis to explain the southwest migration of magmatic centers since the collapse of the Hannegan caldera;
4. To add to our knowledge of dynamic processes in the North Cascades.

Roger Christophersen, North Cascades National Park Service Complex, 360-856-5700 X 308, roger_christophersen@nps.gov.

Little is known about the presence, distribution and relative abundance of mid-level forest carnivore populations in North Cascades National Park Service Complex, Washington. Concerns over declining populations of American marten (Martes americana), fisher (Martes pennanti), wolverine (Gulo gulo) and lynx (Lynx canadensis) have prompted the need to better understand their status and biogeography. We investigated the potential occurrence of these species using remotely triggered cameras during the winter months of February-May 2003. Sampling areas consisted of 4 km² blocks with 2 camera stations per block, with each camera separated by one mile. A total of 19 blocks were sampled (38 camera stations). Each camera was left installed for a 28-day sampling period. We obtained 974 photographic slides of 15 wildlife species. The most common species was American marten (n=17 stations). Other carnivore species detected included spotted skunk (Spilogale putorious, n=6 stations), short-tailed weasel (Mustela erminea, n=2 stations), cougar (Felis concolor, n=1station), coyote (Canis latrans, n=4 stations), bobcat (Lynx rufus, n=3 stations) and North American black bear (Ursus americanus, n= 1 station). Incidental photos were also taken of black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus), deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus ), Douglas squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasi), Townsend chipmunk (Tamias townsendi), Steller's jay (Cyanocitta stelleri), gray jay (Perisoreus canadensis) and common raven (Corvus corax). Sample size and safety constraints may have limited our ability to detect the more elusive and rare carnivore species such as fisher, wolverine and lynx. Surveys are scheduled to continue during the winter of 2004.

12:00

1:00

Clifford G. Rice, Research Scientist, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, ricecgr@dfw.wa.gov.

Over the past half-century, mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) numbers have declined substantially in many parts of the state of Washington. However the distribution and magnitude of this decline is difficult to determine due to the lack of consistent and objective information on population size. Many explanations for the decline have been proposed, but fragmented and largely anecdotal accounts have been insufficient for selection between alternate scenarios. In order to address these information lacunae, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife initiated a research project on mountain goats in 2002. In partnership with 3 National Forests, 3 National Parks, 2 native American tribes, and Western Washington University, this research has set 3 initial objectives: 1) To develop a rigorous geo-spatial representation of seasonal mountain goat habitat in the North Cascade Range; 2) To analyze habitat selection processes for mountain goats in this region; and 3) To test and evaluate aerial survey approaches for mountain goats in the Cascade range. Subsequent research effort will focus on potential causes for the decline.

1:30

R. Mierendorf, G. Burtchard, D. Conca, A. Weiser

This will be a Powerpoint presentation.

2:00

Peter Kiffney and Correigh Greene, NOAA Fisheries

Although headwater streams comprise 75-90% of total river kilometers in most watersheds, the influence of headwater streams on the ecological processes of large river systems has been largely ignored. These headwater streams number in the hundreds in some river systems, and are major sources of nutrients, woody debris, and sediment, all of which can affect downstream reaches of the river network. Recent research has shown that the physical and biological diversity at tributary junctions, the points in the network where smaller streams enter larger mainstem habitat, is higher compared to points upstream of these junctions. However, researchers have yet to link these observations with individual, population, and community level processes.

We are testing whether productivity and structural gradients created by tributary junctions create hotspots for biodiversity. Our pilot research in the Cedar River watershed provides evidence for both increased nutrient input and structural change resulting from tributary connections. We also found that fish abundance is higher below tributary junctions compared to reaches just upstream from these sites. This year, we are expanding this study into the much more biologically rich Skagit River watershed, and will examine the role of tributary junctions in systems like the Cascade River.

This research is important because stream ecologists have primarily viewed streams as linear systems and have focused on habitat heterogeneity at small spatial scales, and not on how habitats may be linked. In addition, this research will address whether headwater streams are important to downstream condition and, therefore, whether headwater streams and the point where they join larger rivers are important for conservation or restoration. Such information is critical to conserving and restoring threatened and endangered salmon stocks.

2:30

John McLaughlin, 360-650-7617, jmcl@cc.wwu.edu; Rodney B. Siegel, 415-663-2051,rsiegel@birdpop.org; Robert C. Kuntz II,360-856-5700 x 368, robert_kuntz@nps.gov.

Update on study objectives:
1. Determine bird-habitat relationships across North Cascades National Park (NOCA).
2. Field test and evaluate a sampling method and survey design for inventory and monitoring avian populations in areas with diverse habitats and limited access.
3. Predict avian responses to habitat changes due to land management practices and non-anthropogenic factors