The ASRP Steering Committee hosts symposium events in the basin to share the scientific knowledge that has come from Chehalis Basin Strategy investment to better understand the basin ecosystems. The events are also a venue to provide feedback and ideas on continued development and implementation of the ASRP. For more information about future ASRP events, please contact Victoria Knorr at Victoria.Knorr@dfw.wa.gov.
2024 Symposium
April 17-18, 2024
Community members, scientists, and restoration professionals gathered for two days of interactive learning at the 2024 Aquatic Species Restoration Plan (ASRP) Symposium April 17th-18th. Highlights included project success stories, discussion around creative opportunities to reduce flood damage while providing habitat benefits for aquatic species, innovative case studies from around the state, and the opportunity to visit a local project site. Join us again in 2026 to celebrate more progress and continue building on lessons learned.
Presentations and Videos
Day One, April 17
Day one keynote address
- Joe Blodgett (Yakama Nation): Presentation | Video
Benefits of wood and large wood habitat projects in the Chehalis: learnings from other places
- Presentation: Bob Bilby (SRFB): Presentation | Video | Report
- Panel Q&A: Bob Bilby (SRFB), John Gaffney (Interfluve), Jane Atha (WDFW), Scott Collyard (WA Dept of Ecology): Video
Beyond trees: what are we missing in our approach to restoring riparian areas? Innovative approaches and lessons for the Chehalis
- Presentations: Kiana Sinner (Thurston Conservation District), Mara Healy (Thurston Conservation District), and Anthony Waldrop (Grays Harbor Conservation District): Presentation | Video
- Panel Q&A: Anthony Waldrop (Grays Harbor Conservation District), Kiana Sinner and Mara Healy (Thurston Conservation District), Patrick Shults (WSU): Video
Protecting quality habitat: Existing and emerging voluntary approaches
- Presentation: Aimee McIntyre (WDFW): Presentation | Video
- Presentation: Bob Amrine (Lewis Conservation District): Presentation | Video
- Presentation: Greg Green (Ducks Unlimited): Presentation | Video
- Panel Q&A: Aimee McIntyre (WDFW), Bob Amrine (Lewis Conservation District), Greg Green (Ducks Unlimited): Video
Door in, door out: incorporating estuary habitat actions into ASRP
- Presentation: Merri Martz (Anchor QEA): Presentation | Video
- Presentation: Catherine Corbett (Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership): Presentation | Video
- Presentation: Greg Hood (Skagit River System Collective): Presentation | Video
- Presentation: Micah Wait (Wild Fish Conservancy): Presentation | Video
- Panel Q&A: Merri Martz (Anchor QEA), Catherine Corbett (Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership), Micah Wait (Wild Fish Conservancy), Greg Hood (Skagit River System Collective): Video
Day Two, April 18th
Day two keynote address
- Tom Kiernan (American Rivers): Video
Planning for flood, farms, fish, and frogs across Washington
- Panel Discussion: Brandon Parsons (American Rivers), Paula Harris (Whatcom County River and Flood), Morgan Ruff (Tulalip Tribes), and Kathleen Berger (Pierce County Integrated Floodplain Management Coordinator): Video
Closing remarks
- Nicole Czarnomski (Chehalis Basin Strategy ASRP Steering Committee): Video
2022 Symposium
April 20-21st, 2022
The ASRP Steering Committee excitedly welcomed 160 participants at this year’s symposium after a hiatus due to the pandemic. Community members, restoration professionals, scientists and researchers came together virtually to discuss project implementation related topics and hear the latest cutting-edge science to inform ASRP implementation. Technical presentations and associated videos from the event are posted below.
Presentations and Videos
- Day 1 Keynote Address: Video Presentation
- Day 1 Panel – The Reach-Scale Approach to Project Implementation: Video Presentation
- Day 1 Panel – Resources for Project Implementation: Video Presentation
- Day 2 Keynote Address: Video Presentation
- Day 2 Panel – Project Implementation Collaboration: Video Presentation
- Why Stream Temperature Matters for Habitat Restoration Planning: Presentation | Video Presentation
- Incorporating Data into Project Siting: Beaver Dam Analogue Case Study: Presentation | Video Presentation
- Perceptions of Beaver and Considerations for Beaver Related Projects: Presentation | Video Presentation
- Native Freshwater Fish Occupancy in the Chehalis Basin: Presentation | Video Presentation
- Salmon Population and Distribution Trends: Presentation | Video Presentation
- Predation & Invasives – How Native and Invasive Species Fare Through Time: Presentation | Video Presentation
- Are We Keeping Up with the Needs of Specialized Amphibian Species?: Presentation | Video Presentation
- Better Understanding Freshwater Mussel Distribution & Die-Offs: Presentation | Video Presentation
- Informing Adaptive Management of ASRP & Washington State Forest Practices: A Case Study Using Amphibians: Presentation | Video Presentation
- Understanding Rates of Spring and Fall Chinook Genetic Hybridization: Presentation | Video Presentation
2020 Symposium
January 7-8th, 2020
The January 2020 ASRP Symposium was a two-day event in Centralia that gathered over 150 community members, scientists and restoration professionals. Day 1 of the event focused on sharing ongoing research that has informed the development of the Phase 1 ASRP, as well as implementation planning. Day 2 included interactive activities ranging from building resiliency back into the Chehalis, to developing community-based solutions to implementation challenges. Technical presentations and associated reports from the event are posted below.
Presentations and Reports
- Spawner Abundance Monitoring in the Chehalis River Basin: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Smolt Abundance Monitoring in the Chehalis River: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Quantifying the Freshwater Range of Occurrence for Salmonids to Guide Restoration Efforts in the Chehalis River Basin: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Chehalis Thermalscape and Optimal Summer Rearing Habitat: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Native Fish Occupancy Modeling in the Chehalis River Basin: Presentation
- Off-Channel Habitats in the Chehalis Mainstem Floodplain: The Exotic Challenge and Other Complexities: Presentation | Report | Audio Presentation
- Chehalis Fish Passage Barrier Prioritization Model: Presentation | Online Tool | Audio Presentation
- Research Conclusions and Applicability: Presentation
- Population Genetic Analysis of Chehalis River Watershed Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch): Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Run-Type Genetic Markers and Genomic Data Provide Insight for Monitoring Spring-Run Chinook Salmon in the Chehalis Basin: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Movement and Home Range Study of Select Native Fishes in the Chehalis River Basin: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Smallmouth Bass Distribution in the Chehalis River: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Restoration Expansion of Oregon Spotted Frog Breeding and Active Season Habitat in the Black River: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Stillwater-Breeding Western Toad Breeding in Medium-River Habitat in the Chehalis Basin Presents Special Conservation Challenges: Presentation | Report | Audio Presentation
- Research Conclusions and Applications: Presentation
2018 Symposium
The Chehalis Basin ASRP Steering Committee hosted the Science Symposium September 19-20, 2018, in Chehalis. The two-day event was an opportunity to share findings from scientific research that informs the ASRP, as well as receive feedback on the Ecological Diversity Region Prioritization to inform Phase 1 ASRP development. Scientific presentations and associated reports from the event are posted below.
Presentations and Reports
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife has been conducting research to inform the Chehalis Basin ASRP for several years. Below are the studies presented at the Science Symposium in fall 2018.
- Spawner abundance and distribution of salmon and steelhead in the Upper Chehalis River: Presentation | Report | Audio Presentation
- Grays Harbor Fall Chum abundance and distribution: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Population genetic analysis of Chehalis River winter steelhead: Presentation | Report | Audio Presentation
- Population genetic analysis of Chehalis River Chinook salmon: Presentation | Report | Audio Presentation
- Investigating juvenile life history using otolith chemistry: Presentation | Report | Audio Presentation
- Spring Chinook salmon in the Chehalis River: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Summer patterns of fish, habitat, and temperature in sub-basins of Chehalis River: Presentation | Report | Audio Presentation
- Native freshwater fishes research in the Chehalis River: Presentation | Report | Audio Presentation
- Conclusions of fish program research: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Off-channel habitat studies: Presentation
- Habitat changes in the Chehalis floodplain: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Chehalis culverts considering climate change in design: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Riparian-associated amphibians: Presentation | Audio Presentation
- Instream amphibian studies (Western Toad): Presentation | Audio Presentation
Ecological Diversity Region Prioritization
In order to effectively organize and prioritize restoration and protection projects, the basin was split into 10 unique Ecological Diversity Regions (EDR’s). These areas have distinct ecological characteristics and processes that warrant tailored strategies for restoration. The overview boards below provide information about each region, ecological processes that are targeted for restoration or protection, and potential strategies for success of each. Your feedback is vital to strategizing projects to improve and protect aquatic species habitat throughout the basin. For questions or more information, please contact Emelie McKain at Emelie.McKain@dfw.wa.gov.
- Chehalis River Tidal: Map | Overview
- Grays Harbor Tributaries: Map | Overview
- Lower Chehalis River: Map | Overview
- Black Hills: Map | Overview
- Black River: Map | Overview
- Central Lowlands: Map | Overview
- Cascade Mountains: Map | Overview
- Middle Chehalis River: Map | Overview
- Olympic Mountains: Map | Overview
- Willapa Hills: Map | Overview
- All Ecological Diversity Regions: Map