PNNL

Abstract

The City of Bainbridge Island is conducting a seminal nearshore characterization and assessment project funded through the Salmon Recovery Funding Board. The primary objective of this effort is to provide baseline data upon which to develop and implement nearshore management strategies (including restoration and preservation) and measure management success. A science-based conceptual framework was used to characterize the status of shoreline ecological functions based upon systematic evaluations of shoreline modifications, controlling factors, habitat structure, and habitat processes. Approximately 48.5 miles of shoreline was divided into nine management units (based on drift cell knowledge) and each unit analyzed by reach (based on the WDNR ShoreZone Inventory). Digital data, including the Bainbridge Island Nearshore Structure Inventory, were quantified using GIS, which was in turn used to conduct a qualitative (3-tier) assessment using defensible, systematic matrices. The qualified measures were based on quantified parameters derived from the literature, current and historical shoreline photos, and expert opinion. This information was synthesized to determine human impacts, locate critical areas for protection or restoration, and identify nearshore ecosystems most at risk to cumulative impacts. Based on readily available or easily collectable data, this approach could provide a useful framework for similar assessments in Puget Sound.