Watershed health — Upper Columbia update
We investigated the health of stream habitats in the Upper Columbia Status and Trends Region in 2012 and 2017. Based on these study years, the region showed a majority of good biological conditions, with the highest physical and chemical stressors relating to substrate and water chemistry.
![Photo showing crew member walk along side large river.](/getattachment/8112a692-a8b3-4f86-b5b4-fc4c123de038/Header_UpperColumbia.png?lang=en-US&ext=.png)
Use the map to navigate our reports by Status and Trends Region.
Regional summary
- Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (B-IBI) conditions were consistent in the Upper Columbia Region, with a majority of stream kilometers assessed classifies as being in good biological condition.
- The most prevalent stressors for streams in the Upper Columbia Region were elevated sand/fine sediment, increased substrate embeddedness, and increased water temperatures.
Biological condition
Invertebrate biological condition of streams, as assessed with B-IBI scores, did not change significantly from 2012 to 2017 in the Upper Columbia Region. The proportion of stream kilometers assessed that were classified as being in good biological condition was high in both 2012 and 2017. There was a slight increase in 2017 in the proportion of stream kilometers classified as being in poor biological condition, yet the majority of stream kilometers in this region were in good biological condition.
![Graph showing a majority of 'good' streams in both 2012 and 2017.](/getmedia/6811fe26-76f2-480c-b457-b2ec988fedd2/BIBI_rounds1-2UpperColumbia.png?width=694&height=631&ext=.png)
We used B-IBI ratings from 2012 and 2017 to obtain the percentage of stream kilometers in good, fair, or poor condition for the Upper Columbia Region. Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals.
Significant physical and chemical stressors
In the Upper Columbia Region, some of the most common stressors were those associated with stream substrate, such as elevated sand or fines, embeddedness, and lower bed stability. Elevated water temperatures, high nutrients, and elevated pH were also observed in this region.
To interact with this graph and learn more about these stressors, hold your mouse over each bar.
This interactive graph shows the percentage of stream kilometers assessed with poor physiochemical conditions in the Upper Columbia Region for 2012 and 2017. The x-axis represents the percentage of river extent in poor condition. Error bars show 95% confidence intervals.
![A stream with multiple dead branches and two people standing on the bank](/getmedia/f6cfb795-4d9e-42c2-b358-0fa7e6a8c9b2/12_008016_F_down.JPG?width=1920&height=1079&ext=.jpg)
The fishing crew navigates a brushy channel at Antoine Creek.
![A frog submerged in a shallow creek](/getmedia/63cc582c-6c2b-4504-8da7-69f030bbedde/15_003752_Columbia_Spotted_Frog.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&ext=.jpg)
A Columbia spotted frog camouflages in the clean cool water at Depue Creek.
![A trout with small black spots on a measuring board](/getmedia/48dd1bcb-dc8a-4c6f-a9e3-088ab1fd187b/13_MARB21_Cutthroat_2021.jpg?width=1920&height=1079&ext=.jpg)
Marble Creek provides cold, clean water for cutthroat trout.
![A person with a backpack electrofisher sitting on the bank of a river](/getmedia/bad68e9c-2433-4221-b94a-b40c41f0a446/0_012715_K_Left.JPG?width=1920&height=1079&ext=.jpg)
Crews electrofish in the Entiat and other rivers and streams to better understand vertebrate assemblages.
![A person with a notebook and fishing equipment at a small creek.](/getmedia/619070b1-bed2-4cb5-9571-d84dffa006cd/9_037208_K_left.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&ext=.jpg)
A crewmwmber stops to record notes while electrofishing at Little Loup Loup Creek
![A large trout with small black spots on a measuring board](/getmedia/b71c76c1-5398-46de-91e0-c6a04497ccfb/6_038208_Rainbow_Trout_Unknown_1.JPG?width=4469&height=2515&ext=.jpg)
A crewmember caught a beautiful adult rainbow trout in Disappointment Creek.
![A large trout with a red strip being held above a net](/getmedia/0f1993f8-903f-4161-aaff-6f0019e418fa/2_009724_RainbowTrout_Unknown-4.JPG?width=1920&height=1079&ext=.jpg)
This adult rainbow trout from Sinlahekin Creek is a good indicator of stream health.
![A yellow and brown striped snake curled up on a piece of dead wood](/getmedia/e1335d19-3f7d-4315-a8c4-e4e3c64287be/10_008947_Rattle_Snake.jpg?width=1920&height=1079&ext=.jpg)
Crews can sometimes run into danger, like when they found this rattlesnake at Rock Island Creek.
![A person leaning on a large boulder while holding a pencil and clipboard](/getmedia/dc9727bc-ed96-43a6-866c-ce1ce62d5a0b/3_009724_F_Right.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&ext=.jpg)
Crewmembers draw site diagrams, noting unique features, such as large boulders.
![A green frog with black/orange spots in someone’s hands](/getmedia/5d09944a-9a07-4b84-ba7d-e0067f234d8d/4_008016_Great_Basin_Spadefoot_2.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&ext=.jpg)
A Great Basin spadefoot from Antoine Creek
![A person walking up the bank of a rocky stream holding a measuring rod](/getmedia/4ee52472-3d1b-43cd-9cb0-ae786812c51b/1_029287_F_down_1.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&ext=.jpg)
Crews measure many habitat features at Peshastin Creek, including thalweg depths at deepest part of the channel.
![A person walking along the grassy bank of a wide river](/getmedia/a819bfd6-bf53-4245-818f-cc84e6d22a95/14_003636_A_Up.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&ext=.jpg)
Crews use rafts and a specific wide site protocol on large rivers, such as the Methow.
![Two people stand in a stream holding measuring rods and a tablet](/getmedia/89cb049d-8c8a-4111-b2b6-206504ef93f7/5_011788_K_Up.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&ext=.jpg)
Crewmembers measure and record bankfull height on Bear Creek under a piece of large woody debris.