Benson Beach Demonstration Project: Composition and Abundance of Biota at Three Alternative Sump Sites

Abstract

The Portland District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is investigating plans to provide sediment to nourish beaches north of the Mouth of the Columbia River (MCR). Under the currently designed proposal, sediment dredged from the MCR will be temporarily stored at one of three proposed areas south of the North Jetty before being redredged and moved by a cutterhead pipeline dredge over the jetty to nourish Benson Beach. Resulting potential impacts to resident Dungeness crab (Cancer magister) and fishes represent one of the criteria for evaluating each of the alternative locations. To establish the species composition and relative abundance of crabs and fishes associated with each of the three proposed sump areas, researchers from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Marine Sciences Division completed nine field sampling trips from July 8, 2003, to November 1, 2003, for a total of 113 successful trawls comprising an area of over 7.4 ha (74,156 m2). This report documents the results of that effort. To understand the relative risk of losses to crab populations associated with dredging impacts at the sump alternative areas, it is recommended that a modified dredge impact model be developed using the data collected in this study. This model should estimate crab adult equivalent loss and associated error rates to gain a population-level perspective on the potential entrainment impacts at each of the three alternative sump areas. As well, a sustained survey of Dungeness crab distribution and movement within the Columbia River estuary would clarify the relative value of the sump areas as a migratory corridor for crab populations, and support management decisions relative to issues associated with dredged material handling and disposal.

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