North-central California Coast Salmonid Intrinsic Potential GIS Data

This geodataabase provides an estimate to the spatial distribution of potential historical habitat for California Coastal Chinook Salmon, Central California Coast Coho Salmon, Northern California Steelhead and Central California Coast Steelhead.

Intrinsic potential measures the potential for development of favorable habitat characteristics as a function of the underlying geomorphic and hydrological attributes, as determined through a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and mean annual precipitation grid. The model does not predict the actual distribution of "good'' habitat, but rather the potential for that habitat to occur, nor does the model predict abundance or productivity. Additionally, the model does not predict current conditions, but rather those patterns expected under pristine conditions as related through the input data. Thus, IP provides a tool for examining the historical distribution of habitat among and within watersheds, a proxy for population size and structure, and a useful template for examining the consequences of recent anthropogenic activity at landscape scales.

Information on estimating the quality and extent of historical habitat is needed for ongoing efforts to conserve and eventually recover protected populations of Pacific salmonids. Because georeferenced spatial data on habitat and fish distribution at the regional scale are lacking, we adapted methods of the Coastal Landscape Analysis and Modeling Study (CLAMS) to implement a GIS approach in modeling the intrinsic potential (IP) of stream reaches to support juvenile steelhead, coho, and chinook salmon. The IP model uses geomorphic and hydrological attributes (expressed as the weighted geometric mean of indices for mean annual discharge, channel gradient, and channel constraint) to estimate the latent potential of stream reaches to provide favorable habitat characteristics for spawning and rearing. Indices for the model are derived from a 10 m DEM and PRISM precipitation data. Thus, the model predicts patterns of relative productive potential expected in the absence of human disturbances, as related through the input data. To apply the model appropriately in California, we investigated the species-specific weighting functions (proposed by CLAMS) for coho and steelhead using values available in the literature. Also, because patterns in precipitation and runoff vary across latitudes, we applied a linear regression model to gage station data to better estimate mean annual discharge from drainage area and precipitation.

See Agrawal, A., R. Schick, E. P. Bjorkstedt, S. R.G., M. Goslin, B. C. Spence, T. Williams, and K. M. Burnett (2005). Predicting the potential for historical coho, Chinook and steelhead habitat in Northern California. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SWFSC-379.

Spence, B. C., E. P. Bjorkstedt, J. C. Garza, J. J. Smith, D. G. Hankin, D. Fuller, W. E. Jones, R. Macedo, T. H. Williams, E. Mora (2008). A Framework for assessing the viability of threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead in the North-central California Coast Recovery Domain. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFSC-423.

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This data set supersedes that contained within NOAA_NCCC_Salmonid_IP_SWFSC.gdb. An incorrect natural barrier has been removed from Anderson Creek, tributary to the South Fork Eel River.

In September 2014, NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center collaborated with NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region to create a species-specific data files of intrinsic potential for four ESUs and DPSs within the North-Central California Coast Recovery Domain: California Coastal Chinook salmon, Central California Coast coho salmon, Northern California Steelhead, and Central California Coast steelhead.

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No warranty, expressed or implied is made and no liability is assumed by NOAA Fisheries as to the positional or attribute accuracy of the data. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty and no responsibility is assumed by the U.S. Government in the use of these files.

Coastal tributaries from Redwood Creek in Humboldt County to Aptos Creek in Santa Cruz County. Additionally, tributaries to San Pablo and San Francisco Bays.

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No warranty, expressed or implied is made and no liability is assumed by NOAA Fisheries as to the positional or attribute accuracy of the data. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty and no responsibility is assumed by the U.S. Government in the use of these files.

The data set was created with ESRI ArcGIS Desktop software

Data was created based on 10 meter resolution digital elevation models (DEM)