General Salmonid Habitat Model : Phase 3—model evaluation, application, and documentation

<jats:p>The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) currently operates and maintains water resource structures within many of the waterways that support anadromous fish species. USACE is required to assess the impacts and benefits to the environment of proposed water resource projects (i.e., levee maintenance or construction), including those to anadromous fish, during the planning process. Environmental assessments generally use ecological models to project changes to the environment under future without and future with proposed project plans. This report presents an evaluation of and application guidance for the general salmonid habitat model (salmonid model) to assist with those assessments. Potential applications of the salmonid model include assessing impacts from navigation, flood risk reduction, and hydroelectric operations as well as projecting environmental benefits from ecosystem restoration projects. The salmonid model can be used at multiple spatial scales, and it is sensitive to a range of proposed restoration actions. The model is generally applicable within watersheds that support anadromous fish species within the Pacific Northwest region of the US.</jats:p>