Lower Columbia River and Estuary Restoration Reference Site Study: 2010 Final Report and Site Summaries

This report summarizes data collected from 2007 - 2010 from 43 wetland sites in the lower Columbia River and estuary (LCRE) considered to represent “reference” or relatively undisturbed conditions. The purpose of this study was to provide data from a suite of reference wetlands that would serve as a baseline of wetland conditions, reduce uncertainties regarding the factors controlling these wetlands, provide data to inform restoration design, and enable the evaluation of restoration action effectiveness monitoring. Methods are provided for all data collection efforts and data analysis. The results are detailed in individual Site Summaries, where data on all monitored metrics are provided in tables and graphs. Preliminary conclusions and are set forth as are recommendations for further analysis and management applications of this dataset.