BPA Fish and Wildlife FY 1997 Proposal

Section 1. Administrative
Section 2. Narrative
Section 3. Budget

see CBFWA and BPA funding recommendations

Section 1. Administrative

Title of project
Northeast Oregon Outplanting Facilities Master Plan - Nez Perce Tribe

BPA project number   8805301

Business name of agency, institution or organization requesting funding
Nez Perce Tribe

Sponsor type   ID-Tribe

Proposal contact person or principal investigator

BPA technical contact   Jerry Bauer, EWN 503/230-3694

Biological opinion ID   None

NWPPC Program number   7.4L.1

Short description
This project was initiated as one of the Northeast Oregon Hatchery Projects. The project was started in response to the Council's objective of doubling the numbers of salmonids in the system. Project development was stalled by ESA listing. Project will be restarted in 1996.

Project start year   1989    End year   

Start of operation and/or maintenance   

Project development phase   Planning

Section 2. Narrative

Related projects
LSRCP, ODFW, USFWS, Lookingglass Hatchery Production Imnaha summer chinook.
LSRCP, ODFW, USFWS, NPT: 1995 -96 Captive Broodstock Program NPPC #74D

Project history
This project was initiated to improve fish production in the Grande Ronde and Imnaha subbasins via hatchery and weir development.

Biological results achieved

Annual reports and technical papers
Northeast Oregon Salmon and Steelhead Draft Master Plan, Imnaha River, Larson, March 1990.Northeast Oregon Salmon and Steelhead Draft Master Plan, Grande Ronde River, Bryson, March 1990.Feasibility for Reintroducing Sockeye & Coho Salmon in the Grande Ronde River and Coho and Chum in the Walla Walla River, S.P. Cramer, November 1990.Draft Siting Report for Northeast Oregon Hatchery Project, Montgomery Watson, February 1992. Draft Conceptual Design Report for Northeast Oregon Hatchery Project, Montgomery Watson, October 1992. Preliminary Report of Test Well Drilling Northeast Oregon Project, Montgomery Watson, October 1992.Genetic Risk Assessment of the Imnaha Master Plan, S.P. Cramer, December 1993. Genetic Risk Assessment of the Grande Ronde River Master Plan, S.P. Cramer, December 1994. Northeast Oregon Hatchery Project Grande Ronde River Master Plan Final Report, Bryson, NPT, January 1993.

Management implications
Recovery of ESA listed species; spring/summer chinook and fall chinook.Lostine River spring chinook.Imnaha River summer chinook.Fall chinook in the Lower Grande Ronde and Imnaha Rivers.Restoration of extirpated species; Summer chinook, subyearling migrant in Wallowa River.Coho stock in the Wallowa River.Sockeye stocks in Wallowa Lake.

Specific measureable objectives
Upward trend in spawning ground counts.Increased outmigration of wild smolts.

Testable hypothesis
Local supplementation facilities will improve returns of ESA listed salmon species and stocks.

Underlying assumptions or critical constraints
Program will be implemented prior to extinction. Supplementation can recover and restore salmon populations; i.e., natural production.Adult trapping facilities will be developed in time to trap fish in 1997.Broodstock availability.

Methods
Supplementation using one or more of the following products; adults, gametes, eggs, fry, parr, presmolt, parr, smolts, captive broodstock. The priority is to rear and release smolts from a local facility. Lostine captive broodstock began in 1995 with collection of 500 juvenile chinook under LSRCP. In 1997 conventional production for this stock should be initiated.

Brief schedule of activities
1996: Imnaha River Master Plan, Wallow a and Lower Grande Ronde River Master Plan.Lostine River Biological Assessment, NEPA EA/FONSI or Exemption, Final Design, Lostine site acquisition, Cultural Resource surveys.1997: Construction of a small incubation and smolt rearing facility on the Lostine River, adult trapping and holding facility.Imnaha site acquisition, Biological Assessment, NEPA document, Final Design.1998: Construction of a small incubation and smolt rearing facility on the Imnaha River, including appropriate adult trapping and holding facility.IWallowa summer chinook, coho, sockeye site acquisition, Biological Assessment, NEPA document, Final Design.1999: Construct Wallowa summer chinook, coho, sockeye facility.2000: Operation of all facilities. 2001: Lostine adult return response to conventional production.

Biological need
Rapid recovery of weak populations, 2-4 generations (8-16 years), to population sizes supporting ESA delisting. Prevent loss of biodiversity and inbreeding depression due to small population size. Develop population sizes capable of sustaining Tribal and Non-Tribal Harvests.

Critical uncertainties
Bureaucratic process cannot be activated in a timely manner to provide facilities for hatchery production as needed to prevent extinction of listed stocks.

Summary of expected outcome
600 - 1,000 Lostine spring chinook adults annually by year 2,015.1,300 - 3,800 Imnaha River summer chinook adults annually by year 2,015..2,500 - 5,000 Wallowa River summer chinook adults annually by year 2,015. Recovery of Fall chinook in the lower Grande Ronde and lower Imnaha River by year 2,015.Restoration 2,000 - 5000 coho adults in the Wallowa River by year 2,015.Restoration of 3,000 - 6,000 Sockeye adults in Wallowa Lake by year 2,015.

Dependencies/opportunities for cooperation
Opportunity to integrate LSRCP and NEOH production in the Grande Ronde and Imnaha subbasins.

Risks
Extinction of existing species and populations if supplementation is not undertaken within the next few years.

Monitoring activity
Monitoring of Imnaha summer chinook stock through LSRCP by ODFW and NPT.Monitoring of Wallow stocks by ODFW, WDFW.

Section 3. Budget

* For most projects, Authorized is the amount recommended by CBFWA and the Council. Planned is amount currently allocated. Contracted is the amount obligated to date of printout.

Funding recommendations

CBFWA funding review group   Snake River

Recommendation    Tier 1 - fund

Recommended funding level   $1,200,000

BPA 1997 authorized budget (approved start-of-year budget)   $100,000