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
Nez Perce Trout Ponds

BPA project number   9501300

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

Sponsor type   ID-Tribe

Proposal contact person or principal investigator

 NameDave Statler
 Mailing addressFisheries Resource Management
P.O. Box 365
Lapwai, ID 83540-0365
 Phone208/476-7417

BPA technical contact   Ron Morinaka, EWP 503/230-5365

Biological opinion ID   None

NWPPC Program number   10.8D.1

Short description
This project is to complete emergency repair of two existing trout ponds and commence site inventory, design and construction of up to 12 additional fish ponds. Continued O&M is also included.

Project start year   1995    End year   2006 (cont'd maintenance/monitoring)

Start of operation and/or maintenance   2002

Project development phase   Planning

Section 2. Narrative

Related projects

Project history
Previous investment under the EPA Clean Lakes Program has been committed to obtain baseline water quality data for two existing trout ponds (Brusven 1992, Matthews 1995). Coordination with the USDA NRCS is ongoing to help identify a sound engineering solution for emergency repair of Talmaks Reservoir, one of the two existing ponds.

Biological results achieved
None reportable to date.

Annual reports and technical papers
Status report on emergency pond repair due January 1996.

Management implications
This program will provide a barometer of the importance of consumptive resident fisheries to Tribal fishers in the wake of declining or nonexistent consumptive anadromous fisheries.

Specific measureable objectives
Provide suitable pond habitat to support 8,750-10,500 pounds of rainbow trout annually for a consumptive trout fishery. The strategy to accomplish this is via 14 fish ponds averaging 5 acres with production capability averaging of 125-150 pounds per acre.

Testable hypothesis
Suitable locations exist within the Nez Perce Reservation to construct 12 new fish ponds averaging 5 acres per pond.
Growth of fish stocked in the spring as fingerlings (4-5 inches) would be equal to or greater than .6 inch per month.
Recovery to the fishery would be 50%
Stocked fish would successfully overwinter for a continuous supply of catchable fish.

Underlying assumptions or critical constraints
Pond environment conditions would allow stocked fish to survive hot, dry summer periods.
Pond environment conditions would allow stocked fish to overwinter.

Methods
1) Consultant based designs for pond construction. USDA NRCS assistance will be also sought to minimize costs. Fish stocking in the spring after ice clears from ponds. Gillnetting and/or seining twice annually per pond to track fish growth, condition and survival. Routine monitoring of oxygen/temperature conditions, weekly or daily during adverse summer or winter conditions. Harvest data via surveying a minimum of 4 weekdays and 4 weekend days per month. Methods to obtain harvest data will be assessed for potential modification for most efficient and precise data.
2) Mean confidence intervals for growth and condition factors (p=.05).
Z-Test with raw score standard deviation for annual differences in mean growth and condition factors.
3) Approximately 50,000 4-5 inch rainbow trout to be stocked annually at full development of 14 ponds. Other salmonids may be used if available and more suited to specific pond conditions.

Brief schedule of activities
1997 - Continue (from 1996) inventory of potential sites for 12 new ponds. Begin pond designs and NEPA assessments. Stock and monitor environment, fish and fishery at 2 existing ponds. Pond maintenance as needed.
1998 - Complete pond designs and NEPA assessments for 12 new ponds. Stock and monitor environment, fish and fishery at 2 existing ponds. Pond maintenance as needed.
1999 - Begin construction of 12 new ponds. Stock and monitor environment, fish and fishery at 2 existing ponds and any new ponds constructed.
2000 - Continue construction of 12 new ponds. Pond maintenance as needed. Stock and monitor environment, fish and fishery at 2 existing ponds and any new ponds constructed.
2001 - Complete construction of 12 new ponds. Pond maintenance as needed. Stock and monitor environment, fish and fishery at 14 ponds and any new ponds constructed.

Biological need
This project is for resident fish substitution to partially compensate for irretrievable losses to the anadromous fishery.

Critical uncertainties
Suitable locations exist within the Nez Perce Reservation to construct 12 new fish ponds averaging 5 acres per pond.

Summary of expected outcome
There will be 14 fish ponds (2 existing and 12 new) within the Nez Perce Reservation averaging 5 surface acres per pond with a total production capacity of 10,500 pounds of rainbow trout.
The Nez Perce Tribal community will harvest the available trout production from these ponds in the absence or severe reduction of anadromous fish harvest opportunities.

Dependencies/opportunities for cooperation
NEPA documentation and Record of Decision need to be completed by the end of FY1998 to meet project scheduling.
Approval from the Nez Perce Tribe Land Commission and the Nez Perce Tribe Executive Committee will be needed to proceed with new construction on Tribal land.

Risks
None

Monitoring activity
The project includes monitoring fish growth, fish condition, the fishery, and the pond environments.

Section 3. Budget

Data shown are the total of expense and capital obligations by fiscal year. Obligations for any given year may not equal actual expenditures or accruals within the year, due to carryover, pre-funding, capitalization and difference between operating year and BPA fiscal year.

Historic costsFY 1996 budget data*Current and future funding needs
1995: 21,388
Obligation: 0
Authorized: 158,000
Planned: 158,000
1997: 286,800
1998: 750,000
1999: 750,000
2000: 750,000
2001: 300,000

* 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   Resident Fish

Recommendation    Tier 1 - fund

Recommended funding level   $286,800

BPA 1997 authorized budget (approved start-of-year budget)   $286,800