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
Second-Tier Database Support for Technical Management Team (TMT)

BPA project number   9601900

Business name of agency, institution or organization requesting funding
University of Washington

Sponsor type   WA-Consultant

Proposal contact person or principal investigator

BPA technical contact   ,

Biological opinion ID   RPA 1f

NWPPC Program number   5.0F.4

Short description
Provide single-point, Internet-based access to a subset of fishery, hydraulic, project operation, and environmental information of use to the TMT but presently distributed on regional databases. The second-tier site will: · provide access to complete year-to-date time series presently available only in single-day or several-day moving windows at primary sites, · permit simple, quick access to cross-tabulations and graphics combining information presently distributed regionally on separate databases, · reduce Web-based and other user impacts on primary sites whose resources are dedicated to data collection and quality control.

Project start year   1995    End year   

Start of operation and/or maintenance   1997

Project development phase   Implementatin

Section 2. Narrative

Related projects
This project provides second-teir database services and associated Internet-based viewing of integrated environmental, hydraulic, project operation, and fishery information to the Technical Management Team, Project 9601600 (In-Season Operations Technical Management Team (TMT) Support), Project 9207104 (Network-Based World-Wide Web Information Infrastructure) and Project 9105100 (Run Timing Predictions for the Columbia River Basin Including Individual ESA Demes). The difference between primary- and secondary-tier databases is presented in a paper accessible through the Internet at:
http://ww3.cqs.washington.edu/???

Project 9601600 provides the master “home page” for TMT information on the Internet, including links to interactive and automated Web products provided under this and related tasks.

This project complements existing historical and in-season database services provided by Project 8810804 (StreamNet, aka CIS), Project 9403300 (Fish Passage Center), and other regional databases by accumulating certain datasets that are reported only in single- or several-day reports from regional, primary data sources. This project reduces user impacts to Project 9008000 (PITAGIS) which prioritize data polling and quality control over data analysis and presentation. This project also provides a single point of contact for coordinating Web-based products using integrated data. As Internet-based processes and resources mature, the need for second-tier services may decrease.

This project provides database services for Project 9207104 (Network-Based World-Wide Web Information Infrastructure) presentations. Project 920704 prototypes Internet-based information tools that facilitate access or add value to information developed under BPA Office of the Environment funding. It also provides technical assistance to regional efforts to develop a unified structure for accessing and disseminating information related to the Bonneville Power Administration’s fish and wildlife responsibility in the Pacific Northwest. Initial prototypes focus on the TMT process with the contractor empowered to assist TMT participants adopt Web technology to improve information access in the Pacific Northwest.

This project generates historical and inseason datasets critical to Project 9105100 (Run Timing Predictions for the Columbia River Basin Including Individual ESA Demes) which generates on-line, Internet-based forecasts of inseason passage stage for ESA stocks considered by the TMT. These forecasts will be one data element included in the Internet-based administrative record of the TMT.

Project history
During 1995, use of the Internet for TMT information management was tested and demonstrated. A prototype system involving regionally-distributed data and data servers was connected via the Internet to act as a single “virtual” information resource for anyone having a microcomputer connected to the Web. The University of Washington, in an interim basis, physically collected information from regionally-distributed databases (FPC, Corps, BPA, PITAGIS, USGS, etc.) into a single second-tier database with which to demonstrate Web-based query and viewing tools. This “duplication” of regional data both facilitated testing of products and avoided impacts the regionally-distributed databases and support staff. It was anticipated that some or all of the interim UW database functions would be provided by the regionally-distributed primary data servers in the implementation phase of Internet-based TMT services.

The UW services include a dynamic database that automatically querys regional databases for current (daily) information and provides both automatically- and interactively-prepared tabular and graphical reports merging hydraulic, environmental, fishery, and other data. Certain products were used by other projects, including 9105100 and 9207104, as source material for other forecasting the migration pattern of wild PIT-tagged spring chinook juveniles and other “value-added” displays. The resulting web of information remains online and can be accessed as reference material for future years and as material for evaluation of the effectiveness of the TMT. Transfer of such a database to regional archives such as StreamNet or the Fish Passage Center is an issue that in the preliminary stages of discussion. However, many data stewardship issues-including correction of propagated errors-will need to be addressed.

Prototyped 1995 Project 9207104 Web products complement UW services, providing different views of the information and, in the case of PIT tags, additional data synthesis. Project 9207104 used UW as an interim source of data for some of its data-integration Web products.

During 1996, a host agent will be sought that will accept, maintain, and cooperatively improve the combined Web-based data query service to the TMT for 1997 and beyond.

Biological results achieved
Not Applicable

Annual reports and technical papers
1995 and 1996 database queries and syntheses are available online at:
http://www.cqs.washington.edu (the UW Web page)
http://terassa.pnl.gov:2080/TMT/home.html (the Battelle Web page)

Management implications
This project promotes adaptive management by making available information essential to sound decisions. It provides immediate regional-wide access to current and historical information essential to sound recommendations for the operation of the Federal Columbia-Snake hydrosystem. Automatically and interactively-prepared queries allow the synthesis of graphical and tabular products that formerly would not have been possible because of geographic separation of information resources. The Internet and its services allow the TMT and its support staff to be distributed regionally while assuring communication of information as a single, connected, workgroup.

Specific measureable objectives
Provides Internet-based automatic and interactive preparation of graphic and tabular reports from the geographically-distributed databases involving information relevant to TMT decision making.
Provides timely access to information prior to TMT deliberations.
Through associated Internet-based projects, the TMT will have access to relevant operational and management information from the current and previous years.

Testable hypothesis
Not applicable

Underlying assumptions or critical constraints
Access to Internet services, suitable microcomputer and software are assumed for TMT participants. This requirement is now typically met in most areas and the necessary services are becoming more universal and affordable.
It is hoped that the database server (hardware, software, and administration) function will be provided at no cost (or shared regionally) by TMT participants and that primary data generators will provide their information over the Web. Database management and programmer support will be needed to implement and improve prototyped database services for the TMT.

Methods
Internet support will be provided in two parts. The first is by direct committment of participants on the TMT. Participants will be expected to directly support the generation and Web access/display of information generated by each participant. This encourages data stewardship and minimizes propogation of erroneous information. “Value-added” work under this project will be performed by either donated personnel agreed to by the TMT or by contracted staff. Database products and tools prototyped in 1995 and 1996 will be preferentially adopted where practical to minimize costs and start-up time. Staff will work closely with other TMT-related Web coordinators to integrate the diverse information available to the TMT and synthesize it into products useful to the TMT. In this manner, the TMT can be assured of timely and useful information with which to make informed decisions.

Brief schedule of activities
Pre-season activities will include migration of prototyped database tools to the provider’s server. Server acquisition and setup may also be required. Database management and Web server software will be implemented and tested.
During the migration season, the provider will serve a similar suite of Web-based products and services as currently provided by the UW DART server. The provider will provide data extracts for other TMT Internet processess.

After the migration season, collected information will be made available for regional archive.

Biological need
It is estimated that only 20% of wild juvenile spring salmon and 10% of wild juvenile fall chinook that enter Lower Granite Reservoir will survive inriver (untransported) passage to below Bonneville Dam. Increasing passage survival is a regional biological goal that requires effective communication and systhesis of field monitoring information, staff analyses and recommendations, and project operations. This project eliminates many of the logistical, physical, and temporal barriers between the TMT, support staff, and the providers of field and management information essential to informed decisions and improved passage survival..

Critical uncertainties
The critical uncertainties addressed by this project include
A. Presence-location information (Where are the fish?)
B. Future hydraulic and water quality information (What are future water conditions?)

Summary of expected outcome
This project provides TMT decision makers with project, environmental, and fishery information critical to informed and timely recommendations during pre-season planning and during in-season operations. The complete Web record will be useful for in-season and post-season evaluation of TMT effectiveness.

Dependencies/opportunities for cooperation
The proposed budget is sensative to the willingness of TMT participants to assume the costs associated with development and use of Web-based tools and information resources. Specifically, the cost of maintaining the TMT data server [i.e. hardware, software, operator, and Internet service] and associated Web pages could be absorbed by one or more TMT participants.

Risks
None

Monitoring activity
It is proposed that the TMT identify the information needed, its format, and delivery requirements and that the
TMT periodically review project performance.

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   System Policy

Recommendation    Tier 3 - do not fund