BPA Fish and Wildlife FY 1998 Proposal

Section 1. Summary
Section 2. Goals
Section 3. Background
Section 4. Purpose and methods
Section 5. Planned activities
Section 6. Outcomes, monitoring and evaluation
Section 7. Relationships
Section 8. Costs and FTE

see CBFWA and BPA funding recommendations

Section 1. Summary

Title of project
NE Oregon Hatchery - Grande Ronde Satellite Facilities

BPA project number   8805302

Short description
This project number is for planning, design and construction through 1997. Project may switch to #9801008 for O & M/M&E beginning in 1998 (under USFWS/LSRCP) if desired by BPA. Construct spring chinook juvenile acclimation/release and adult capture facilities in the upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek in the Grande Ronde Basin. Utilize facilities to supplement the seriously depressed natural producing spring chinook populations.

Business name of agency, institution or organization requesting funding
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation/US Fish and Wildlife Service

Proposal contact person or principal investigator

Section 2. Goals

General
Supports a healthy Columbia basin; maintains biological diversity; maintains genetic integrity; increases run sizes or populations

Section 3. Background

Stream area affected

Stream name   Upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek
Subbasin   Grande Ronde
Land ownership   Upper Grande Ronde is USFS Catherine Creek is OSU and City of Union

History
Starting in 1982, the upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek were target areas for outplanting production from Lookingglass Hatchery as a part of the LSRCP. However, no satellite juvenile acclimation/release or adult capture/holding facilities were ever constructed under the LSRCP at these locations. The need for satellite facilities has repeatedly been proposed as a part of the following efforts: 1) the Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan, 1989; 2) early implementation project (DIP) initiatives in 1990; 3) the NEOH Grande Ronde component master plan, 1990; 4) the priority supplementation projects as developed by CBFWA’s anadromous fish production workgroup, 1992; and 5) the COE funded LSRCP add-on in 1995. Project design and construction is scheduled for completion in 1997 under NEOH Grande Ronde. This proposal is for O & M and M & E of these satellite facilities beginning in 1998.

Biological results achieved
Facility construction is scheduled for 1997. See Section 3. for future biological results expected.

Project reports and papers
Siting and conceptual design reports completed). Final designs expected by Spring of 1997. Annual project reports to be done for future O & M/ M & E beginning in 1998.

Adaptive management implications
Hatchery satellite facilities on the upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek will be utilized with captive broodstock and conventional brood supplementation programs as a part of the recovery effort for an ESA listed species. Monitoring and Evaluation of project activities and results will provide information to allow decisions to be made utilizing Adaptive Management to recover listed species.

Section 4. Purpose and methods

Specific measureable objectives
The goals and objectives of the project can be measured by: 1) the number of juvenile spring chinook that are acclimated and released at the facilities; 2) the adult contributions to the ocean and Columbia River fisheries; 3) the Grande Ronde adult returns that are utilized for broodstock and contribute to harvest and rebuilding of natural production; and 4) increased outmigration of naturally produced smolts.

Critical uncertainties
Without intervention, loss of biodiversity and inbreeding depression due to small populations size may put these further at risk. Without juvenile acclimation/release facilities. smolt to adult survivals of hatchery releases would likely be decreased and adult returns would likely not target as well as to the desirable natural production locations. Without the adult capture facilities adults could not be taken for broodstock purposes.

Biological need
Current spring chinook escapements to the upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek are so small they often serve minimal function for seeding the habitat, providing broodstrock or fisheries. Artificial production is needed in these areas to bring back the nearly extirpated spring chinook runs. The satellite facilities will specifically address juvenile acclimation/release and adult broodstock capturing needs which are essential to achieving the overall Grande Ronde Basin natural and hatchery adult return goals.

Hypothesis to be tested
Supplementation efforts through operation of facilities will increase adult returns.

Alternative approaches
No action - was not chosen because risk of extinction was deemed to be to high.

Justification for planning
Most planning is completed (see project history). Design review and finalization is ongoing in 1997 by federal, state, and tribal fishery management entities. Construction to occur in 1997. This project addresses O & M and M & E beginning in 1998.

Methods
The specific project methods include: 1) collect adult broodstock at satellite facilities in tributaries (captive broodstock effort already ongoing); 2) rear spring chinook at Lookingglass Hatchery (separate related project); 3) transfer pre-smolts to facilities for acclimation prior to release; 4) utilize returning adults to escape to supplement natural production for broodstock ad for fisheries when returns allow; and 5) evaluate natural production success of returning adults.

Section 5. Planned activities

Constraints or factors that may cause schedule or budget changes
1997 construction cost estimates based on final design at 60% completion. Budgets and/or schedules could potentially change depending on accuracy of construction cost estimate.

Section 6. Outcomes, monitoring and evaluation

SUMMARY OF EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Expected performance of target population or quality change in land area affected
The reduced stress and improved imprintation of smolts released from the acclimation facilities will increase smolt to adult survival back to the Columbia and Grande Ronde rivers. The expected eventual outcome will be restored natural production and fisheries in the upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek.

Present utilization and convservation potential of target population or area
Spawning escapement of natural spring chinook in the upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek have recently ranged from about 10 to 50 fish in both locations (a small fraction of historic runs and current potential).

Assumed historic status of utilization and conservation potential
Historic redd count indicates that approximately 18% and 12% of the total GRB spawning occurred in UGRR and CF respectively. Based on an estimated historic GRB run size of 10,000 to 20,000 adults identified in the NPPC Subbasin Plan (1990), the historic escapement levels in UGRR would have ranged from 1,800 to 3,600 adults and in CC would have ranged from 1,200 to 2,400 adults.

Long term expected utilization and conservation potential for target population or habitat
The Northeast Oregon Hatchery Project (NEOH) planning process has identified a production capability of 900-1,000 adult spring chinook each for both the upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek. With broodstock collection and harvest goals, the long term target is 1,000 to 1,500 total returning adults to each location.

Contribution toward long-term goal
Through increased acclimation and smolt releases, the project is expected to return up to one-half of the above goal. With increased spawning escapement and resultant increase in natural production, the total adult return goals are expected to be met.

Indirect biological or environmental changes
None identified.

Physical products
Depending on availability of broodstock from captive and conventional programs, smolt releases at each of the upper Grande Ronde and Catherine Creek facilities are anticipated to be from 100,000 to 200,000 annually. The main product indicating success will be increased in adult returns (specifically natural production increases) resulting from these releases.

Environmental attributes affected by the project
Facilities will use some surface flows for non-consumptive use but total quantity and distance between intake and outflows is deemed to have minimal impact.

Changes assumed or expected for affected environmental attributes
None identified.

Measure of attribute changes
N/A

Assessment of effects on project outcomes of critical uncertainty
Project operations will include M & E of smolt to adult return rates and natural production sucess of adult returns.

Information products
Project O & M/M & E results will be produced in monthly or quarterly reports and in annual progress reports.

Coordination outcomes
As described under "opportunities for cooperation" sharing and coordination between all involved fish co-managers is expected to result in effective integration/operation of the numerous hatchery facility components in the GRB.

MONITORING APPROACH
Measurement of project outcomes should include: 1) continued monitoring of adult returns; 2) monitoring of survival/success of producing smolts from conventional broodstock programs; 3) monitoring of smolt to adult return survivals; and 4) monitoring of natural production success of returning adults.

Provisions to monitor population status or habitat quality
Spring chinook spawning ground counts and outmigration monitoring (smolt traps) is ongoing by ODFW. These efforts are expected to continue and will be complimented by CTUIR efforts to monitor natural production success of returning adults under this project beginning in 1998.

Data analysis and evaluation
Project biologists will collect and analyze data and compare survivals to those being achieved under other related efforts (i.e. CTUIR Lookingglass Creek supplementation study, ODFW Grande Ronde captive broodstock program).

Information feed back to management decisions
Findings will be shared and discussed with co-managers and necessary management actions/changes will be identified and implemented via in the Grande Ronde hatchery program annual operations plan.

Critical uncertainties affecting project's outcomes
Other ongoing research efforts in the GRB (see related projects) are addressing other related research needs.

Evaluation
See "specific measurable objectives" and first question under "Monitoring Approach" above.

Incorporating new information regarding uncertainties
See "feed back to management decisions" question above.

Increasing public awareness of F&W activities
Project results to be made available in annual reports, presentations to special interest groups or at conferences, facilities to be available for public viewing/tours during periods of operation.

Section 7. Relationships

Opportunities for cooperation
The entire existing and planned artificial production program in the Grande Ronde Basin (GRB) is a cooperative effort involving state and federal agencies and tribes. USFWS administers funding to states (ODFW and WDFW) and tribes (CTUIR and NPT) for existing facility operations and research. The COE is analyzing additional water and water treatment needs at Lookingglass Hatchery (LGH). The ODFW in cooperation with tribes are implementing a captive broodstock program which will provide smolts to be released at GRB satellite facilities (upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek to be operated by CTUIR and Lostine to be operated by NPT). Capturing adults for a traditional supplementation component will be done by the tribes at satellite facilities with incubation/rearing to occur at LGH by ODFW and then smolts back to satellite facilities prior to release. Monitoring and evaluation by ODFW (LGH studies funded by USFWS and life history studies funded by BPA) and by CTUIR (Lookingglass Creek supplementation study funded by USFWS) is ongoing. Additional supplementation M & E (upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek facility operations) by CTUIR is part of this project proposal. Sharing of equipment, personnel, data, etc. is to be a part of integrating the multi-component hatchery program by all fisheries co-managers in the Grande Ronde Basin. Co-managers will develop a hatchery program annual operating plan (AOP) to help define and coordinate operational specifics of all components.

Section 8. Costs and FTE

1997 Planned  $1,400,000

About 50% of costs to O & M and 50% to project M & E.

How does percentage apply to direct costs
Would apply to all costs except capital equipment.

Supplemental wildlife evaluation factors
PARTS TO BE SAVED The Bonifer, Minthorn, Imeques C-mem-ini-kem, Thornhollow and Threemile Dam satellite facilities will continue to be used for acclimation of juvenile salmon and steelhead and for holding and spawning of adults. Remaining projects include one or two additional satellite facilities to accommodate increased juvenile acclimation and one adult broodstock holding and spawning facility. Continue BPA funding for additional construction of remaining facilities (Pjct #9104100) and perform operation and maintenance at all satellite facilities.