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
Policy/Technical Involvement and Planning for YKFP
BPA project number 9506404
Short description
Provide for WDFW participation in all aspects of YKFP management in terms of policy and the impact of technical matters on policy.
Business name of agency, institution or organization requesting funding
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
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Sub-contractors |
Section 2. Goals
General
Adaptive management (research or M&E); program coordination or planning
| Target stock | Life stage | Mgmt code (see below) |
| Upper Yakima spring chinook | Adult and juvenile freshwater phases | S, N, W |
| Affected stock | Benefit or detriment |
| Resident and anadromous species within the Yakima basin | To be determined by monitoring and evaluation of the Yakima Fisheries Project |
Section 3. Background
Stream area affected
Stream name Yakima River
History
This task is one of an integrated suite of tasks which, collectively, implement the Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project. Former Departments of Fisheries and Wildlife have been under contract to provide policy and project management input to BPA for the YKFP since 1989 and 1990 respectively. Combined annual expenditures averaged $431,775 for the two budget periods prior to merger of the two agencies. Current budget for WDFW is $290,385.
Biological results achieved
N/A
Project reports and papers
Reports produced by task. See 9506401, 9506402.
Adaptive management implications
The YKFP Policy Group and Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC), supported by this task, are responsible for incorporating the results of completed task work into the Project Status Report (PSR) and the Uncertainty Resolution Plan (URP) in an annualized planning cycle based on adaptive management.
Under the adaptive management structure for the YKFP, project managers propose actions (strategies) in response to a set of agreed-upon objectives. These actions are designed as experiments to test whether the predicted result (or some other result) occurs. They also define operating assumptions needed to accept the strategies, associated uncertainties, and the risk of not meeting the stated objectives if the assumptions are incorrect or the strategy is not feasible. The experiments must be carefully designed to obtain valid (i.e., statistically reliable) results in a specified period of time. The experiments are conducted and carefully monitored to allow statistical evaluation of the results. The process includes a mechanism for review of the previous year’s results, which may cause the objectives to be modified, in turn restarting the process.
Section 4. Purpose and methods
Specific measureable objectives
Task specific.
Critical uncertainties
Specific to tasks; Critical uncertainties are presented in the Project Status Report, Vol. 3; Upper Yakima Spring Chinook, May 1995 and the YKFP Uncertainty Resolution Plan.
Biological need
The YKFP is required by the NPPC to test the assumption that supplementation can be used to enhance fish runs while keeping genetic and ecological impacts within specified limits.
Hypothesis to be tested
Task specific. To be presented in the 1997 Monitoring Implementation Plan.
Alternative approaches
Alternative approaches to achieving the NPPC's objectives for the Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project were presented in the draft EIS. This task supports the preferred alternative as presented in the Yakima Fisheries Project Record of Decision, March 1996.
Justification for planning
This task responds to the NPPC comments on the Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project Master Plan instructing the State and tribal managers to establish a project management structure. This Policy/Technical task guides development of on-the-ground efforts through the YKFP adaptive management process.
Methods
Task specific.
Section 5. Planned activities
| Phase Planning | Start 1989 | End 1998 | Subcontractor |
| Monitor and guide response to the ROD. Complete staffing description for Cle Elum Hatchery. Continue review of pre-construction and construction activities. Provide oversight and direction for updates to the PSR and URP. Provide oversight for a project annual review and development of an annual work plan. | |||
| Phase Implementation | Start 1997 | End continuing | Subcontractor |
| Participate in the project management structure through membership in the YKFP Policy Group and the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee. Provide oversight and direction for updates to the PSR and URP. Provide oversight for Project Annual Review (PAR) and development of an annual work plan. | |||
Constraints or factors that may cause schedule or budget changes
None anticipated for this task.
Section 6. Outcomes, monitoring and evaluation
SUMMARY OF EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Expected performance of target population or quality change in land area affected
N/A - policy/technical oversight
Assessment of effects on project outcomes of critical uncertainty
Critical uncertainties are classified in the Project Status Report, Vol. 3; Upper Yakima Spring Chinook, May 1995, as resolvable or unresolvable. Resolvable uncertainties will be approached through experimentation. The effects of unresolvable uncertainties will be monitored according to the YKFP monitoring Implementation Plan.
Information products
The Policy Group and STAC will guide a test of supplementation that will monitor and evaluate key biological response variables including ecological interactions, long term fitness, reproductive success and post release survival.
Coordination outcomes
The YKFP and each supporting task is designed to provide transferable primary information for use in supplementation projects throughout the Col. River basin.
MONITORING APPROACH
Task specific.
Provisions to monitor population status or habitat quality
The YKFP is designed as an experiment. The Monitoring Implementation Planning Team provides a detailed monitoring plan, including hypotheses, power analyses, and specific field protocols to monitor numerous response variables including stock status, genetic change, reproductive success, natural production, and ecological interactions.
Data analysis and evaluation
The project management structure provides for a Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee. Specific tasks (projects) report results to the STAC which will incorporate information into the YKFP adaptive management framework.
Information feed back to management decisions
Through the adaptive management process as described in detail in the EIS and the PSR.
Critical uncertainties affecting project's outcomes
Achieve habitat stability/improvement in the Yakima basin. Provide more favorable water quality and flows in the Yakima basin.
Evaluation
Achieve improvement in the status of upper Yakima spring chinook. Transfer primary information on successful supplementation techniques. Achieve a successful public involvement interface. Meet the NPPC's goals for the project.
Incorporating new information regarding uncertainties
Through the adaptive management process.
Increasing public awareness of F&W activities
The YKFP incorporates a Project Annual Review which offers the opportunity for peer review to assess the effectiveness of various tasks in achieving project objectives. In addition, project scientists publish results in peer-reviewed scientific journals and BPA contract reports.
Section 7. Relationships
| Related BPA project | Relationship |
| 9506000 The Intergovernmental Agreement Yakima Fisheries Project Scientific and Management Services | Provides the contract for WDFW policy oversight and technical direction for this and other priority tasks within adaptive management framework of the Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project. |
| 9506401 Refinement of Marking Methods for the Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project | Developing the marking technology necessary to identify project fish at the treatment replicate level and recover information about those fish using benign sampling. Evaluation of the YKFP project objectives and success is dependent upon this assumption. |
| 9506402 Upper Yakima Species Interactions Studies | Established the biological baseline for spawning, rearing, and production of rainbow trout, steelhead, spring chinook salmon, and non-target species that may be important effectors or respond to supplementation. This task also develops monitoring techniques and specific monitoring plans that must be in place at the inception of YKFP supplementation and continue as the system responds. Evaluation of project objectives and success is dependent upon this assumption. |
| 9506403 9506405 5507700 Development of the Genetic Management Framework for Upper Yakima Spring Chinook Further Development of the Nit and LNIT Strategies for the Yakima Fisheries Project Monitoring of Supplementation Response Variables for | Provides the genetic management component, a complement to the ecological interactions component described herein. Both are central to YKFP project objectives as defined by the NPPC. Evaluation of project objectives and success is dependent upon this element. NOTE - TASK COMPLETED. Provides field testing and final definition of the new innovative treatments to be used for fish rearing to produce individuals with traits similar to their wild counterparts. Evaluation of YKFP project objectives and success is dependent on accomplishment of this element. Provides lead position in development of the YKFP Monitoring Implementation Plan and implements M&E for the long term fitness and reproductive success response variables. |
Opportunities for cooperation
The cooperating fishery managers on the YKFP are the Yakama Indian Nation and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. A project management framework stipulates that project management is directed by a Policy Group consisting of representatives of the fishery managers. The USBOR is an interested party in the basin and several proposed monitoring facilities are operated by BOR. BPA is the funding entity and has the lead responsibility for NEPA document development and compliance.
Section 8. Costs and FTE
1997 Planned $290,000
| Future funding needs | Past obligations (incl. 1997 if done) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Other non-financial supporters
NA
Implementation
How does percentage apply to direct costs
Total of direct costs except capitalized equipment and fish food.