FY07-09 proposal 200716400

Jump to Reviews and Recommendations

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal titleDetermination of Steelhead Production and Productivity Response to Habitat Manipulations in the Upper Potlatch River, Idaho
Proposal ID200716400
OrganizationIdaho Department of Fish & Game
Short descriptionWe will determine the production and productivity of steelhead trout in the Upper Potlatch River basin and compare tributary (spatial) varitations and trends in production and productivity to determine the effectiveness of habitat manipulations.
Information transferThe primary information from this proposal will be reported in annual reports to BPA. The information generated during field sampling will also contribute data to the StreamNet database through the Idaho Fish and Game statewide stream survey database. In addition to BPA annual reports, verbal presentations and reports will be provided to local government and private groups in the Potlatch River Basin to help guide restoration efforts.
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
Contacts
ContactOrganizationEmail
Form submitter
Nathan Brindza Idaho Department of Fish and Game nbrindza@idfg.idaho.gov
All assigned contacts
Nathan Brindza Idaho Department of Fish and Game nbrindza@idfg.idaho.gov
Ed Schriever Idaho Fish and Game edschriever@idfg.idaho.gov

Section 2. Locations

Province / subbasin: Mountain Snake / Clearwater

LatitudeLongitudeWaterbodyDescription
Potlatch River The project will take place in the Potlatch River and its tributaries from approximately the confluence with the East Fork Potlatch River upstream.

Section 3. Focal species

primary: Steelhead Snake River ESU
secondary: Coho Unspecified Population
secondary: Cutthroat Trout

Section 4. Past accomplishments

YearAccomplishments

Section 5. Relationships to other projects

Funding sourceRelated IDRelated titleRelationship
PCSRF - Idaho 040 04 CW Potlatch River Watershed Resto Habitat improvement project implementing a variety of actions throughout the Potlatch River Basin. We would be determining the effect of those actions that occur in the upper Potlatch River Watershed.
PCSRF - Idaho 041 04 CW Potlatch River Steelhead Popul Sister project determining the production and productivity response of steelhead to habitat manipulations in the agriculturally dominated lower Potlatch River. Together with this proposed project the Potlatch River would have a basinwide program to evaluate fish response to changes in the watershed and guide future management efforts.
PCSRF - Idaho 027 05 CW Potlatch River Steelhead Popul Sister project determining the production and productivity response of steelhead to habitat manipulations in the agriculturally dominated lower Potlatch River. Together with this proposed project the Potlatch River would have a basinwide program to evaluate fish response to changes in the watershed and guide future management efforts.
BPA 200206100 Restore Potlatch R Watershed Proposed project is the monitoring project for the future actions expected to result from the Potlatch River Watershed Management Plan produced by project 200206100.
BPA 198335003 Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery M&E Part of Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery efforts are directed at coho reintroduction in the Potlatch River system. Operations of this project would provide additional data to the Nez Perce Tribe on coho production in the Potlatch River basin.
Other: USDA [no entry] NRCS Farm bill programs such as CRP, WRP, Riparian Buffers, Filter Strips, Etc The many farm bill funded activities have a large potential to improve the habitat and flow regime of the Potlatch River and its tributaries. Determining fish production and productivity responses on tributary and basinwide scales will allow evaluation of the contribution made by these programs and guide management actions for fish recovery.
Other: DOI LIP Riparian and in-stream habitat improvement The proposed project would be the monitoring component to the landowner incentive program habitat manipulation in the East Fork of the Potlatch River.

Section 6. Biological objectives

Biological objectivesFull descriptionAssociated subbasin planStrategy
Assess competition between reintroduced and native To determine if reintroduced or other hatchery produced salmonids pose a competitive threat to the production of existing native salmonids Clearwater Relates to problems 1, 3, and 7 of the subbasin plan.
Assess temperature-amelioration restoration projec Determine the efficacy of stream temperature amelioration projects in the Potlatch River Basin and generally reduce water temperatures to acceptable standard throughout the Potlatch River watershed. Clearwater Relates to problems 2, and 7 of the Clearwater Subbasin Plan
Determine migration characteristics and timing Determine migration characteristics and timing of smolts outmigrating from the subbasin Clearwater Relates to Problems 1, 2, 3, and 7 of the subbasin plan
Develop/expand index areas Define spatial and temporal changes and trends in habitat quantity and quality as they relate to salmonid productivity. Clearwater Relates to problem statements 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, and 16 of the Clearwater Subbasin Plan.
Improve aquatic habitat diversity and complexity Improve aquatic habitat diversity and complexity to levels consistent with other objectives outlined in this document, with particular emphasis on recovery of anadromous and fluvial stocks. Clearwater 6. Develop a method to monitor biological response to habitat improvement. 7. Monitor long-term effectiveness of habitat improvement efforts. Modify strategies based on new information as necessary.
Increase anadromous fish productivity and producti Increase anadromous fish productivity and production, and life stage survival through habitat improvement Clearwater 3. Establish a set of index streams stratified by PMUs for monitoring 4.Identify and Develop indices to evaluate biological response to habitat improvement projects 7. Monitor and evaluate habitat improvement projects.
Participate in local watershed and technical group In the past, projects have not been successful in conditions where the local groups are not supportive. Long-term program implementation is more successful where projects are locally developed and implemented. Clearwater 1. Assist soil and water conservation districts, watershed advisory groups, and other existing groups to organize project goals and implementation strategies. 3. Facilitate networking of watershed groups with technical assistance in the subbasin.
Quantify steelhead stray rates Quantify stray rates of Clearwater steelhead within the subbasin and ascertain the effects of hatchery strays on wild/naturally reproducing stocks. Clearwater Relates to problems 1 and 3 of the subbasin plan.

Section 7. Work elements (coming back to this)

Work element nameWork element titleDescriptionStart dateEnd dateEst budget
Develop RM&E Methods and Designs Establish Site Selection Establish sampling site selection throughout the Upper Potlatch River Basin using GRTS design 10/1/2006 4/30/2007 $2,500
Biological objectives
Increase anadromous fish productivity and producti
Metrics
Mark/Tag Animals Tributary Roving Tagging Capture and PIT tag juvenile steelhead throughout tributaries of the Upper Potlatch River. Estimated sample size 3000 fish/year. 5/30/2007 9/30/2009 $106,315
Biological objectives
Increase anadromous fish productivity and producti
Metrics
Primary R, M, and E Type: Number of Fish tagged
Submit/Acquire Data Submission and Retrieval of Data through PTAGIS Regular submission of data to the PTAGIS database. Retrieval of data for reporting and analysis. 5/30/2007 9/30/2009 $2,500
Biological objectives
Increase anadromous fish productivity and producti
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Juvenile Production Estimates Estimate steelhead abundance using snorkeling and electrofishing methods. 5/1/2007 8/30/2009 $125,501
Biological objectives
Increase anadromous fish productivity and producti
Metrics
Primary R, M, and E Type: Juveniles/km
Create/Manage/Maintain Database Manage/Maintain Data in Statewide Streams Database Enter, error check, and maintain data in the statewide streams database which serves as the conduit for data to StreamNet. 5/1/2007 9/30/2009 $7,500
Biological objectives
Increase anadromous fish productivity and producti
Metrics
Analyze/Interpret Data Survival and Habitat Influences Determine instream survival from PIT tag group survival comparisons. Use general linear modeling procedures to compare changes in juvenile survival as a function of habitat restoration efforts and stream characteristics. 8/30/2007 9/30/2009 $25,000
Biological objectives
Increase anadromous fish productivity and producti
Metrics
Primary R, M, and E Type: instream survival
Primary R, M, and E Type: Migratory Survival
Produce Environmental Compliance Documentation NOAA Fisheries 4d requirements Apply for necessary 4d rule exemptions and produce annual report to NOAA fisheries 10/1/2006 12/1/2009 $1,000
Biological objectives
Increase anadromous fish productivity and producti
Metrics
Manage and Administer Projects Administer Project A portion of administering the overall project attributable to this objective. 10/1/2006 9/30/2009 $20,000
Biological objectives
Increase anadromous fish productivity and producti
Metrics
Install Fish Monitoring Equipment Installation of Weir and Screw Trap Install adult weir and screw trap on the East Fork Potlatch River annually. 3/1/2007 9/30/2009 $61,401
Biological objectives
Develop/expand index areas
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Trap and Weir Operations Sampling of adult at the EF Potlatch River weir and the capture and enumeration of juvenile and resident fish at the screw trap. 3/1/2007 9/30/2009 $115,602
Biological objectives
Develop/expand index areas
Metrics
Primary R, M, and E Type: Adult returns
Primary R, M, and E Type: Juveniles Captured
Primary R, M, and E Type: age of adults
Primary R, M, and E Type: Juvenile ages
Secondary R, M, and E Type: Adult origin
Mark/Tag Animals Fish Tagging At East Fork Potlatch River Screw Trap Juvenile steelhead tagging at the E.F. Potlatch screw trap to estimate migration numbers and survival 3/1/2007 9/30/2009 $80,000
Biological objectives
Develop/expand index areas
Metrics
Primary R, M, and E Type: Number of fish tagged
Submit/Acquire Data Submit and Aquire Data from PTAGIS Daily submission of tagging data to PTAGIS and aquiring data for survival estimates. 3/1/2007 9/30/2009 $5,000
Biological objectives
Develop/expand index areas
Metrics
Analyze/Interpret Data Analysis and Summary of Data from Weir and Trap Estimation of total adult escapement, juvenile migrant numbers, and productivity in the East Fork Potlatch River. 7/1/2007 10/30/2009 $20,000
Biological objectives
Develop/expand index areas
Metrics
Primary R, M, and E Type: Adult escapement
Primary R, M, and E Type: Juvenile Production
Primary R, M, and E Type: adults/adult
Primary R, M, and E Type: smolts/adult
Primary R, M, and E Type: Survival to LGR
Primary R, M, and E Type: smolt to adult return rate
Produce Environmental Compliance Documentation NOAA Fisheries 4d Requirements Complete annual 4d permit application and annual report to NOAA fisheries 10/1/2006 12/1/2009 $1,000
Biological objectives
Develop/expand index areas
Metrics
Manage and Administer Projects Manage and Administer Project Portion of management and administration for this objective. 10/1/2006 9/30/2009 $15,000
Biological objectives
Develop/expand index areas
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Habitat Field Sampling Monitor habitat in tributaries of the Upper Potlatch River. 5/30/2007 9/30/2009 $100,000
Biological objectives
Improve aquatic habitat diversity and complexity
Metrics
Primary R, M, and E Type: Channel W/D
Primary R, M, and E Type: Entrenchment
Primary R, M, and E Type: Channel slope
Primary R, M, and E Type: Pool:riffle ratio
Primary R, M, and E Type: substrate composition
Primary R, M, and E Type: Large woody debris/km
Primary R, M, and E Type: Canopy cover
Primary R, M, and E Type: max flow
Primary R, M, and E Type: min flow
Create/Manage/Maintain Database Create and Manage Habitat Database Create and Manage a database to house the detailed habitat data. Produce summaries for entry into statewide streams database. 10/1/2006 9/30/2009 $4,500
Biological objectives
Improve aquatic habitat diversity and complexity
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Install, maintain, and download thermographs Install, maintain and download thermographs throughout the Upper Potlatch River and at project specific sites. 3/1/2007 9/30/2009 $15,000
Biological objectives
Assess temperature-amelioration restoration projec
Metrics
Primary R, M, and E Type: water temperature
Primary R, M, and E Type: Number of Thermographs Deployed
Analyze/Interpret Data Temperature Trends and Comparisons Determine overall trend for water temperatures in the Upper Potlatch River basin. Compare temperatures at various project restoration sites with non-restoration sites and overall trend. 10/1/2008 9/30/2009 $5,000
Biological objectives
Assess temperature-amelioration restoration projec
Metrics
Secondary R, M, and E Type: temperature change
Analyze/Interpret Data Lower Clearwater River Steelhead Life History Using data collected under other objectives, determine migration timing, age at migration, size at migration, etc. of Lower Clearwater River steelhead. 10/1/2007 9/30/2009 $4,000
Biological objectives
Determine migration characteristics and timing
Metrics
Primary R, M, and E Type: Arrival timing at Lower Granite Dam
Primary R, M, and E Type: Age at migration
Primary R, M, and E Type: Size at migration
Analyze/Interpret Data Analysis of Reintroduction Impacts on Steelhead Using data from other objectives, analyze survival data for differences between survival of steelhead in tributaris with and without naturalized coho. 6/30/2008 9/30/2009 $5,000
Biological objectives
Assess competition between reintroduced and native
Metrics
Primary R, M, and E Type: instream survival
Primary R, M, and E Type: juvenile coho abundance
Coordination Coordination with Local Governmental, Tribal, and Private Interests Coordinate monitoring and other watershed activities with other interested groups in the Potlatch River Basin. Maintain links with groups actively involved in habitat restoration. 10/1/2006 9/30/2009 $5,000
Biological objectives
Participate in local watershed and technical group
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Identify strays and origin Collect CWT from hatchery adult steelhead returning to the E.F. Potlatch River weir. Determine the origin of these hatchery adults. 3/1/2007 7/1/2009 $12,000
Biological objectives
Quantify steelhead stray rates
Metrics
Primary R, M, and E Type: adult origin
Analyze/Interpret Data Determine Hatchery to Wild Ratio in the Potlatch River system Determine the hatchery to wild ratio of adults in the Potlatch River using data from the E.F. Potlatch River weir and Big Bear Creek Weir (PCSRF). 7/1/2007 9/30/2009 $3,000
Biological objectives
Quantify steelhead stray rates
Metrics
Primary R, M, and E Type: hatchery:wild ratio

Section 8. Budgets

Itemized estimated budget
ItemNoteFY07FY08FY09
Personnel Biologist (6 mo.) $21,100 $21,500 $22,000
Personnel Technicians (16 months) $33,900 $34,600 $35,300
Personnel Research Data Tech (8mo) $13,500 $13,800 $14,000
Personnel Bioaides (16 mo.) $21,815 $22,251 $22,696
Fringe Benefits All personnel $51,300 $52,300 $53,300
Capital Equipment Screw Trap $15,000 $0 $0
Capital Equipment CWT wand $6,500 $0 $0
Supplies PIT tags $12,500 $12,500 $12,500
Supplies Misc Field Supplies $14,350 $8,100 $8,100
Travel Truck Rental and Mileage $8,000 $8,000 $8,000
Travel Field Work (Subsistence) $8,960 $9,230 $9,505
Travel Professional Meetings $500 $500 $500
Overhead [blank] $39,701 $40,145 $40,866
Other USGS Site $15,000 $15,000 $15,000
Totals $262,126 $237,926 $241,767
Total estimated FY 2007-2009 budgets
Total itemized budget: $741,819
Total work element budget: $741,819
Cost sharing
Funding source/orgItem or service providedFY 07 est value ($)FY 08 est value ($)FY 09 est value ($)Cash or in-kind?Status
Totals $0 $0 $0

Section 9. Project future

FY 2010 estimated budget: $239,000
FY 2011 estimated budget: $239,000
Comments: It is expected and neccessary for the project to continue through several more brood years of steelhead to answer the questions posed

Future O&M costs: Future costs will be associated with the continued gathering of the metrics proposed to monitor and evaluate the steelhead populations and the response to habitat manipulations.

Termination date: 12/31/2022
Comments: A solid trend and determination of production and productivity of steelhead should be established by this time. Should long term evaluation be of interest, another series of measurements for production and productivity should be taken 10-20 years after the termination of this project.

Final deliverables: Final deliverables will include a summary report of findings regarding the productivity and production of steelhead in the Potlatch River, interactions with reintroduced salmonids, and temperature trends in the Potlatch River. Additional scientific journal publications are expected to result.

Section 10. Narrative and other documents


Reviews and recommendations

FY07 budget FY08 budget FY09 budget Total budget Type Category Recommendation
NPCC FINAL FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Oct 23, 2006) [full Council recs]
$0 $0 $0 $0 Expense ProvinceExpense Do Not Fund
NPCC DRAFT FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Sep 15, 2006) [full Council recs]
$0 $0 $0 $0 Basinwide
NPCC DRAFT FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Sep 15, 2006) [full Council recs]
$0 $0 $0 $0 ProvinceExpense

ISRP PRELIMINARY REVIEW (Jun 2, 2006)

Recommendation: Fundable in part

NPCC comments: This is a relatively good proposal to monitor habitat restoration effectiveness, with a well-written technical and scientific background. The work could benefit from a broader review and collaboration with related projects. This proposal was well positioned to provide M&E for several ongoing habitat enhancement projects, and the 2005 run monitoring helps to give it credibility. The monitoring proposed has high significance for the region and in support of other projects. The Potlatch system has high potential if habitat problems are ameliorated. The strongest areas of the proposal, and that which reviewers suggest may be the only component worthy of support, is the smolt and adult monitoring; the remaining tasks are very low priority. Furthermore, the sponsors should be participating in the Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership (PNAMP) and Collaborative Systemwide Evaluation Program (CSMEP) to ensure they are using methods adopted throughout the subbasin and basin for the adult and smolt monitoring and subsequent analyses. Please refer also to programmatic comments on monitoring and evaluation, and previous ISRP reports, as well as the basin M&E guidelines that are in development. The project would primarily conduct M&E for other projects: "In 2004, PCSRF funds were awarded to establish the relationship between habitat quality and steelhead production. The goal of the ongoing PCSRF project is to determine steelhead population response (yield and productivity) to habitat enhancement. The project is focused on lower Potlatch River tributaries where PCSRF and other funds are being used to implement habitat restoration. The purpose of this proposal is to establish a companion project in the upper Potlatch River basin to complement the PCSRF evaluation project. Latah County SWCD has project #200206100 to improve habitat. This project is not discussed. An indication of coordination with all related projects in the area is required. Project objectives as stated are to: 1) increase anadromous fish productivity and production, 2) develop an index area in the lower Clearwater River, 3) improve aquatic habitat diversity and complexity, 4) assess temperature-amelioration restoration projects and reduce water temperature, 5) determine migration characteristics and timing of smolts, 6) assess competition between reintroduced and native salmonid populations, 7) participate in local watershed and technical groups, and 8) quantify steelhead stray rates. Statistical designs for the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 6th objectives were not clearly presented, and thus they cannot be reviewed effectively. Some of these objectives seem very low priority. The 6th objective is too thinly described to enable review. The importance of others in addressing critical needs is not established. For example, "the basic data collected in the field surveys will allow us to examine steelhead production, productivity, and limited life stage survival. As data are gathered productivity estimates such as adults/adult, smolts/adult, and juveniles/km are obvious metrics available to evaluate watershed scale responses to habitat improvement. Less obvious are the in-stream survival estimates obtained from summer- and spring-tagged fish. In-stream survival for PIT tag-able steelhead will be estimated through the use of time-varied tagging. Survival to detection sites from spring tagged fish minus the survival of the previous summer tagged fish represents the survival gap (in-stream mortality) and separates migration from rearing survival. In combination with estimates of juvenile abundance, in-stream survival gives another index for stream productivity." The need for these observations is not compelling. If they were intended to test particular hypotheses (e.g., winter survival is poor because suitable habitat is unavailable), then the data may be useful, and experimental designs to test these hypotheses may be developed for review. Such designs are not presented in this proposal. The closest that the proponents come to this is "A generalized linear model will be developed to assess the impact of a variety of habitat actions on fish production and productivity metrics.” This vague statement is not supported by reference or experimental design, and methods are not well defined. There is a need to reference similar studies and methods, and to justify the monitoring in relation to the needs beyond what is already known of habitat requirements for A-run steelhead and their presence or absence in the Potlatch system. Once methods for adult and smolt monitoring are clearly defined and standardized to basinwide efforts, there is a need for reporting of the results regionally, basinwide, and in the formal fisheries literature.


ISRP FINAL REVIEW (Aug 31, 2006)

Recommendation: Fundable in part

NPCC comments: This is a relatively good proposal to monitor habitat restoration effectiveness, with a well-written technical and scientific background. The work could benefit from a broader review and collaboration with related projects. This proposal was well positioned to provide M&E for several ongoing habitat enhancement projects, and the 2005 run monitoring helps to give it credibility. The monitoring proposed has high significance for the region and in support of other projects. The Potlatch system has high potential if habitat problems are ameliorated. The strongest areas of the proposal, and that which reviewers suggest may be the only component worthy of support, is the smolt and adult monitoring; the remaining tasks are very low priority. Furthermore, the sponsors should be participating in the Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership (PNAMP) and Collaborative Systemwide Evaluation Program (CSMEP) to ensure they are using methods adopted throughout the subbasin and basin for the adult and smolt monitoring and subsequent analyses. Please refer also to programmatic comments on monitoring and evaluation, and previous ISRP reports, as well as the basin M&E guidelines that are in development. The project would primarily conduct M&E for other projects: "In 2004, PCSRF funds were awarded to establish the relationship between habitat quality and steelhead production. The goal of the ongoing PCSRF project is to determine steelhead population response (yield and productivity) to habitat enhancement. The project is focused on lower Potlatch River tributaries where PCSRF and other funds are being used to implement habitat restoration. The purpose of this proposal is to establish a companion project in the upper Potlatch River basin to complement the PCSRF evaluation project. Latah County SWCD has project #200206100 to improve habitat. This project is not discussed. An indication of coordination with all related projects in the area is required. Project objectives as stated are to: 1) increase anadromous fish productivity and production, 2) develop an index area in the lower Clearwater River, 3) improve aquatic habitat diversity and complexity, 4) assess temperature-amelioration restoration projects and reduce water temperature, 5) determine migration characteristics and timing of smolts, 6) assess competition between reintroduced and native salmonid populations, 7) participate in local watershed and technical groups, and 8) quantify steelhead stray rates. Statistical designs for the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 6th objectives were not clearly presented, and thus they cannot be reviewed effectively. Some of these objectives seem very low priority. The 6th objective is too thinly described to enable review. The importance of others in addressing critical needs is not established. For example, "the basic data collected in the field surveys will allow us to examine steelhead production, productivity, and limited life stage survival. As data are gathered productivity estimates such as adults/adult, smolts/adult, and juveniles/km are obvious metrics available to evaluate watershed scale responses to habitat improvement. Less obvious are the in-stream survival estimates obtained from summer- and spring-tagged fish. In-stream survival for PIT tag-able steelhead will be estimated through the use of time-varied tagging. Survival to detection sites from spring tagged fish minus the survival of the previous summer tagged fish represents the survival gap (in-stream mortality) and separates migration from rearing survival. In combination with estimates of juvenile abundance, in-stream survival gives another index for stream productivity." The need for these observations is not compelling. If they were intended to test particular hypotheses (e.g., winter survival is poor because suitable habitat is unavailable), then the data may be useful, and experimental designs to test these hypotheses may be developed for review. Such designs are not presented in this proposal. The closest that the proponents come to this is "A generalized linear model will be developed to assess the impact of a variety of habitat actions on fish production and productivity metrics.” This vague statement is not supported by reference or experimental design, and methods are not well defined. There is a need to reference similar studies and methods, and to justify the monitoring in relation to the needs beyond what is already known of habitat requirements for A-run steelhead and their presence or absence in the Potlatch system. Once methods for adult and smolt monitoring are clearly defined and standardized to basinwide efforts, there is a need for reporting of the results regionally, basinwide, and in the formal fisheries literature.