FY07-09 proposal 200734000

Jump to Reviews and Recommendations

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal titleA multidisciplinary collaborative approach to aquatic habitat monitoring & evaluation in the Walla Walla Subbasin
Proposal ID200734000
OrganizationWalla Walla Basin Watershed Council
Short descriptionThis project monitors and evaluates aquatic habitat conditions in the Walla Walla Subbasin using stream, surface water, and groundwater performance metrics. It complements BPA proposal: Walla Walla Subbasin Collaborative Salmonid Monitoring & Evaluation
Information transferThis collaboration is currently engaged with the Agencies and Authorities under EPA and BPA cost-matched support to centralize and automate, to the greatest extent possible, all information streams in the RM&E projects. To date we have centralized, and begun to serve, radio telemetry, spawner/carcass, and harvest information. We will work during the 2007-2009 funding cycle to integrate habitat survey information, and will begin to design and develop the automation systems for moving data from field crews to public servers such as the Northwest Environmental Datasystem and Streamnet. We will also distribute to state or other regional databases.
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
Contacts
ContactOrganizationEmail
Form submitter
Bob Bower Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council bob.bower@wwbwc.org
All assigned contacts
Bob Bower Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council bob.bower@wwbwc.org
Glen Mendel WDFW mendegwm@dfw.wa.gov
Jesse Schwartz Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation JesseSchwartz@ctuir.com

Section 2. Locations

Province / subbasin: Columbia Plateau / Walla Walla

LatitudeLongitudeWaterbodyDescription

Section 3. Focal species

primary: All Anadromous Salmonids
secondary: All Resident Fish

Section 4. Past accomplishments

YearAccomplishments

Section 5. Relationships to other projects

Funding sourceRelated IDRelated titleRelationship
BPA 200003900 Walla Walla River Basin Monito Salmonid monitoring and evaluation.
BPA 199601200 Anad Fish Passage Walla Walla Improve flow and fish distribution data used to guide all passage projects in the Walla Walla Subbasin
BPA 200003800 Walla Walla River Hatchery Improve flow and fish distribution data used to guide all passage projects in the Walla Walla Subbasin
BPA 199802000 Walla Walla R. Habitat Assess. Project coordinates M&E efforts with WDFW in the Walla Walla Basin by working primarily in the Oregon and Mill Creek areas while WDFW and others work primarily in the Washington areas.
BPA 199604601 Walla Walla River Basin Fish H Habitat Enhancement Project
BPA 199601100 Juv Screens & Traps Wallawalla Project evaluates passage timing and success of juvenile and adult salmonids at the new passage facilities.
BPA 199405400 Bull Trout Life History Projec Coordinate M&E efforts in the Walla Walla Basin by forwarding all bull trout observations on to ODFW, and the Bull Trout Recovery Team
BPA 199604601 Walla Walla River Basin Fish H Our project measures salmonid abundance, densities and distribution in habitat enhancement areas developed by this project as well in areas without enhancement.
Other: OWEB 206-253 Walla Walla Surface-Grndwater Monitoring, Water Budget Assess. Project provides network of surface and groundwater monitoring sites through the Oregon portion of the basin. Supports bi-state seepage runs that inventory diversion, instream and tributary flows during critical salmonid periods of the year. Provide baseline hydrosystem data and analysis to M&E efforts.
Other: OWEB 206-363 HBDIC Aquifer Recharge Project Providing additional surface-groundwater monitoring funding for the Little Walla Walla distributaries area of the Walla Walla Subbasin. Primarily provides information about subsurface water movement, seasonal timing and an assessment of the improvement of declining groundwater conditions on mainstem flow and fish habitat conditions. Additional groundwater modeling will be conducted providing more information for M&E efforts.
Other: EPA 319 ODEQ 2007-9 TMDL Implementation Monitoring & Temp Modeling Project(s) provides water quality monitoring, and assessment for Oregon portion of the basin including temperature, riparian assessments, flow as well as predictive modeling restoration management scenarios on Walla Walla River.
Other: OWRD [no entry] Stream Gauging Program Provides year-round flow information for M&E efforts at numerous sites through the Oregon portion of the watershed.
Other: WDOE [no entry] TMDL Implementation and Effectiveness Monitoring Water Quality effectiveness monitoring program being developed by WDOE and local advisory groups (2006).
Other: WDOE [no entry] Environmental Monitoring and Trends program Provides year-round telemetred flow and water and air temperature information for M&E efforts at numerous sites through the Washington portion of the watershed.
Other: WWWA 04-01 (NRCS) Groundwater-spring Monitoring in WA Project monitoring network of surface and groundwater monitoring sites through the Washington portion of the Little Walla Walla river basin and the Mill-Yellowhawk Creek complex. Provide baseline hydrosystem data and analysis to M&E efforts.
Other: BPA 9506000 Lamprey Restoration Our project provides all observations of lamprey to the lamprey project.
Other: BPA 20139 Walla Walla River Fish Passage Operations Coordinate salvage and M&E efforts as conditions dictate.
Other: BPA 20138 NEOH Walla Walla Hatchery Facility Project will measure the natural reproduction success of spring chinook salmon reared at this facility.
BPA 200203600 Restore Walla Walla River Flow Other closely related watershed enhancement and rehabilitation project
Other: BPA [no entry] Columbia County Conservation District Habitat Enhancement Other closely related watershed enhancement and rehabilitation project.
Other: OWEB z206-349 Cottonwood Creek Restoration Other closely related watershed enhancement & rehabilitation project.
Other: CTUIR 20138 Design and Construct NEOH Hatchery fro Walla Walla Basin Other closely related hatchery projects

Section 6. Biological objectives

Biological objectivesFull descriptionAssociated subbasin planStrategy
Assess essential fish habitat quantity and quality Objective 1. Assess the quantity and quality of fish habitat will be assessed in priority protection and restoration areas Walla Walla 2.8.6 Monitor and assess the distribution, condition, and utilization of essential salmonid habitat in the Walla Walla Subbasin: 2.8.21-22: Monitor and assess the impact of flow on salmonid habitat: 2.8.28 Adopt local and regional standardized protocol
Coordinate and administer project. Objective 3. Colloborative adminster and cooridinate project Walla Walla 2.8.27 Conduct collaborative study planning, implementation, synthesis of results, and results dissemination.
Evaluate essential fish habitat. Objective 2. Evaluate the quantity and quailty of essestial fish habitat Walla Walla 2.8.6 Monitor and assess the distribution, condition, and utilization of essential salmonid habitat in the Walla Walla Subbasin
Report and disseminate findings Objective 4. Report and disseminate Project Results Walla Walla 2.8.27 Conduct collaborative study planning, implementation, synthesis of results, and results dissemination: 2.8.29 Coordinate with local and regional management and research groups, and integrate information from these groups into assessments of WWSB

Section 7. Work elements (coming back to this)

Work element nameWork element titleDescriptionStart dateEnd dateEst budget
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Work element 1.1. Collect and validate field data – Assess in-stream and riparian conditions Assess in-stream and riparian conditions 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $90,000
Biological objectives
Assess essential fish habitat quantity and quality
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Work element 1.2. Collect and validate field data – Identify and assess fish passage barriers Identify and assess fish passage barriers 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $90,000
Biological objectives
Assess essential fish habitat quantity and quality
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Work element 1.3. Collect and validate field data – Assess land-use and land-cover conditions in priority geographic areas Assess land-use and land-cover conditions 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $50,000
Biological objectives
Assess essential fish habitat quantity and quality
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Work element 1.4. Assess bedscour in priority geographic areas Assess bedscour in priority geographic areas 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $45,000
Biological objectives
Assess essential fish habitat quantity and quality
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Work element 1.5. Collect and validate field data – Assess embeddedness in priority geographic areas Assess embeddedness in priority geographic areas 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $18,000
Biological objectives
Assess essential fish habitat quantity and quality
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Work element 1.6. Collect and interpret data – Collect, compile and analyze flow information. Collect, compile, and analyze flow data 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $90,000
Biological objectives
Assess essential fish habitat quantity and quality
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Work element 1.7. Analyze and interpret data – Compile and analyze groundwater information. Analyze and interpret data – Compile and analyze groundwater information. 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $45,000
Biological objectives
Assess essential fish habitat quantity and quality
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Work element 1.8. Collect and validate data – Assess macroinvertebrate conditions in treatment and reference areas. Assess macroinvertebrate conditions in treatment and reference areas. 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $60,000
Biological objectives
Assess essential fish habitat quantity and quality
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Work Element 1.9. Assess water quality conditions in priority geographic areas Assess water quality conditions in priority geographic areas 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $45,000
Biological objectives
Assess essential fish habitat quantity and quality
Metrics
Analyze/Interpret Data Work element 2.1. Analyze and interpret data – Evaluate the status of habitat quantity and quality in priority geographic areas Evaluate the status of habitat quantity and quality in priority geographic areas 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $36,000
Biological objectives
Evaluate essential fish habitat.
Metrics
Analyze/Interpret Data Work element 2.2. Analyze and interpret data – Evaluate the spatial distribution of fish habitat. Analyze and interpret data – Evaluate the spatial distribution of fish habitat. 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $36,000
Biological objectives
Evaluate essential fish habitat.
Metrics
Analyze/Interpret Data Work element 2.3. Analyze and interpret data – Evaluate trends in fish habitat. Analyze and interpret data – Evaluate trends in fish habitat. 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $18,000
Biological objectives
Evaluate essential fish habitat.
Metrics
Analyze/Interpret Data Work element 2.4. Analyze and interpret data – Evaluate the relationship between habitat management actions and habitat conditions in space and time, and across treatment and reference areas. Analyze and interpret data – Evaluate the relationship between habitat management actions and habitat conditions in space and time, and across treatment and reference areas. 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $18,000
Biological objectives
Evaluate essential fish habitat.
Metrics
Analyze/Interpret Data Work element 2.5. Analyze and interpret data – Evaluate the relationship between habitat management action types and habitat conditions across space and time, and across treatment and reference areas. Analyze and interpret data – Evaluate the relationship between habitat management action types and habitat conditions across space and time, and across treatment and reference areas. 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $18,000
Biological objectives
Evaluate essential fish habitat.
Metrics
Coordination Work Element 3.1 Coordinate field activities 3.1 Coordinate field activities 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $18,000
Biological objectives
Coordinate and administer project.
Metrics
Coordination Work element 3.2. Meet required administrative responsibilities 3.2 Meet required administrative responsibilities 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $36,000
Biological objectives
Coordinate and administer project.
Metrics
Coordination Work element 3.3. Participate in the finalization of the Walla Walla RM&E plan 3.3 Participate in the finalization of the Walla Walla RM&E plan 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $45,000
Biological objectives
Coordinate and administer project.
Metrics
Create/Manage/Maintain Database Work Element 4.1. Manage project data Manage project data 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $36,000
Biological objectives
Report and disseminate findings
Metrics
Produce/Submit Scientific Findings Report Work Element 4.2. Produce quarterly reports Produce quarterly reports 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $18,000
Biological objectives
Report and disseminate findings
Metrics
Produce/Submit Scientific Findings Report Work Element 4.3. Produce annual reports Produce annual reports 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $22,000
Biological objectives
Report and disseminate findings
Metrics
Produce/Submit Scientific Findings Report Work Element 4.4. Produce peer reviewed reports Produce peer reviewed reports 1/1/2007 12/31/2009 $23,000
Biological objectives
Report and disseminate findings
Metrics

Section 8. Budgets

Itemized estimated budget
ItemNoteFY07FY08FY09
Personnel [blank] $115,000 $117,000 $120,300
Fringe Benefits [blank] $32,000 $34,800 $36,690
Supplies [blank] $36,000 $38,000 $40,000
Travel [blank] $10,000 $12,000 $14,000
Overhead [blank] $82,000 $83,000 $86,210
Totals $275,000 $284,800 $297,200
Total estimated FY 2007-2009 budgets
Total itemized budget: $857,000
Total work element budget: $857,000
Cost sharing
Funding source/orgItem or service providedFY 07 est value ($)FY 08 est value ($)FY 09 est value ($)Cash or in-kind?Status
ACOE Field assistance $5,200 $6,000 $7,500 In-Kind Confirmed
CTUIR Summer youth $8,960 $8,960 $8,960 Cash Confirmed
Irrigation districts Field assistance $6,750 $6,750 $6,750 In-Kind Confirmed
Lower Snake Comp Program Field assistance $12,500 $13,875 $15,153 In-Kind Confirmed
NOAA Pilot project guidance for RM&E $200,000 $210,000 $225,000 In-Kind Confirmed
ODEQ EPA 319 TMDL monitoring $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 Cash Under Review
OWEB Surface-grounwater monitoring $86,000 $40,000 $40,000 Cash Confirmed
OWRD Stream gauge monitoring $26,000 $26,000 $26,000 In-Kind Confirmed
Tri-State Steelheaders Field assistance $1,200 $1,200 $1,200 In-Kind Confirmed
USFWS bull trout program Field assistance $18,400 $18,400 $18,400 In-Kind Confirmed
USGS Flow and temp monitoring $120,000 $125,000 $130,000 In-Kind Confirmed
Utah State University bull trout project Field assistance $12,000 $12,000 $12,000 In-Kind Confirmed
WDOE Flow and temp monitoring $30,000 $35,000 $37,500 In-Kind Confirmed
WDOE Groundwater monitoring $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 Cash Under Development
Totals $582,010 $558,185 $583,463

Section 9. Project future

FY 2010 estimated budget: $120,000
FY 2011 estimated budget: $120,000
Comments: The outyear project is a reduced continuation

Future O&M costs: This project is structured to conduct a focused assessment of watershed condition in the 2007-2009 funding cycle. During future funding cycles the project would be downsized to focus on status and trend habitat monitoring and evaluation.

Termination date:
Comments:

Final deliverables:

Section 10. Narrative and other documents

ISRP REPONSE REQUEST PROJECT 200734000 FINAL 7-14-2006 Jul 2006

Reviews and recommendations

FY07 budget FY08 budget FY09 budget Total budget Type Category Recommendation
NPCC FINAL FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Oct 23, 2006) [full Council recs]
$228,533 $228,533 $228,534 $685,600 Expense ProvinceExpense Fund
NPCC DRAFT FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Sep 15, 2006) [full Council recs]
$283,333 $283,333 $283,333 $0 ProvinceExpense
Comments: WA recommends $850,000 for 3 yr. OR recommends $0. This is equivalent to the "intensively monitored watershed" project

ISRP PRELIMINARY REVIEW (Jun 2, 2006)

Recommendation: Response requested

NPCC comments: The project proposes to monitor and evaluate stream, surface, and groundwater habitat conditions and trends in the Walla Walla Subbasin by the Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council as a complement to the Walla Walla Collaborative Salmonid M&E Project (200039000). The problem statement is reasonably clear. Habitat in the Walla Walla basin has been seriously degraded. The sponsors propose a collaborative effort to develop an implementation and effectiveness monitoring program to evaluate habitat restoration basin. The proposal has the potential to provide a sound habitat monitoring program for the Walla Walla basin. Numerous methodological questions need to be addressed including a more detailed explanation of the EMAP protocol as it applies to the proposed work. The fish monitoring described in proposal 200039000 may be folded into this proposal to provide continuity and prioritization with the habitat work (but note the concerns of measuring everything absent prioritization based on adaptive management information needs). While their intent is clear, the objectives are very general. Articulation of these as measurable objectives will strengthen the proposal. Collaboration and cooperation are strong components of the project. The project is closely related to a number of ongoing BPA funded projects as well as numerous other projects funded by other agencies. The sponsors, however, need to better explain the nature of the collaboration (i.e., who will do what - the sponsors need to specifically define what is meant by “coordinate” and ‘participate”; (Table 5)). The sponsors identify two projects that will be combined as part of the project. Why won’t other projects such as the enhancement efforts (for effectiveness monitoring) or the OWEB surface-groundwater project? The sponsors should provide consolidated background information for the ongoing project such as its objectives and accomplishments to date. The Work Elements (WE) are logically organized according to key limiting factors identified by EDT. Each WE addresses one of the key factors and much of the methodology appears to be scientifically sound. The ISRP notes the following to improve and clarify the protocols and methods, however. WE 1.1. More needs to be said about the EMAP protocol. The sponsors first should outline the general sampling design (explain it, don’t just simply refer to the EMAP method). What are the priority reaches? How many sites will be sampled? How long will the sample reaches be? How long will sampling be done during the year and how often? What are the habitat metrics that will be measured (perhaps tabularize)? Isn’t the Rankin-Reeves method inconsistent with the EMAP sampling protocol? The sponsor make good use of the EDT analysis for setting the sampling program. They may, however, be relying too heavily on EDT output. The sponsors should not restrict themselves to measuring only those factors identified in the EDT analysis or for selecting priority areas. As the sponsors are aware, EDT is simply a planning tool employing many assumptions with little actual data to populate the model. It suggests possible limiting factors, etc. and should only play a part in the sampling program. Identification of priority reaches should not necessarily be based solely on EDT analysis. Experience of biologists familiar with the basin also could play a role in reach prioritization. WE 2.4. Exactly how will the relationship between habitat actions and conditions be related? Will it be done at the individual project level? Will it be the aggregated impact for an entire reach? Will individual projects be evaluated? There were no WE related to the key factors of large wood and key habitat (pools).


ISRP FINAL REVIEW (Aug 31, 2006)

Recommendation: Fundable

NPCC comments: The ISRP found the responses to be appropriate and informative. The nature of the collaboration and the roles of the collaborators were explained sufficiently to relieve previous uncertainties. Also, the list of accomplishments for earlier projects is lengthy and indicates that a fair bit of work has been done to assist with information available to managers and decision-makers. For example, results of the work by CTUIR was provided to demonstrate past outcomes based on presentation of quantitative information. WDFW primarily presented activities undertaken but few quantitative results were described. Even so, it appears as though the WDFW work is substantial. The sponsors have provided an improved description of the sampling protocol and the use of EMAP as a basic sampling approach and design - the results of which should inform future decisions and efforts.