FY 2002 Columbia Plateau proposal 199102900

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal titleUnderstanding the effects of summer flow augmentation on the migratory behavior and survival of fall chinook salmon migrating through L. Granite Res.
Proposal ID199102900
OrganizationU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Geological Survey (USFWS/USGS)
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
NameWilliam P. Connor
Mailing addressP.O. Box 18 Ahsahka, ID 83520
Phone / email2084767242 / william_connor@fws.gov
Manager authorizing this projectHoward L. Burge
Review cycleColumbia Plateau
Province / SubbasinColumbia Plateau / Mainstem Snake
Short descriptionIncrease the potential for fall chinook salmon recovery by providing data and analyses for implementing, evaluating, and understanding the mechanisms of summer flow augmentation.
Target speciesFall chinook salmon
Project location
LatitudeLongitudeDescription
46.54 -117.25 Lower Granite Reservoir near Lewiston, Idaho
Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)

Sponsor-reported:

RPA

Relevant RPAs based on NMFS/BPA review:

Reviewing agencyAction #BiOp AgencyDescription
NMFS Action 105 NMFS The Action Agencies shall develop a pilot study to assess the feasibility of enhancing the function of ecological communities to reduce predation losses and increase survival in reservoirs and the estuary.
NMFS Action 143 NMFS By June 30, 2001, the Action Agencies shall develop and coordinate with NMFS and EPA on a plan to model the water temperature effects of alternative Snake River operations. The modeling plan shall include a temperature data collection strategy developed in consultation with EPA, NMFS, and state and Tribal water quality agencies. The data collection strategy shall be sufficient to develop and operate the model and to document the effects of project operations.
NMFS Action 190 NMFS The Action Agencies shall continue to fund studies that monitor survival, growth, and other early life history attributes of Snake River wild juvenile fall chinook.
NMFS/BPA Action 190 NMFS The Action Agencies shall continue to fund studies that monitor survival, growth, and other early life history attributes of Snake River wild juvenile fall chinook.

Section 2. Past accomplishments

YearAccomplishment
2001 Publication: Connor, W. P. and several coauthors. In pressa. Early Life History Attributes and Run Composition and of Wild Subyearling Chinook Salmon Recaptured after Migrating Downstream Past Lower Granite Dam. Northwest Science 75:000-000.
Publication: Connor, W. P, A. R. Marshal, T. C. Bjornn, and H. L. Burge. In pressb. Growth and long-range dispersal by wild subyearling spring and summer chinook salmon in the Snake River. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society.
Publication: Connor, W. P., H. L. Burge, R. Waitt, and T. C. Bjornn. In reviewa. Snake River fall chinook salmon early life history, condition, and growth as affected by dams. North American Journal of Fisheries Management.
Publication: Connor, W. P., and several coauthors. In reviewb. Estimating the carrying capacity of the Snake River for fall chinook salmon redds. Submitted 2 February, 2001 to the Northwest Science.
Report: Tiffan, K.F., D.W. Rondorf, W.P. Connor, and H.L. Burge, editors. 2001. Post-release attributes and survival of hatchery and natural fall chinook salmon in the Snake River. 1999 Annual Report to the Bonneville Power Administration, Portland
Presentation: Connor, W.P., and K.F. Tiffan. 2001. Fall chinook salmon migratory behavior and survival. A briefing to the Independent scientific advisory board to the Northwest Power Planning Council, Seattle, Washington.
Presentation: Connor, W.P. 2001. Summer flow augmentation: what is it, why is it needed, how is it implemented, and does it work? A lecture at the University of Idaho, Moscow.
Presentation: Connor, W.P. 2001. How dams changed Snake River fall chinook salmon habitat. A lecture at the University of Idaho, Moscow.
Presentation: Garland, R.D., K.F. Tiffan, and D.W. Rondorf. 2001. Modeling flow-dependent changes in juvenile fall chinook salmon rearing habitat and entrapment areas in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. Oregon AFS, Portland, Oregon
Publication: Tiffan, K.F., R.D. Garland, and D.W. Rondorf. In review. Modeling flow-dependent changes in juvenile fall chinook salmon rearing habitat and entrapment areas in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. N. Am. Journal of Fisheries Mgmt
Publication: Garland, R.D., D.W. Rondorf, K.F. Tiffan, and L.O. Clark. In review. Subyearling fall chinook salmon use of shoreline riprap habitats in a reservoir of the Columbia River. North American Journal of Fisheries Management.
Publication: Haskell, C.A., D.W. Rondorf, and K.F. Tiffan. In review. Community, temporal, and spatial dynamics of zooplankton in McNary and John Day reservoirs, Columbia River. Northwest Science.
2000 Publication: Connor, W. P., R. K. Steinhorst, and H. L. Burge. 2000. Forecasting survival and passage for migratory juvenile salmonids. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 20:651-660.
Publication: Marshall, A. R., H. L. Blankenship, and W. P. Connor. 2000. Genetic characterization of naturally spawned Snake River fall-run chinook salmon. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 129:680-698.
Publication: Tiffan, K.F., D.W. Rondorf, and P.G. Wagner. 2000. Physiological development and migratory behavior of subyearling fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 20:28-40.
Pub: Tiffan, K.F, D.W. Rondorf, R.D. Garland, and P.A. Verhey. 2000. Identification of juvenile fall versus spring chinook salmon migrating through the lower Snake River based on body morphology. Trans of the American Fisheries Soc 129:1389-1395.
Publication: Venditti, D.A., D.W. Rondorf, and J.M. Kraut. 2000. Migratory behavior and forebay delay of radio-tagged juvenile fall chinook salmon in a lower Snake River impoundment. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 20:41-52.
1999 Publication: Dauble, D.D., R.L. Johnson, and A.P. Garcia. 1999. Fall chinook salmon spawning in the tailraces of lower Snake River hydroelectric projects. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 128:672-679.
Report: Tiffan, K.F., D.W. Rondorf, W.P. Connor, and H.L. Burge, editors. 1999. Post-release attributes and survival of hatchery and natural fall chinook salmon in the Snake River. 1998 Annual Report to the Bonneville Power Administration, Portland
Report: Tiffan, K.F., D.W. Rondorf, W.P. Connor, and H.L. Burge, editors. 1999. Identification of the spawning, rearing, and migratory requirements of fall chinook salmon. 1996-97 Annual Report to the Bonneville Power Administration, Portland
Report: Sheer, M., R. Garland, M. Parsely, K. Tiffan, D. Rondorf. 1999. Chapter 3 in Assessment of the impacts of the Columbia River Hydroelectric System on mainstem salmon habitats. Draft Report to Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, OR.
Report: Provided data, analyses, and coauthored the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Coodination Act Report to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on drawing down the lower Snake River.
Report: Connor, W.P. (coauthor). 1999. PATH Decision Analysis Report for Snake River Fall Chinook. Prepared by Essa Technologies Ltd., Vancouver, BC, 332 pp.
Presentation: Venditti, D.A. 1999. Use of temperature-sensing radio transmitters to estimate thermal exposure in emigrating fall chinook salmon. 15th International Symposium on Biotelemetry, Juneau, Alaska.
Presentation: Connor, W.P. 1999. Detection of PIT-tagged subyearling chinook salmon at a Snake River dam; Implications for summer flow augmentation. Annual Meeting of the Idaho Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Moscow, Idaho.
Presentation: Connor, W.P. 1999. Early life history and survival of subyearling chinook salmon. Annual Meeting of the Western Division of the American Fisheries Society, Moscow, Idaho.
Provided in-season data on forecasted juvenile fall chinook salmon passage timing at Lower Granite Dam to the Fish Passage Advisory Committee for use in planning flow augmentation.
1998 Publication: Connor, W.P., H.L. Burge, and D.H. Bennett. 1998. Detection of PIT-tagged subyearling chinook salmon at a Snake River dam: Implications for summer flow augmentation. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 18:530-536.
Publication: Groves, P.A., and A.P. Garcia. 1998. Two carriers used to suspend an underwater video camera from a boat. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 18:1004-1007.
Provided in-season data on forecasted juvenile fall chinook salmon passage timing at Lower Granite Dam to the Fish Passage Advisory Committee for use in planning flow augmentation.
Presentation: Tiffan, K.F. 1998. Water temperature and fall chinook salmon life history. 2nd Annual Columbia River Water Temperature Workshop, Portland, Oregon.
1997 Report: Rondorf, D.W., and K.F. Tiffan, editors. 1997. Identification of the spawning, rearing, and migratory requirements of fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River basin. 1995 Annual Report to the Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, Oregon.
Provided in-season data on forecasted juvenile fall chinook salmon passage timing at Lower Granite Dam to the Fish Passage Advisory Committee for use in planning flow augmentation.
1996 Report: Rondorf, D.W., and K.F. Tiffan, editors. 1996. Identification of the spawning, rearing, and migratory requirements of fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River basin. 1994 Annual Report to the Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, Oregon.
Presentation: Tiffan, K.F. 1996. Osmoregulatory and ATPase development in subyearling fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River. 1996 International Congress on the Biology of Fishes, San Francisco, California.
Presentation: Venditti, D.A. 1996. Use of radio telemetry to describe migratory behavior of juvenile fall chinook salmon through a lower Snake River reservoir. Annual Meeting of the Western Division of the American Fisheries Society, Eugene, Oregon.
Presentation: Connor, W.P. 1996. Use of separation by code for fall chinook salmon research. 1996 PIT-tag Workshop, Stevenson, Washington.
Presentation: Connor, W.P. 1996. To tag or not to tag?. 1996 PIT-tag Workshop, Stevenson, Washington.
Provided in-season data on forecasted juvenile fall chinook salmon passage timing at Lower Granite Dam to the Fish Passage Advisory Committee for use in planning flow augmentation.
1995 Presentation: Connor, W.P. 1995. Stock and race identification of subyearling Snake River chinook salmon. Annual Meeting of the Idaho Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Boise, Idaho.
1994 Report: Rondorf, D.W., and K.F. Tiffan, editors. 1994. Identification of the spawning, rearing, and migratory requirements of fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River basin. 1993 Annual Report to the Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, Oregon.
Report: Rondorf, D.W., and W.H. Miller, editors. 1994. Identification of the spawning, rearing, and migratory requirements of fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River basin. 1992 Annual Report to the Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, Oregon.
Presentation: Connor, W.P. 1994. Estimating fall chinook salmon spawning habitat availability and seeding level in the lower Clearwater River, Idaho. Annual Meeting of the Idaho Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, McCall, Idaho.
1993 Report: Rondorf, D.W., and W.H. Miller, editors. 1993. Identification of the spawning, rearing, and migratory requirements of fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River basin. 1991 Annual Report to the Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, Oregon.
Presentation: Connor, W.P. 1993. Application of passive integrated transponders for describing subyearling Snake River fall chinook salmon rearing, emigration, and survival in the Snake River. 1993 PIT-tag Workshop, Portland, Oregon.
Presentation: McCann, J.A. 1993. Evaluation of PIT tagging subyearling fall chinook salmon. 1993 PIT-tag Workshop, Portland, Oregon.
Presentation: McCann, J.A. 1993. Using an acoustic Doppler current profiler in fisheries research in the Columbia River basin. Annual Meeting of Pacific Fishery Biologists, Vancouver, British Columiba.
1992 Presentation: Connor, W.P. 1992. Migration timing of hatchery and wild Snake River fall chinook salmon: Implications for smolt survival. Annual Meeting of the Idaho Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Moscow, Idaho.

Section 3. Relationships to other projects

Project IDTitleDescription
199302900 Estimate survival of juvenile salmon through lower Snake River Collaborative effort to estimate survival of hatchery and wild fall chinook salmon in the Snake River. Information sharing.
0 Simulate flow and temperature in lower Snake River New proposal by Battelle PNNL. We will share emperical physical and biological data for Battelle's modeling efforts

Section 4. Budget for Planning and Design phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Outyear budgets for Planning and Design phase

Section 5. Budget for Construction and Implementation phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
1. Provide information to fishery managers to maximize the effectiveness of summer flow augmentation. a. Provide in-season forecasts of juvenile fall chinook salmon passage past Lower Granite Dam to fishery managers. 5 $240,225
b. Conduct post-season analyses of summer flow augmentation to determine its affect on fish survival. 5 $16,150
2. Understand how summer flow augmentation affects water temperature, water velocity, juvenile fall chinook salmon migratory behavior, and juvenile fall chinook survival salmon in Lower Granite Reservoir. a. Describe and compare the migratory behavior of radio-tagged hatchery subyearling fall chinook salmon smolts in Lower Granite Reservoir and in the free-flowing river to clarify the relation between downstream migration rate and water velocity. 3 $95,000
b. Describe how cool water released from Dworshak Reservoir mixes with warmer Snake River water in the upper third of Lower Granite Reservoir. 3 $15,000
c. Determine how cool water releases from Dworshak Reservoir influence the migratory behavior of juvenile fall chinook salmon released in the Snake and Clearwater rivers. 3 $152,150
d. Describe the pre and post flow augmentation effects on water velocities in Lower Granite Reservoir and corresponding fish migratory behavior. 3 $15,000
e. Estimate and compare the survival of wild juvenile fall chinook salmon in rearing areas of the free-flowing river and Lower Granite Reservoir. 3 $96,850
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
1. Provide information to fishery managers to maximize the effectiveness of summer flow augmentation. 2002 2006 $1,225,500
2. Understand how summer flow augmentation affects water temperature, water velocity, juvenile fall chinook salmon migratory behavior, and juvenile fall chinook survival salmon in Lower Granite Reservoir. 2002 2004 $708,000
Outyear budgets for Construction and Implementation phase
FY 2003FY 2004FY 2005FY 2006
$610,375$610,375$356,375$356,375

Section 6. Budget for Operations and Maintenance phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase

Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget
ItemNoteFY 2002 cost
Personnel FTE: 6.3 $278,051
Fringe $76,584
Supplies $67,120
Travel $21,800
Indirect Overhead $118,391
Capital $20,000
PIT tags # of tags: 13500 $30,375
Other Boat operation and vehicles $18,054
$630,375
Total estimated budget
Total FY 2002 cost$630,375
Amount anticipated from previously committed BPA funds$0
Total FY 2002 budget request$630,375
FY 2002 forecast from 2001$500,000
% change from forecast26.1%
Reason for change in estimated budget

Change in project scope to address changing needs for the evaluation of the efficacy of summer flow augmentation.

Reason for change in scope

This project is evolving to meet the needs of managers in the Snake River basin that dictate the use of summer flow augmentation to increase the survival of fall chinook salmon. This project has addressed questions pertaining to the fish survival and flow and temperatures influenced by flow augmentation. Controversy continues to surround the provision of flows for fish, and new questions are being asked by managers that relate to behavioral response of fish to flow augmentation and understanding the specific effects of flow augmentation. The issues and questions being asked today are not the same as they were five years ago, and this project is responding with new objectives to answer those questions.

Cost sharing
OrganizationItem or service providedAmountCash or in-kind

Reviews and recommendations

This information was not provided on the original proposals, but was generated during the review process.

Recommendation:
Fundable only if response is adequate
Date:
Jun 15, 2001

Comment:

Fundable if response clarifies how the proposers see their work resolving the broad issue of whether or to what extent flow augmentation improves or affects survival of juvenile salmonids in the mainstem Snake River. Also, the budget needs to be carefully evaluated (as requested in last year's review).

This is a project that deserves to continue. It has appropriately modified its scope over its history. Proposers have been responsive to previous ISRP reviews. However, the proposal could emphasize its role in evaluating primarily wild fish in contrast to the other main study that focuses on timed releases of hatchery fish (#199302900), although this study will use hatchery fish for telemetry. There is an excellent list of accomplishments in the form of publications and presentations in Part 1, with a summary in narrative form in Part 2. The narrative in Part 2 could have stressed the actual scientific results more, however (please provide an expanded summary in the response). There is a concise background section. For regional justification, there are quotes and specific items cited from the BiOp, Subbasin Summary, and FWP.

The narrative's objectives, tasks, and methods are well specified. This project has yielded good primary data results for the Fish and Wildlife Program from an area of the hydrosystem with much significance for listed fall chinook salmon. It should continue on the modified track this proposal outlines.

The ISAB reviewed the results of this project extensively this winter/spring for its review of flow augmentation and found the work of value. The ISAB subcommittee also suggested that some of the work he has now proposed to do should be done, either in this project or new ones. The proposers indicated that they would coordinate with and use information from the PNNL modeling proposal (#25049).

The ISRP remains concerned, however, that this project alone is unlikely to resolve the issue of whether or to what extent flow augmentation from both the Hells Canyon Project and Dworshak Dam improves or affects survival of juvenile salmonids in the mainstem Snake River. The authors did not demonstrate to the ISRP in this proposal a familiarity with the complexity of that issue to the extent demonstrated to the ISAB in its review. Although the data collection proposed here is good, the broader context deserves more explanation. A response from the proposers would be useful. The response should summarize the broader understanding contained in draft materials by the proposers that were not seen by the ISRP (e.g., Connor et al. chapter 5).


Recommendation:
High Priority
Date:
Aug 3, 2001

Comment:

This proposal will need to be reviewed in the Systemwide Project Review Process to put it in context with all other passage projects. Funding should be provided to insure that this project is supported through the Systemwide review process.
Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Aug 10, 2001

Comment:

Fundable. The initial review found this project fundable if a response clarified how the proposers see their work resolving the broad issue of whether or to what extent flow augmentation improves or affects survival of juvenile salmonids in the mainstem Snake River. Also, the budget needed to be carefully evaluated (as requested in last year's review). The proposers expanded their proposal by further discussing their recent studies of migration timing and survival. These results had been presented to the ISAB, but not to the ISRP. The authors included discussion about how these results addressed the broader question of the value of flow augmentation. With this discussion, they clearly demonstrate their understanding of the complexity of the issue. They rightly note that the broad question will be answered by many well-focused studies on particular aspects of the problem. They see their work as contributing incrementally to those specific studies. We agree, and judge the proposal as modified to be acceptable for funding.

This is a project that deserves to continue. It has appropriately modified its scope over its history to meet changing views of data needs. Proposers have been responsive to previous ISRP reviews. The responses substantiated its role in evaluating primarily wild fish in contrast to the other main study that focuses on timed releases of hatchery fish (#199302900), although this study will use hatchery fish for telemetry. There is an excellent list of accomplishments in the form of publications and presentations in Part 1, with a summary in narrative form in Part 2. The response augmented Part 2, where the ISRP believed it could have stressed the actual scientific results more. There is a concise background section. For regional justification, there are quotes and specific items cited from the BiOp, Subbasin Summary, and FWP.

The narrative's objectives, tasks, and methods are well specified. This project has yielded good primary data results for the Fish and Wildlife Program from an area of the hydrosystem with much significance for listed fall chinook salmon. It should continue on the modified track this proposal outlines.

The ISAB reviewed the results of this project extensively this winter/spring for its review of flow augmentation and found the work of value. The ISAB subcommittee also suggested that some of the work now proposed should be done, either in this project or new ones. The proposers indicated that they would coordinate with and use information from the PNNL modeling proposal (#25049).

The ISRP is satisfied with the response that places this work into the broader context of flow augmentation questions. Clearly, the authors are on top of this whole issue and see their work in the appropriate context.


Recommendation:
Date:
Oct 1, 2001

Comment:

Statement of Potential Biological Benefit to ESU
Evaluate benefits of summer flow augmentation in Lower Granite Reservoir.

Comments
The debate over the value of summer flow augmentation is far from over. The proposal will provide insight on how to best manage the limited water available, and the survival value of it. ISRP approves of the proposal.

Already ESA Req? No

Biop? yes


Recommendation:
Rank A
Date:
Oct 16, 2001

Comment:

Considerable data have been collected through this project concerning the effects of flow on the migration and survival of juvenile fall chinook. Despite this information, different scientists still draw varying conclusions. Given the apparent complexity of the issue, including analysis that suggests that it is not possible to separate the effects of flow from water temperature and turbidity, it may not be possible to achieve the project’s first objective of determining the effect of flow on chinook survival. In the case of the second objective, managing flow and storage in-season to assist in the juvenile migration, is dependent on utilizing available stored water that is of suitable temperature (cool). It would be useful if the Technical Management Team could describe what specific information is needed to facilitate real-time operational recommendations to help ensure that the scope of this project and its deliverables are appropriately focused.
Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Jan 3, 2002

Comment:


Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Mar 6, 2002

Comment:


Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Sep 20, 2003

Comment:

Accruals are low. Could be a billing problem.
Recommendation:
Date:
Sep 20, 2003

Comment:

Assuming that future project activities are not expanded.
REVIEW:
NW Power and Conservation Council's FY 2006 Project Funding Review
Funding category:
expense
Date:
May 2005
FY05 NPCC start of year:FY06 NPCC staff preliminary:FY06 NPCC July draft start of year:
$356,375 $356,375 $356,375

Sponsor comments: See comment at Council's website