FY 2002 Innovative proposal 34029

Section 1. General administrative information
Section 2. Past accomplishments
Section 3. Relationships to other projects
Section 4. Budgets for planning/design phase
Section 5. Budgets for construction/implementation phase
Section 6. Budgets for operations/maintenance phase
Section 7. Budgets for monitoring/evaluation phase
Section 8. Budget summary

Reviews and Recommendations

Additional documents

Title	Type
34029 Narrative	Narrative

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal title	Geomorphic Controls on Salmonid Spawning Habitat in Mountain Drainage Basins of the Pacific Northwest
Proposal ID	34029
Organization	University of Idaho, USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station (UI/RMRS)
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
Name	John M. Buffington
Mailing address	University of Idaho, 800 Park Blvd., Suite 200 Boise, ID 83712
Phone / email	2083644082 / jbuff@uidaho.edu
Manager authorizing this project	Larry Stauffer
Review cycle	FY 2002 Innovative
Province / Subbasin	Systemwide / Systemwide
Short description	Develop and field test a model for predicting watershed-scale availability of salmonid spawning gravels as a function of channel hydraulics and sediment supply. Results will provide a tool for defensible, proactive, ecosystem management at basin scales.
Target species	salmonids

Project location

Latitude	Longitude	Description

Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)

Sponsor-reported:

RPA

Relevant RPAs based on NMFS/BPA review:

Reviewing agency	Action #	BiOp Agency	Description

Section 2. Past accomplishments

Year	Accomplishment

Section 3. Relationships to other projects

Project ID	Title	Description

Section 4. Budget for Planning and Design phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2002 cost	Subcontractor

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost

Outyear budgets for Planning and Design phase

Section 5. Budget for Construction and Implementation phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2002 cost
1. Obtain physical parameters for predicting the spatial distribution of suitable spawning habitat as a function of channel hydraulics	a. hydraulic geometry relationships b. channel characteristics and roughness correction	18	$50,000
2. Quantify the effects of sediment supply on grain size and spawning habitat availability	a. Sources and magnitudes of sediment b. Model spatiotemporal effects of sediment input and routing on spawning habitat	18	$100,000
3. Validate model	a. Synthesize data, refine model, compare predicted versus observed locations of spawning habitat	18	$46,953
4. Knowledge transfer	a. Publish peer-review articles and present findings at professional conferences (see narrative for full description of knowledge transfer.	6	$3,000

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost

Outyear budgets for Construction and Implementation phase

Section 6. Budget for Operations and Maintenance phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2002 cost	Subcontractor

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost

Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase

Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2002 cost	Subcontractor

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost

Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget

Item	Note	FY 2002 cost
Personnel	FTE: postdoc (0.5 FTE), 2 grad students (1 FTE ea.), 2 field/data analysis assistants (3 mo. ea.)	$117,112
Fringe	28.5% postdoc, 1% grad students, 11% irregular help (field/data assistants)	$9,717
Supplies	air photos, field supplies, publishing	$2,000
Travel	Field: mileage, contract flights, per diem, lodging; Conferences: airfare, registration, lodging	$10,800
Indirect	48.5%	$60,324
Capital	0	$0
PIT tags	# of tags: 0	$0
NEPA	0	$0
Subcontractor	0	$0
Other	0	$0
		$199,953

Total estimated budget

Total FY 2002 cost	$199,953
Total FY 2002 budget request	$199,953

Cost sharing

Organization	Item or service provided	Amount	Cash or in-kind
UI	3 months faculty salary and fringe benefits for J.M. Buffington	$26,000	in-kind
UI	University Seed Grant funding for new faculty research	$10,000	in-kind
UI	office space, administrative assistance	$10,000	in-kind
UI	computer hardware and software for data analysis, GIS, word processing, and communication with cooperators	$5,000	in-kind
UI	field equipment: RTK GPS, total station, laptop computers, digital cameras, camping and backpacking gear, sediment sampling, off-road vehicle	$25,000	in-kind
RMRS	office space, administrative assistance	$10,000	in-kind
RMRS	computer hardware and software for data analysis, GIS, word processing, and communication with cooperatores	$5,000	in-kind

Reviews and recommendations

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

REVIEW:
ISRP Review (ISRP 2002-8)

Recommendation:
Fund - Rank 17

Date:
May 24, 2002

Comment:

This 17th ranked proposal is technically fundable, but is of marginal innovation and importance. This is a proposal from a talented group of researchers that would take advantage of their past and ongoing work in the Middle Fork Salmon River. However, there seems no priority need for this work and the general applicability of its results remains un-established; thus, there does not seem to be a compelling need for the work when compared to other proposals. A similar proposal was submitted by these investigators in the Mt. Snake Provincial review and received a not fundable recommendation from the ISRP.

The proposal is innovative in the sense that new modeling procedures are being proposed to predicting watershed-scale availability of salmonid spawning gravels as a function of hydrogeographic features including channel characteristics and availability of sediment. Specifically, the proposal is to adapt an existing hydrogeomorphic model developed for coastal streams to mountain streams in Idaho. Resource specialists do not presently have such a tool but it is not clear that the tool would be of significant use even if it were available. One beneficial use could be verification that actions to restore/enhance spawning habitat are consistent with the structure of the channel at the project site.

We suggest that the proponent implement double blind testing of the model predictions in areas other that the Middle Fork of the Salmon River after development. Also, procedures for sampling of sediments should be described in more detail. What are the procedures by which samples will be"...taken at systematic locations along the downstream length of the river, and with special attention paid to differences above and below tributary junctions ... and across lithologic or structural boundaries...?"

REVIEW:
CBFWA Funding Recommendation

Recommendation:
Recommended Action

Date:
Jun 28, 2002

Comment:

REVIEW:
NMFS Review

Recommendation:

Date:
Jul 12, 2002

Comment:

Statement of Potential Biological Benefit
Indirect benefits. Develop and field test a model for predicting watershed-scale availability of salmonid spawning habitat as a function of channel hydraulics and sediment supply. This could provide a tool for ecosystem management at watershed scales.

Comments
This proposal is much stronger than the original proposal submitted in the Mountain Snake Province. The proponents put together a much better proposal this time because they have incorporated sediment supply. This project could be very helpful in identifying potential spawning reaches and places to collect data to better assess population dynamics.

Already ESA Required?
No

Biop?
No

REVIEW:
NMFS Review

Recommendation:

Date:
Jul 12, 2002

Comment:

Statement of Potential Biological Benefit to ESU
Indirect benefits. Develop and field test a model for predicting watershed-scale availability of salmonid spawning habitat as a function of channel hydraulics and sediment supply. This could provide a tool for ecosystem management at watershed scales.

Already ESA Req? No

Biop? No