FY 2002 Mountain Snake proposal 28052

Additional documents

TitleType
28052 Narrative Narrative
28052 Sponsor Response to the ISRP Response
28052 Powerpoint Presentation Powerpoint Presentation

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal titleAdult Snake River steelhead monitoring in the South Fork Salmon River Basin.
Proposal ID28052
OrganizationNez Perce Tribe/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (NPT/PNNL)
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
NameRick Orme
Mailing addressPO Box 1942 McCall
Phone / email2086345290 / RickO@nezperce.org
Manager authorizing this projectJaime Pinkham
Review cycleMountain Snake
Province / SubbasinMountain Snake / Salmon
Short descriptionWe propose to initiate collection of baseline steelhead adult abundance information critical for determining population status and viability in addition to identifying potential management actions needed for Snake River steelhead in Johnson Creek..
Target speciesSnake River Steelhead
Project location
LatitudeLongitudeDescription
44.9625 -115.5008 Johnson Creek sub-basin
Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)

Sponsor-reported:

RPA
RM&E RPA Action 193

Relevant RPAs based on NMFS/BPA review:

Reviewing agencyAction #BiOp AgencyDescription
NMFS Action 179 NMFS The Action Agencies and NMFS shall work with affected parties to establish regional priorities within the congressional appropriations processes to set and provide the appropriate level of FCRPS funding to develop recovery goals for listed salmon ESUs in the Columbia River basin. Tasks shall include defining populations based on biological criteria and evaluating population viability in accordance with NMFS' viable salmonid population approach. These tasks shall be completed by 2003.
NMFS Action 180 NMFS The Action Agencies and NMFS shall work within regional prioritization and congressional appropriation processes to establish and provide the level of FCRPS funding to develop and implement a basinwide hierarchical monitoring program. This program shall be developed collaboratively with appropriate regional agencies and shall determine population and environmental status (including assessment of performance measures and standards) and allow ground-truthing of regional databases. A draft program including protocols for specific data to be collected, frequency of samples, and sampling sites shall be developed by September 2001. Implementation should begin no later than the spring of 2002 and will be fully implemented no later than 2003.
NMFS Action 193 NMFS The Action Agencies shall investigate state-of-the-art, novel fish detection and tagging techniques for use, if warranted, in long-term research, monitoring, and evaluation efforts.

Section 2. Past accomplishments

YearAccomplishment

Section 3. Relationships to other projects

Project IDTitleDescription
199005500 Steelhead supplementation studies in Idaho Rivers Determining genetic stock structure in Idaho streams including three spawning aggragates in the South Fork Salmon River.
198909800 Salmon supplementation studies in Idaho Rivers Indirectly esitmating juvenile steelhead migration from mainstem South Fork Salmon River.
198909802 Salmon supplementation studies in Idaho Rivers Indirectly esitmating juvenile steelhead migration from mainstem Secesh River.
199604300 Johnson Creek artifical progagarion enhancement Estimating stage specific juvenile steelhead survival. Will furnish the majority of field equipment, office and field facilities, and personnal for the proposed project.

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
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Outyear budgets for Construction and Implementation phase

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
1. Quantify annual escapement of steelhead into Johnson Creek using a temporary weir. a. Aquire temporary weir .25 $49,000 Yes
b. Annually install and operate temporary weir from March 1 through June 1. Assist in deployment and analysis of hydroacoustic sampling. 8 $68,000
c. Annually conduct bi-weekly redd counts from April 1 through June 1. 8 $27,000
d. deployment of hydroacoustic equipment. 8 $496,000 Yes
2. Assess potential hydroacoustic monitoring site in the South Fork Salmon River. a. Test potential sites with hydroacoustic equipment to determine the best site for hydroacoustic monitoring. .25 $0
3. Information and technology transfer. a. Analyze, write, and report (written and oral) project findings. .5 $68,000
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
1. Quantify annual escapement of steelhead into Johnson Creek using a temporary weir and advanced hydroacoustic technologies. 2003 2006 $1,200,000
2. Assess potential hydroacoustic monitoring site in the South Fork Salmon River. 2004 2004 $10,000
3. Information and technology transfer. 2003 2006 $214,000
Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase
FY 2003FY 2004FY 2005FY 2006
$474,000$495,000$225,000$230,000

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget
ItemNoteFY 2002 cost
Personnel FTE: 1.3 $60,500
Fringe $32,850
Supplies $36,870
Travel $5,200
Indirect $27,580
Capital purchase of temporary weir $49,000
Subcontractor Pacific Northwest National Laboratory $496,000
$708,000
Total estimated budget
Total FY 2002 cost$708,000
Amount anticipated from previously committed BPA funds$0
Total FY 2002 budget request$708,000
FY 2002 forecast from 2001$0
% change from forecast0.0%
Cost sharing
OrganizationItem or service providedAmountCash or in-kind
BPA project # 199604300 Will furnish the majority of field equipment, office and field facilities, and personnal for the proposed project. $90,000 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:
Sep 28, 2001

Comment:

A response is needed. This is a proposal to 1.) attempt installation and maintenance of a hydroacoustic counting station in Johnson Creek, and 2.) assess whether or not the system will yield accurate counts of steelhead entering the system for spawning.

What evidence (describe results, including relative accuracy of alternative methods, for trials in other similar settings) do you have that provides a convincing case that "advanced hydroacoustic techniques" will provide accurate data (with physical constraints, turbulence, occurrence of false targets, and "fall-back") in conditions as found in Johnson Creek? How will you account for "early" and "late" run fish, and for fish passing during high flows when the weir has to be pulled? Isn't the high flow period most likely to cause significant error in hydroacoustic data? Placement of equipment in secure locations under conditions in these streams is difficult at best. What structures are planned that will withstand high flows (water, debris, bedload) that regularly occur in Salmon River tributaries?

Objective 1. Is the sampling protocol for redds consistent with methods such as those outlined by ODFW? What evidence do you have that counting redds for these steelhead will produce useful data?

If funded, the emphasis should be on research and development and peer-reviewed publication of results. If the proponents cannot produce convincing information to show that a suitable installation can be made and maintained on "flashy" streams in similar climatic conditions (and during runoff) and produce useful data, all similar proposals (Lake Creek, Secesh River, Minam River, Johnson Creek, and Marsh Creek) should be combined to a single research proposal to review the associated problems, describe possible strategies to overcome these problems, and assess the potential of "high tech" counting methods in conditions like those expected in streams of the Snake River basin. If data from similar locations are available, the proponents should describe and discuss the reliability and suitability of these data for meeting goals for Snake River salmonids.

If there is a convincing case that the technical problems can be addressed, the proponents should contrast the cost of this "high tech" approach for estimating spawner abundance to that of labor intensive but potentially more economical "on the ground probabilistic surveys" using existing survey techniques or mark-recapture of carcasses. At any rate, redd surveys are necessary in addition to accurate counts of spawners, and the ISRP wonders if labor intensive mark-recapture of carcasses might be equally informative for estimation of spawner abundance and also provide additional useful information on other necessary life history parameters.


Recommendation:
High Priority
Date:
Nov 30, 2001

Comment:

Presently, adult steelhead monitoring (i.e., abundance trends of Snake River steelhead ESUs) occurs only at Lower Granite Dam. Reviewers suggested that population specific information (e.g., status and viability) is needed for the development of management actions. The NMFS BiOp (2000) also identified the need for accurate population abundance. This project addresses RPAs 179, 180 and 193.
Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Dec 21, 2001

Comment:

See comments under 199703000. The ISRP recommendation of fundable in part on this set of proposals refers to the ISRP recommendation that the NPT select one representative site (either Johnson Creek or the Minam River) and conduct a 3-year pilot study. This is a proposal to 1.) attempt installation and maintenance of a hydroacoustic counting station in Johnson Creek, and 2.) assess whether or not the system will yield accurate counts of steelhead entering the system for spawning.
Recommendation:
Date:
Feb 1, 2002

Comment:

Statement of Potential Biological Benefit to ESU
Benefits are indirect. Supports improvements in survival, abundance and distribution by identifying key opportunities for implementing actions. Determine population status and viability of Snake River Steelhead in the South Fork Salmon River basin by establishing baseline population abundance in the Johnson Creek subbasin.

Comments
Interesting novel approach to sampling, but basic research component (how does hydroacoustic approach compare to current techniques) is risky.

Already ESA Req? No

Biop? Yes


Recommendation:
C
Date:
Feb 11, 2002

Comment:

Do not recommend. This project is related to 199703000, 17019 and 27021. Recommend limited funding of 27021 to test new technologies and do not recommend funding new technologies in 199703000 and 27019.

BPA RPA RPM:
193

NMFS RPA/USFWS RPM:
179, 180, 193


Recommendation:
Do Not Fund
Date:
Apr 19, 2002

Comment: