FY 2002 Mountain Snake proposal 199604300

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal titleJohnson Creek Artificial Propagation Enhancement Project
Proposal ID199604300
OrganizationNez Perce Tribe (NPT)
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
NameJohn Gebhards/Jason Vogel
Mailing addressP.O. Box 1942 McCall, ID 83638
Phone / email2086345290 / johng@nezperce.org and jasonv@nezperce.org
Manager authorizing this projectJaime Pinkham
Review cycleMountain Snake
Province / SubbasinMountain Snake / Salmon
Short descriptionEnhance and monitor a weak but recoverable stock of native summer chinook salmon in Johnson Creek. Construct facilities for adult collection and holding, juvenile rearing and smolt acclimation.
Target speciesSummer Chinook Salmon
Project location
LatitudeLongitudeDescription
44.907 -116.1173 McCall Fish Hatchery
44.9203 -115.48 Juvenile Screw Trap
44.8888 -115.485 Adult trapping and holding location
44.8562 -115.505 Juvenile acclimation location
44.9625 -115.5008 Johnson Creek
Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)

Sponsor-reported:

RPA
Hydro RPA Action 107
Hydro RPA Action 118
Hatchery RPA Action 169
Hatchery RPA Action 174
RM&E RPA Action 184
RM&E RPA Action 189

Relevant RPAs based on NMFS/BPA review:

Reviewing agencyAction #BiOp AgencyDescription
NMFS/BPA Action 177 NMFS In 2002, BPA shall begin to implement and sustain NMFS-approved, safety-net projects.

Section 2. Past accomplishments

YearAccomplishment
1997 Completed Quarterly Reports for BPA.
1997 Collected baseline information on environmental conditions on Johnson Creek.
1998 Initiated juvenile trapping to determined abundance and selected life history characteristics/patterns of juvenile summer chinook salmon.
1998 Determined abundance and spawning distribution/success of upstream migrant adult summer chinook salmon.
1998 Collected baseline information on environmental conditions on Johnson Creek.
1998 Completed Quarterly Reports for BPA
1998 Secured Section 10 Permit from NMFS for Broodstock Collection
1998 Trapped 114 adult salmon in Johnson Creek and collected First Broodstock (54 fish taken for supplementation)
1998 Began Implementation of Monitoring and Evaluation Program
1998 Monitored and evaluated operation of adult collection and holding facility for adverse impacts to summer chinook salmon.
1998 Collected samples to initiate genetic monitoring plan, samples currently being analyzed
1999 Determined abundance and selected life history characteristics/patterns of juvenile summer chinook salmon (PIT-tagged 8,941 brood year 1997 fish)
1999 Determined abundance and spawning distribution/success of upstream migrant adult summer chinook salmon.
1999 Collected samples to continue genetic monitoring plan, samples currently being analyzed.
1999 Collected baseline information on environmental conditions on Johnson Creek.
1999 Completed Quarterly Reports for BPA
1999 Prepared draft annual (1998) report for BPA
1999 Completed and Submitted NMFS Annual Section 10 Report
1999 Initiated Preliminary Design of proposed facilities
1999 Began NEPA analysis of project
1999 Completed Working Draft of Broodstock Management Plan
2000 Determined abundance and selected life history characteristics/patterns of juvenile summer chinook salmon (PIT-tagged 6,248 brood year 1998 fish)
2000 Determined abundance and spawning distribution/success of upstream migrant adult summer chinook salmon.
2000 Collected samples to continue genetic monitoring plan, samples currently being analyzed.
2000 Collected baseline information on environmental conditions on Johnson Creek.
2000 Completed Quarterly Reports for BPA
2000 Completed Hatchery Genetic Management Plan (HGMP).
2000 Completed Benefit Risk Assessment
2000 Completed Working Draft of the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
2000 Prepared Draft of the Conceptual Monitoring & Evaluation Plan
2000 Submitted modification for NMFS Section 10 permit
2000 Released 78,950 smolts from Broodyear 1998 back into Johnson Creek, 100% marked with coded wire and visual elastomer tags and 10% PIT-tagged
2000 Trapped 152 adult salmon in Johnson Creek and collected Broodstock from Johnson Creek (73 fish taken for supplementation)
2000 Monitored and evaluated operation of adult collection and holding facility for adverse impacts to summer chinook salmon.
2001 Determined abundance and selected life history characteristics/patterns of juvenile summer chinook salmon (PIT-tagged 6,115 brood year 1999 fish)
2001 Collected baseline information on environmental conditions on Johnson Creek.
2001 Completed Quarterly Reports for BPA
2001 Finalized 1998, 1999, and 2000 annual reports.
2001 Updated Hatchery Genetic Management Plan (HGMP).

Section 3. Relationships to other projects

Project IDTitleDescription
198909800 Idaho Salmon Supplementation (IDFG) Long term supplementation evaluation. Will utilize 199604300 production and evaluation data in the system-wide evaluation.
198909802 Salmon Supplementation Studies in Idaho (NPT) Long term supplementation evaluation. Will utilize 199604300 production and evaluation data in the system-wide evaluation.
199703800 Salmonid Gamete Preservation (NPT) Long Term Gamete Preservation.
199703000 Monitoring of Listed Stock Chinook Salmon Escapement This project collects data on adult abundance and migration timing of chinook salmon. We compare adult abundance techniques to quantify techniques.
IDFG McCall Fish Hatchery Working cooperatively with project to expand facility to accommodate Johnson Creek juveniles for supplementation program.
199005500 Steelhead Supplementation in Idaho Rivers Johnson Creek project provides life history data through a PIT tag marking project.
199701501 Imnaha Smolt and Adult Monitoring Program Imnaha basin project used for efforts in testing new methods and technologies for SAR and R/S estimates.
Comparative Survival Rate Johnson Creek fish will be used to develop a long-term index of transport survival rate (SAR) to in-river survival rate (SAR) for Snake River hatchery and wild/natural spring and summer chinook smolts.
Lower Snake River Compensation Plan Hatchery Evaluations This project will provide a better estimate of straying of SFSR fish into Johnson Creek and JC fish straying in the SFSR.
19910300 Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon Population Viability Assessment Johnson Creek data used for evaluating extinction risks to populations and uses abundance data generated by research projects in SFSR and other Salmon River streams.
199107300 Idaho Natural Production Monitoring and Evaluation Johnson Creek data supplement program to monitor trends in chinook salmon and steelhead trout populations in the Salmon River.
University of Idaho Project utilizes known Johnson Creek fish for radio tag studies. Johnson Creek project uses the radios for weir impedance studies.

Section 4. Budget for Planning and Design phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
1. Final Engineering Design a. McCall Fish Hatchery Facilities 1 $130,000 Yes
b. Adult Collection Facility 1 $60,000 Yes
c. Juvenile Acclimation Facility 1 $34,000 Yes
d. Field Support Facility 1 $12,000 Yes
2. Obtain appropriate permits and leases for construction activities a. 404, FS Special Use Permit, and water right permitting 1 $2,750 Yes
b. Construction Permitting 1 $2,750 Yes
3. NPPC's Step 3 Review a. Submit Necessary Documents for NPPC's Step 3 review 1 $4,600 Yes
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. Construction of Production Facilities a. McCall Fish Hatchery Facilities 1 $1,610,000 Yes
b. Adult Collection Facility 1 $730,000 Yes
c. Juvenile Acclimation Facility 1 $425,000 Yes
d. Field Support Facility 1 $150,000 Yes
2. Construction Contract Administration a. Oversee construction of facilities to ensure that they meet the specifications designed 1 $146,000 Yes
3. O&M Manual and Facility Startup assistance a. O&M Manual preparation 1 $12,500 Yes
b. Facility Startup Assistance 1 $7,500 Yes
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
1. Salmon Supplementation a. Collect and Hold Adult Salmon 25 $27,000
b. Spawn Adult Salmon 25 $16,000
c. Incubate eggs at McCall Fish Hatchery 25 $13,000
d. Rear Juvenile salmon at McCall Fish Hatchery 25 $182,000
e. Transfer juvenile salmon to acclimation facilities 25 $17,500
f. Acclimate and release juvenile salmon 25 $25,000
g. Tagging and Marking of Juvenile salmon 25 $80,000
h. Fish Health Monitoring 25 $15,000
i. Genetic Tissue Analysis 25 $15,000 Yes
j. Gamete Cryo Preservation 25 $5,000
k. Nutrient Enrichment 25 $3,000
2. Operations and Maintenance Administration a. Budget Tracking and Preparation 25 $12,000
b. Overall Project Administration 25 $50,000
c. Project Coordination with NMFS, USFWS, IDFG, BPA, and USFS 25 $25,000
3. Transfer of Technology a. Preparation of quarterly reports 25 $15,000
b. Data analysis, and preparation of annual report 25 $42,500
c. Presentation of results and major findings to professional staff and at meetings/conferences 25 $5,000
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
1. Salmon Supplementation 2003 2006 $1,801,976
2. O&M Administration 2003 2006 $393,405
3. Technology Transfer 2003 2006 $282,619
Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase
FY 2003FY 2004FY 2005FY 2006
$575,000$604,000$634,000$665,000

Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
1. Collect and analyze abundance (Recruits per Spawner, R/S) and spawning distribution/success of upstream migrant jack and adult summer chinook salmon pre-, during, and post-supplementation of indigenous summer chinook salmon in the Johnson Creek system. a. Enumerate and record the date that adult summer chinook are captured in the upstream weir. 25 $17,000
1. b. Develop a run-timing curve for hatchery and wild adults from Johnson Creek. 30 $5,000
1. c. Use scales, fin rays, CWT tags, PIT tags, and VIE tags collected to determine the ocean-age of adult chinook by sex, origin and brood year. 30 $6,000
1. d. Calculate from spawning ground surveys as well as weir trapping the pre-spawning mortality, large- and small-scale spawning distribution. Trend area, conducted since 1957, will continue indefinately $3,500
1. e. Compare adults returning to Johnson Creek and determine their origin (supplemented or natural) and sex. 30 $3,500
1. f. Compare the length at ocean-age (by sex and brood year) of naturally-produced adults. 30 $3,500
1. g. Document spawning-timing, pass/keep scenarios and spawning matrices for summer chinook returning to Johnson Creek trap. 25 $3,500
1. h. Calculate a escapement of adults above the weir for use in recruit/spawner ratios, and weir efficiency, and fish/redd calculations. 25 $15,000
2. Collect and analyze information on abundance, selected life history characteristics/patterns, and spatial distribution of Johnson Creek juvenile summer chinook and salmon and steelhead pre, during, and post supplementation of indigenous summer chinook a. Collect juvenile chinook and PIT tag a min. of 3500 (800 suppl. summer parr, 700 parr, 700 presmolts, and 1300 smolts) for survival estimation to Lower Granite Dam. PIT tag and additional 7500 fish for a total of 11,000 fish to quantify SAR rates. 30 $130,000
2. b. Determine the age of chinook and steelhead by examining their scales, size of fish and time of year captured to construct an age at migration, frequency-distribution curve. 30 $15,000
2. c. Mark and release a portion of the fish captured and PIT tagged, in the trap, upstream of the trap site. Record the number of these fish that are recaptured. Use these numbers to calculate trap efficiencies and relate trap efficiencies to stream flow. 30 $15,000
2. d. Use actual numbers captured, along with trap efficiencies, to develop an overall run-timing curve for naturally produced fish in Johnson Creek. 30 $6,000
2. e. Interrogate PIT-tagged summer chinook and steelhead juveniles at the Snake and Columbia River Dams. Calculate the survival of chinook and steelhead PIT-tagged smolts that reach Lower Granite Dam based the SURPH Model. 30 $15,000
2. f. Determine the ratio of juveniles per adult for each brood year by dividing the total number of juveniles from each brood year by the total number responsible for the production of those juveniles. 30 $3,000
2. g. Determine juvenile-to-adult survival for a given brood year (wild and hatchery) by dividing the total number of juveniles from that brood year by the number of returning adults from the same brood year (tagged population and total population estimate). 30 $4,000
2. h. Determine juvenile-to-adult survival for a migration year (wild and hatchery) by dividing the total number of smolts produced from that migration year by the number of returning adults from the same migration year. 30 $3,000
2. i. Determine smolt-to-adult survival from Lower Granite to Lower Granite by dividing the estimate of the number of smolts arriving at Lower Granite by the number of returning adults to Lower Granite from the same migration year and production strategy. 30 $8,000
2. j. Compare the arrival times of the various groups of fish at the Snake and Columbia River dams. In particular, focus on the comparison between supplemented fish and natural fish. 30 $5,000
2. k. Summarize and compare the relative outmigration success and outmigration timing of CWT and PIT-tagged groups of summer chinook through the Snake River and Columbia River transport and sampling facilities. 30 $6,000
2. l. Arrival timing and survival will be analyzed using PTAGIS databases and the SURPH model. 30 $15,000
2. m. Parr movement and survival will be analyzed using recaptures at the Johnson Creek screw trap in addition to all other traps and movement through the dams using the PTAGIS databases and the SURPH model. 30 $6,000
3. Collect and analyze baseline information of genetic characteristics/patterns of, supplementation vs. natural summer chinook salmon and steelhead pre-, during, and post-supplementation. a. Conduct sampling in order to detect genetic changes in gene frequency or total genetic variability. 30 $10,000
3. b. Measure the amount of genetic change. 30 $10,000 Yes
3. c. Identify possible causes of genetic change. 30 $10,000 Yes
3. d. Identify management steps to reduce further changes. 30 $9,000
4. Evaluate operation of adult collection and holding facility for adverse impacts to resident and/or anadromous fish populations in Johnson Creek a. Adult weir should operate so that it is 100% effective. Fish that are passed upstream will be disc-tagged so that we can estimate how many fish may have escaped upstream prior to trap installation. 25 $7,500
4. b. Perform daily impedance surveys upstream and downstream of the weir to document presence/absence and level of impedance of adult chinook salmon and provide solutions/changes to the trapping operation to rectify those impacts. $7,500
4. c. Perform daily impedance surveys upstream and downstream of the weir to quantify impacts to resident fish and those impacts will aide in providing solutions/changes to the trapping operation to rectify those impacts. 25 $7,500
4. d. If sufficient radio tags are available, document upstream migration time especially after adults enter Johnson Creek with particular attention to fish behavior around the adult weir. $5,500
5. Monitor smolt production in the hatchery to evaluate health status, growth rates, and condition factors to compare supplementation fish with natural fish. a. Monitor water quality parameters in each raceway which Johnson Creek summer chinook are reared. 25 $2,000
5. b. Document rearing densities and loading factors for summer chinook salmon taken for supplementation. 25 $2,000
5. c. Collect and compare monthly measurements of length, weight, and condition factors for summer chinook salmon reared at McCall Fish Hatchery. 25 $3,000
5. d. Calculate and compare growth rates for summer chinook salmon reared at McCall Fish Hatchery. 25 $2,000
5. e. Conduct monthly fish health examinations on fresh dead or moribund, and healthy juvenile fish from index raceways of each species and stock of fish reared at McCall Fish Hatchery. 25 $2,000
5. f. Examine fish when unusual loss or behavior occurs by appropriate diagnostic methods. Implement therapeutic or prophylactic measures to control, moderate or prevent disease outbreaks. 25 $2,000
5. g. Perform standard health and pathological tests coordinated with ongoing evaluations conducted by Idaho Fish & Game and U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 25 $2,000
5. h. Document egg-take, and egg-to-fry and egg-to-smolt survival rates for summer chinook taken for supplementation. 25 $4,000
5. i. Document number, size, time and release location for summer chinook salmon released into Johnson Creek. 25 $2,000
5. j. Participate in planning process for ponding and rearing of all summer chinook. 25 $2,000
5. k. Prepare and submit tag, mark & release reports. 25 $6,000
6. Determine effectiveness of the supplemented hatchery summer chinook salmon to increase the overall population of Johnson Creek summer chinook salmon and compare impacts to natural fish. a. PIT tag a minimum of 10,000 supplementation fish to quantify and compare recruit/spawner, smolt-to-adult survival, and juvenile outmigration performance of supplemented and natural summer in Johnson Creek. 30 $2,000
6. b. Determine smolt size influence on downstream survival. 30 $3,000
6. c. Information that will be estimated/calculated from wild and supplemented juvenile chinook captured in emigrant traps and through passage through Lower Granite and the transportation system will include: compare SAR rates, survival, emigration timing. 30 $1,000
6. d. Compare the run-timing of naturally-produced juveniles from supplemented juveniles. Make this comparison for the estimated total run as well as the PIT-tagged migrants. 30 $4,000
6. e. Survival of hatchery smolt releases to Lower Granite dam will be estimated using the SURPH.1 model. 30 $1,000
6. f. Enumerate and record the date that hatchery adult summer chinook are captured in the upstream weir. 30 $1,000
6. g. Compare the ocean-age by sex and brood year of supplemented chinook and natural chinook adults from Johnson Creek. 30 $1,000
6. h. Compare length at ocean-age (by sex and brood year) of adults returning from acclimated releases to that of adults returning from wild smolts in Johnson Creek. 30 $1,000
6. i. Compare the length at ocean-age (by sex and brood year) of naturally produced adults to that of returning supplemented adults. 30 $1,000
6. j. Calculate the fecundity (as a function of egg weight and total number of eggs per total fish weight) of each female chinook spawned for supplementation. 30 $2,000
6. k. Acquire CWT recovery information from agencies monitoring ocean fisheries, Columbia River sport, Tribal and commercial fisheries, Snake River sport fisheries. 30 $2,000
6. l. Recover and decode tags from marked adults returning to Johnson Creek and LSRCP South Fork Salmon facilities. 30 $1,000
6. m. Compare the juvenile per adult ratios for fish spawned in the hatchery to the ratios for fish allowed to spawn naturally. 30 $2,000
6. n. Compare the migration success of naturally produced fish with that of supplemented fish. 30 $5,000
7. Collect baseline information on environmental conditions in Johnson Creek, with special attention to smolt emigration and adult spawning migration periods. a. Install portable temperature data loggers for year round compilation of temperature at the rotary screw trap, adult collection weir site, acclimation sites, and USGS gauging station. 30 $3,000
7. b. Conduct trend analysis, doing comparisons with flow and temperature and how they correlate with run timing of juvenile emigration and adult immigration. 30 $3,000
8. Transfer of Technology. a. Prepare three Quarterly Progress Reports. Reports shall be submitted 15 days after the end of each quarter. The three quarters will be March 31, July 31, and October 31. 30 $15,000
8. b. Prepare and provide an annual report summarizing all tasks outlined in objectives one through seven above. The annual report will be submitted by March 31 and will include information on the fish by brood year. 30 $89,000
8. c. Presentation of results and major findings to professional staff and meetings/conferences 30 $14,000
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
1.Collect and analyze abundance (Recruits per Spawner, R/S) and spawning distribution/success of upstream migrant jack and adult summer chinook salmon pre-, during, and post-supplementation of indigenous summer chinook salmon in the Johnson Creek system. 2003 2006 $257,961
2. Collect and analyze information on abundance, selected life history characteristics/patterns, and spatial distribution of Johnson Creek juvenile summer chinook and salmon and steelhead pre, during, and post supplementation of indigenous summer chinook 2003 2006 $1,045,421
3. Collect and analyze baseline information of genetic characteristics/patterns of, supplementation vs. natural summer chinook salmon and steelhead pre-, during, and post-supplementation. 2003 2006 $176,500
4. Evaluate operation of adult collection and holding facility for adverse impacts to resident and/or anadromous fish populations in Johnson Creek 2003 2006 $126,718
5. Monitor smolt production in the hatchery to evaluate health status, growth rates, and condition factors to compare supplementation fish with natural fish. 2003 2006 $131,243
6Determine effectiveness of the supplemented hatchery summer chinook salmon to increase the overall population of Johnson Creek summer chinook salmon and compare impacts to natural fish. 2003 2006 $122,192
7. Collect baseline information on environmental conditions in Johnson Creek, with special attention to smolt emigration and adult spawning migration periods. 2003 2006 $27,154
8. Transfer of Technology. 2003 2006 $534,024
Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase
FY 2003FY 2004FY 2005FY 2006
$561,750$589,838$619,329$650,296

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget
ItemNoteFY 2002 cost
Personnel FTE: 12.75 $440,771
Fringe 38% of Personnel Costs $150,986
Supplies Includes rent, office & field supplies, repair, etc. $114,025
Travel Includes 5 GSA and 1 fish transport vehicle, field per diem, travel, admin travel, etc. $76,842
Indirect 20.9% $160,801
Capital Construction of Artificial Production Facilities $2,915,000
PIT tags # of tags: 24500 $55,125
Subcontractor Genetic analysis, scale analysis, and finray analysis $25,750
Subcontractor Final Engineering design, permitting, and NPPC Approval $246,100
Subcontractor Construction Contract Administration $146,000
Subcontractor O&M Startup Assistance $20,000
Subcontractor Production Policy Analysis $11,200
Subcontractor Statistical and Data Analysis and Evaluation $10,000
Other CWT and VIE fish tagging Costs $37,500
$4,410,100
Total estimated budget
Total FY 2002 cost$4,410,100
Amount anticipated from previously committed BPA funds$0
Total FY 2002 budget request$4,410,100
FY 2002 forecast from 2001$902,200
% change from forecast388.8%
Reason for change in estimated budget

Final design and Construction of artificial production facilities were originally scheduled for 2001. However, these actions were not funded in the 2001 budget process and did not take place in 2001. Therefore, they are included in the 2002 budget, resulting in an increase of $3,264,100 over the 2002 projected budget forecasts. Total number of PIT tags has increased over past years to include tagging needs of supplementation fish. In addition, the JCAPE project is adding two and three quarters (2.75) additional FTE's above FY 2001, (1) a biologist I to assist with database management, error checking of data and some assistance with reports, (2) a technician I to fully staff two person crews for safety and work load reasons, (3) additional administrative support. In FY 2001 we budgeted for a personnel fringe rate of 28% and for FY 2002 the fringe has increased to approx. 38%. These increases explain the increase from the outyear projections from the FY 2001 proposal.

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:
Sep 28, 2001

Comment:

A response is needed. Do not fund, except for M & E portion needed to tie in with ISS. M&E should be funded at an appropriate level so that the Johnson Creek 'control' stream data continue to be integrated into the ISS experimental design. This may require a joint response from the NPT and IDFG (which is the lead agency for the ISS) that describes how the Johnson Creek population will be re-integrated into the ISS study. See ISRP comments on the set of Idaho Supplementation Studies below.

As initially planned, the Idaho Supplementation Study (ISS) was probably the best supplementation study among the Provinces. It should be continued, but the ISRP has a number of concerns that should be addressed while there is still time. This study addresses the critical issue of the efficacy of supplementation to restore populations and many resources have been committed to it. With the experimental design of the Yakima Hatchery in question (not wild/wild and no hatchery/hatchery controls), retaining the integrity of this experiment is crucial. It is important that the Idaho Supplementation Studies be completed following the original approved experimental design.

The most critical ISRP concerns are:

  1. the effect of the loss of Johnson Creek (previously a control stream) from the experimental design, and
  2. the effect of straying of hatchery fish into Lake Creek, the Secesh River, and other designated "controls".

As currently planned in project #199604300"Johnson Creek Artificial Propagation Enhancement Project", Johnson Creek is neither a treatment nor a control stream in the ISS because the criteria for stopping supplementation has been changed and does not appear to match the timetable in the ISS. Supplementation activities in Johnson Creek should cease immediately for the duration of the ISS study design, allowing Johnson Creek to continue to be use as a 'control' stream, even given the recent limited supplementation of it. (Note: a portion of the 2001 returning jacks are the first returning fish from the limited Johnson Creek supplementation effort.)

To do minimal damage to the ISS study design, the ISRP recommends that Johnson Creek now be considered a control stream (at least by year class!) and that supplementation be stopped in Johnson Creek in accordance with the original timetable in the ISS. The number of wild returning adults we observed earlier this month spawning in Johnson Creek, and the number we are likely to observe next year, argue that supplementation of Johnson Creek is not needed as an emergency action for a declining stock at least through the duration of the ISS experiment.

As we understand the situation, the decision to remove Johnson Creek from the study was beyond the control of some proponents of the ISS project. Nevertheless, we find it unacceptable that the experimental design for study of such a critical issue as supplementation would be compromised by a decision to remove a control stream from the study. The only conclusion we can come to is that the proponents of the decision to remove Johnson Creek from the supplementation study believe that they already know the result, i.e., they believe supplementation works! A broad base of the scientific community is in extreme disagreement with this conclusion, and it is unacceptable that the best-designed study of supplementation would be compromised.

Idaho Supplementation Studies

A response is needed for the set of Idaho Supplementation Study Projects.

Background

Supplementation of natural stocks is not a mandated mitigation objective, but has become an important part of the hatchery programs. Idaho has outplanted (i.e. off-site releases) over 5.5 million chinook fry, approximately 8 million smolts, and 8,000 adults into the Salmon River drainage since 1977 (IDFG et. Al. 1990). During the same period, over 17 million fry, 3 million smolts, and 2,000 adults were outplanted into the Clearwater River drainage (Nez Perce Tribe et. Al. 1990). In spite of widespread outplanting activities there has been little scientific evaluation of supplementation on rebuilding or influencing natural salmon populations both in Idaho and basin wide. Furthermore, despite these hatchery mitigation efforts, anadromous fish stocks in Idaho continued to decline.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) spearheaded development of the Idaho Supplementation Studies (ISS) to address questions identified in the Supplementation Technical Work Group (STWG) Five Year Workplan (STWG 1988), as well as help define the potential role of supplementation in managing Idaho's anadromous fisheries and as a recovery tool for the basin. The goal of the Idaho Supplementation Studies is to evaluate various supplementation strategies for maintaining and rebuilding spring/summer chinook salmon populations in Idaho and to develop recommendations for using supplementation to rebuild naturally spawning populations.

Projects directly involved in the ISS are:

  1. Project ID: 198909800. Idaho Supplementation Studies. Sponsor: Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Idaho Office of Species Conservation. Subbasin: Salmon.
  2. Project ID: 198909801. Evaluate Supplementation Studies in Idaho Rivers (ISS). Sponsor: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Idaho Fishery Resource Office. Subbasin: Clearwater.
  3. Project ID: 198909802. Evaluate Salmon Supplementation Studies in Idaho Rivers- Nez Perce Tribe. Sponsor: Nez Perce Tribe. Subbasin: Salmon.
  4. Project ID: 198909803. Salmon Supplementation Studies in Idaho- Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Sponsor: Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Subbasin: Salmon
  5. Project ID: 199005500. Steelhead Supplementation Studies in Idaho Rivers. Sponsor: Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Idaho Office of Species Conservation. Subbasin: Clearwater
  6. Project ID: 199604300. Johnson Creek Artificial Propagation Enhancement Project. Sponsor: Nez Perce Tribe. Subbasin: Salmon.

ISS also coordinates field activities and data collection efforts with the Idaho Habitat/ Natural Production Monitoring project (199107300). ISS also coordinates with and transfers data to projects in the Salmon River subbasin including the Monitoring Smolt Migration of Wild Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon (199102800), Salmon River Habitat Enhancement (9405000), and Salmon River Production Program (199705700). ISS also works closely with the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) to coordinate on hatchery supplementation treatments and evaluations.

Presently, there are eleven state and federal anadromous hatcheries operating in Idaho: Clearwater, Oxbow, Rapid River, McCall, Sawtooth, Pahsimeroi, Dworshak, Kooskia, Hagerman National, Niagara Springs, and Magic Valley. There are also three satellite rearing ponds: Powell, Red River, and Crooked River operated in conjunction with the Clearwater Hatchery. These hatcheries have the combined capacity to produce 8.5 million spring chinook smolts, 2 million summer chinook smolts, 6.7 million A-run steelhead O. mykiss smolts, and 4 million B-run steelhead smolts annually.

ISS Study Design

The ISS study design called for a minimum of 15 years (three generations) of research (Bowles and Leitzinger 1991). Sampling was initiated in 1991, and implementation began in 1992. Supplementation effects are monitored and evaluated by comparing juvenile production and survival, fecundity, age structure, and genetic structure and variability in treatment and control streams of similar ecological parameters.

Due to the large geographic scope of this study, study streams were partitioned among four resource management entities for implementation. These include Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Nez Perce Tribe, Shoshone-Bannock Tribe, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Idaho Fishery Resource Office. Allocations were based on interest, integration with ongoing programs, cost efficiency, logistics and, to a lesser extent, relative equity. Approximately one-half of the study will be implemented by Idaho Department of Fish and Game through the ISS contract with BPA. The Nez Perce Tribe and Shoshone-Bannock Tribe have similar commitments to ISS, each comprising approximately 20% of the study. Both of these components rely heavily on integration of existing or proposed tribal programs. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Idaho Fishery Resource Office implements about ten percent of the project. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is the lead agency regarding project development, coordination, and implementation.

The ISS Experimental Design was completed and published in 1991. Baseline data collection and development of supplementation brood stocks (Phase I) began in 1991. Over a period of about five years, supplementation brood stocks were developed for seven hatchery trap/release locations as identified in the experimental design:

Artificial Production Facilities

  1. Sawtooth Fish Hatchery - Upper Salmon River
  2. Pahsimeroi Fish Hatchery - Pahsimeroi River
  3. McCall Fish Hatchery - South Fork Salmon River
  4. Clearwater Fish Hatchery Satellites
  5. Crooked River
  6. Red River
  7. Powell (Colt-killed Creek)
  8. Clear Creek - Kooskia National Fish Hatchery

As adult fish began to return from the Phase I supplementation brood stock juvenile releases, the project progressed into Phase II. Phase II utilizes the returning adults to supplement natural origin recruits in treatment streams and maintains supplementation brood stocks for juvenile production and release. Juvenile fish releases through brood year 1996 include 1,281,755 fish in the Clearwater River basin and 1,954,048 fish in the Salmon River basin.

This project is now transitioning from Phase II to Phase III, monitoring the effects of supplementation. In Phase III juvenile releases from supplementation brood stocks are eventually terminated, returning adults from prior juvenile releases are released to supplement spawning of natural origin recruits, and monitoring of production and productivity response variables in control and treatment streams continues. In 2000, juvenile releases were maintained at levels similar to releases in 1999.

Treatment (e.g. supplementation in general, supplementation with a particular life stage, supplementation with a particular brood source) effects will be tested directly by hypotheses. In general, treatments will be applied for one to two generations (5-10 years) following approximately one generation of pretreatment data. Population responses to supplementation will be monitored a minimum of one generation (5 years) following supplementation. It is important that the original study design be maintained. Reducing sample size (number of treatment streams) can potentially impair the sensitivity of the design. Reducing to five treatment streams provides only a 60% chance of detecting a 25% change in production, whereas we would still have over 95% chance of detecting a 50% change.

Related projects

Several additional projects are related to the ISS. The monitoring and evaluation portion of the Johnson Creek Artificial Propagation Enhancement project (199604300) conducts the juvenile emigration and survival, adult escapement (weir and spawning ground surveys), and genetic monitoring associated with the ISS project in Johnson Creek. The Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery Monitoring and Evaluation project (198335003) collects the data associated with the ISS project in Lolo Creek, Eldorado Creek, and Newsome Creeks in the Clearwater River subbasin. The Nez Perce Tribe Monitoring of Listed Stock Chinook Salmon Escapement project (BPA Number 199703000) operates a video camera and weir to passively monitor and enumerate adults returning to Lake Creek and upper Secesh River. This project collects data on adult abundance and migration timing of chinook salmon.

ISRP Preliminary Recommendations:

As initially planned, the Idaho Supplementation Study (ISS) was probably the best supplementation study among the Provinces. It should be continued, but the ISRP has a number of concerns that should be addressed while there is still time. This study addresses the critical issue of the efficacy of supplementation to restore populations and many resources have been committed to it. With the experimental design of the Yakima Hatchery in question (no wild/wild and no hatchery/hatchery controls), retaining the integrity of this experiment is crucial. It is important that the Idaho Supplementation Studies be completed following the original approved experimental design.

The most critical ISRP concerns are:

1) the effect of the loss of Johnson Creek (previously a control stream) from the experimental design, and

2) the effect of straying of hatchery fish into Lake Creek, the Secesh River, and other designated "controls".

As currently planned in project #199604300"Johnson Creek Artificial Propagation Enhancement Project", Johnson Creek is neither a treatment nor a control stream in the ISS because the criteria for stopping supplementation has been changed and does not appear to match the timetable in the ISS. Supplementation activities in Johnson Creek should cease immediately for the duration of the ISS study design, allowing Johnson Creek to continue to be used as a 'control' stream, even given the recent limited supplementation of it. (Note: a portion of the 2001 returning jacks are the first returning fish from the limited Johnson Creek supplementation effort.)

To do minimal damage to the ISS study design, the ISRP recommends that Johnson Creek now be considered a control stream (at least by year class!) and that supplementation be stopped in Johnson Creek in accordance with the original timetable in the ISS. The number of wild returning adults we observed earlier this month spawning in Johnson Creek, and the number we are likely to observe next year, argue that supplementation of Johnson Creek is not needed as an emergency action for a declining stock at least through the duration of the ISS experiment.

As we understand the situation, the decision to remove Johnson Creek from the study was beyond the control of some proponents of the ISS project. Nevertheless, we find it unacceptable that the experimental design for study of such a critical issue as supplementation would be compromised by a decision to remove a control stream from the study. The only conclusion we can come to is that the proponents of the decision to remove Johnson Creek from the supplementation study believe that they already know the result, i.e., they believe supplementation works. A broad base of the scientific community is in extreme disagreement with this conclusion, and it is unacceptable that the best-designed study of supplementation would be compromised.

Other ISRP concerns: The proponents should list the initial control and treatment streams and the current treatments and controls. How has the overall design changed? What is the current timetable to stop supplementation in the treatment streams and to evaluate the effect on natural production? In the control streams, what effect do the straying rates have on the analysis? What would be the effect of changing Johnson Creek from a "control" to a "treatment" stream on the statistical power of the study?

The results of this project should help determine whether supplementation is a viable restoration strategy and as such should inform the RPA four-step safety net process.

There may be a need for ongoing input from an over-site committee with members outside those participating in the study to monitor the progress. Has this been planned for or considered?


Recommendation:
High Priority
Date:
Nov 30, 2001

Comment:

This project is considered a BASE project by NMFS.
Recommendation:
Do Not Fund
Date:
Dec 21, 2001

Comment:

Do not fund, except for the monitoring and evaluation portion needed to tie in with Idaho Supplementation Studies.

Comments specific to this proposal are as follows:

Do not fund, except for the monitoring and evaluation portion needed to tie in with Idaho Supplementation Studies. Monitoring and evaluation should be funded at an appropriate level so that the Johnson Creek 'control' stream data continue to be integrated into the ISS experimental design. As initially planned, the Idaho Supplementation Study (ISS) was probably the best supplementation study among the Provinces. It should be continued. It is important that the Idaho Supplementation Studies be completed following a rigorous approved experimental design that is little changed from the original design.

The ISRP recommends that supplementation activities in Johnson Creek cease immediately at least for the duration of the ISS study design, allowing Johnson Creek to continue to be used as a 'control' stream, even given the recent limited supplementation of it. Johnson Creek was switched from a control stream to a treatment stream in 1996 on the basis of very low adult returns, the calculated high risk of local demographic risk of extinction, and severe underseeding of available habitat. Supplementation activities in Johnson Creek are planned for approximately 25 years. The proposal notes that adult carrying capacity for Johnson Creek is estimated at 1,681 summer chinook. While on the site tour this summer, we were told that 1,700 adult chinook returned to Johnson Creek this year. Thus, supplementation does not appear warranted in Johnson Creek at this time on the basis of low adult numbers and underseeding of available habitat at least through the duration of the ISS experiment.

In 2001, the first returning fish from the limited Johnson Creek supplementation effort (1998 - 2000) returned; however, we note that all returning hatchery-produced salmon were jacks and they constituted only a portion of the 2001 returning jacks. Next year (2002), two-ocean adults including products of the supplementation efforts will be returning to Johnson Creek. However, the Johnson Creek weir can be used to intercept returning adults, and allow passage only of wild naturally spawned chinook salmon into Johnson Creek. This will allow Johnson Creek to remain in the ISS study as a control stream. As currently planned in project #199604300, Johnson Creek is neither a treatment, nor a control stream in the ISS because the criteria for stopping supplementation has been changed and do not appear to match the timetable in the ISS.

Idaho Supplementation Studies

Background

Supplementation of natural stocks is not a mandated mitigation objective, but has become an important part of the hatchery programs. Idaho has outplanted (i.e. off-site releases) over 5.5 million chinook fry, approximately 8 million smolts, and 8,000 adults into the Salmon River drainage since 1977 (IDFG et. al. 1990). During the same period, over 17 million fry, 3 million smolts, and 2,000 adults were outplanted into the Clearwater River drainage (Nez Perce Tribe et. al. 1990). In spite of widespread outplanting activities there has been little scientific evaluation of the efficacy of supplementation on rebuilding or influencing natural salmon populations both in Idaho and basin wide. Furthermore, despite these hatchery mitigation efforts, anadromous fish stocks in Idaho continued to decline.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) spearheaded development of the Idaho Supplementation Studies (ISS) to address questions identified in the Supplementation Technical Work Group (STWG) Five Year Workplan (STWG 1988), as well as help define the potential role of supplementation in managing Idaho's anadromous fisheries and as a recovery tool for the basin. The goal of the Idaho Supplementation Studies is to evaluate various supplementation strategies for maintaining and rebuilding spring/summer chinook salmon and steelhead populations in Idaho and to develop recommendations for using supplementation to rebuild naturally spawning populations.

Projects directly involved in the ISS are:

  1. Project ID 198909800. Idaho Supplementation Studies. Sponsor: Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Idaho Office of Species Conservation. Subbasin: Salmon.
  2. Project ID 198909801. Evaluate Supplementation Studies in Idaho Rivers (ISS). Sponsor: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Idaho Fishery Resource Office. Subbasin: Clearwater.
  3. Project ID 198909802. Evaluate Salmon Supplementation Studies in Idaho Rivers- Nez Perce Tribe. Sponsor: Nez Perce Tribe. Subbasin: Salmon.
  4. Project ID 198909803. Salmon Supplementation Studies in Idaho- Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Sponsor: Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Subbasin: Salmon
  5. Project ID 199005500. Steelhead Supplementation Studies in Idaho Rivers. Sponsor: Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Idaho Office of Species Conservation. Subbasin: Clearwater
  6. Project ID 199604300. Johnson Creek Artificial Propagation Enhancement Project. Sponsor: Nez Perce Tribe Subbasin: Salmon.
ISS coordinates field activities and data collection efforts with the Idaho Habitat/ Natural Production Monitoring project (199107300). ISS also coordinates with and transfers data to projects in the Salmon River subbasin including the Monitoring Smolt Migration of Wild Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon (199102800), Salmon River Habitat Enhancement (9405000), and Salmon River Production Program (199705700). ISS also works closely with the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) to coordinate on hatchery supplementation treatments and evaluations.

Presently, there are eleven state and federal anadromous hatcheries operating in Idaho: Clearwater, Oxbow, Rapid River, McCall, Sawtooth, Pahsimeroi, Dworshak, Kooskia, Hagerman National, Niagara Springs, and Magic Valley. There are also three satellite rearing ponds: Powell, Red River, and Crooked River operated in conjunction with the Clearwater Hatchery. These hatcheries have the combined capacity to produce 8.5 million spring chinook smolts, 2 million summer chinook smolts, 6.7 million A-run steelhead O. mykiss smolts, and 4 million B-run steelhead smolts annually.

ISS Study Design

The ISS study design called for a minimum of 15 years (three generations) of research (Bowles and Leitzinger 1991). Sampling was initiated in 1991, and implementation began in 1992. Supplementation effects are monitored and evaluated by comparing juvenile production and survival, fecundity, age structure, and genetic structure and variability in treatment and control streams of similar ecological parameters.

Due to the large geographic scope of this study, study streams were partitioned among four resource management entities for implementation. These include Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Nez Perce Tribe, Shoshone-Bannock Tribe, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Idaho Fishery Resource Office. Allocations were based on interest, integration with ongoing programs, cost efficiency, logistics, and, to a lesser extent, relative equity. Approximately one-half of the study will be implemented by Idaho Department of Fish and Game through the ISS contract with BPA. The Nez Perce Tribe and Shoshone-Bannock Tribe have similar commitments to ISS, each comprising approximately 20% of the study. Both of these components rely heavily on integration of existing or proposed tribal programs. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Idaho Fishery Resource Office implements about ten percent of the project. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is the lead agency regarding project development, coordination, and implementation.

The ISS Experimental Design was completed and published in 1991. Baseline data collection and development of supplementation brood stocks (Phase I) began in 1991. Over a period of about five years, supplementation brood stocks were developed for seven hatchery trap/release locations as identified in the experimental design:

Artificial Production Facilities

  1. Sawtooth Fish Hatchery - Upper Salmon River
  2. Pahsimeroi Fish Hatchery - Pahsimeroi River
  3. McCall Fish Hatchery - South Fork Salmon River
  4. Clearwater Fish Hatchery Satellites

  5. Crooked River
  6. Red River
  7. Powell (Colt-killed Creek)
  8. Clear Creek - Kooskia National Fish Hatchery
As adult fish began to return from the Phase I supplementation brood stock juvenile releases, the project progressed into Phase II. Phase II utilizes the returning adults to supplement natural origin recruits in treatment streams and maintains supplementation broodstocks for juvenile production and release. Juvenile fish releases through brood year 1996 include 1,281,755 fish in the Clearwater River basin and 1,954,048 fish in the Salmon River basin.

This project is now transitioning from Phase II to Phase III, monitoring the effects of supplementation. In Phase III juvenile releases from supplementation brood stocks are to be eventually terminated, returning adults from prior juvenile releases are released to supplement spawning of natural origin recruits, and monitoring of production and productivity response variables in control and treatment streams continues. In 2000, juvenile releases were maintained at levels similar to releases in 1999.

Treatment (e.g. supplementation in general, supplementation with a particular life stage, supplementation with a particular brood source) effects will be tested directly by hypotheses. In general, treatments will be applied for one to two generations (5-10 years) following approximately one generation of pretreatment data. Population responses to supplementation will be monitored a minimum of one generation (5 years) following supplementation. It is important that the original study design be maintained. Reducing sample size (number of treatment streams) can potentially impair the sensitivity of the design. Reducing to five treatment streams provides only a 60% chance of detecting a 25% change in production, whereas we would still have over 95% chance of detecting a 50% change.

Related projects

Several additional projects are related to the ISS. The monitoring and evaluation portion of the Johnson Creek Artificial Propagation Enhancement project (199604300) conducts the juvenile emigration and survival, adult escapement (weir and spawning ground surveys), and genetic monitoring associated with the ISS project in Johnson Creek. The Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery Monitoring and Evaluation project (198335003) collects the data associated with the ISS project in Lolo Creek, Eldorado Creek, and Newsome Creeks in the Clearwater River subbasin. The Nez Perce Tribe Monitoring of Listed Stock Chinook Salmon Escapement project (BPA Number 199703000) operates a video camera and weir to passively monitor and enumerate adults returning to Lake Creek and upper Secesh River. This project collects data on adult abundance and migration timing of chinook salmon.

ISRP Final Recommendation:

Not fundable until the ISRP concerns are adequately addressed. The experimental design has not been adhered to over the years and from the response to our preliminary review, the ISRP is not confident it will be in the future. In fact, the current experimental design is not adequately defined. There does not appear to be commitment to treatment durations, particularly to the Phase III portion of the study design, where supplementation ceases, so that treatment effects can be analyzed.

From communications that occurred during the ISRP site visit, it appears the project sponsors should be able to specify timelines for termination of the treatments for each treatment stream. A table needs to be developed for Phase III implementation that describes when the treatments will stop on a stream-by-stream basis. In the past, sponsors have not stuck with agreed upon control streams. How confounded are the treatment and control streams? This points to the need for submittal of a certified statistical design.

Projects 198909800 through 198909803 and 199005500 are fundable after adequately addressing the following constraints.

  1. A written protocol for complete statistical analysis, certified by an independent statistician team should be presented to Council during the contracting period. The ISRP is not comfortable with the implications that "problems" with the study design can be "fixed" during the statistical analysis stage. Considerable thought and effort should be placed in planning the statistical analyses of these potentially controversial data before final decisions are made on criteria for stopping supplementation and before data are available.
  2. The protocol for statistical analysis must indicate how straying of hatchery fish into "control streams" and "partial treatments" will be analyzed. For example, the response to the ISRP preliminary review indicated that the straying rate of hatchery fish into the Secesh River from 1996-2001 varied from 0.83% to 14.71%. This is in fact, de facto supplementation. It is unclear to the ISRP how partial treatment and de facto supplementation of control streams will be addressed in the statistical analysis of the ISS.
  3. Development of a specific stream-by-stream protocol and timetable for implementation of Phase III of the ISS. Included in this is the immediate cessation of supplementation activities in Johnson Creek (see comments below on proposal 199604300) and inclusion of Johnson Creek once again as a control stream in the ISS experimental design.

Recommendation:
Date:
Feb 1, 2002

Comment:

Statement of Potential Biological Benefit to ESU
Project is designed to restore natural spawning population of SR SSCH in Johnson Creek through a conservation hatchery program

Comments
Johnson Creek received NMFS support in 1996 as a "high priority". The proposal has evolved into a moderately large and fairly expensive production program of 315,000 smolts, with components of NATURES rearing included. An HGMP needs to be completed. A special use permit for the permanent weir, holding ponds and NATURES final rearing/acclimation pond needs to be received from USFS.

Already ESA Req? No

Biop? No


Recommendation:
A Conditional
Date:
Feb 11, 2002

Comment:

Recommend funding on HGMP development, base level M&E program, and other planning actions called for under the Council's approved three step process for artificial production facilities. We note that the ISRP's comment on this project stated that Johnson Creek was part of the ISS project. However, we would point out that Johnson Creek is not a control stream within the ISS. JCAPE was initiated as an emergency action to address declining adult salmon returns to Johnson Creek. ISS cooperators (USFWS, NPT, SBT, IDGF) agreed to change Johnson Creek from a control stream to a treatment stream following the determination to begin an emergency supplementation action in Johnson Creek (letter dated March 12, 1996, no subject from NMFS to John N. Itchart, Chairman, NWPPC).

BPA RPA RPM:
--

NMFS RPA/USFWS RPM:
base


Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Apr 19, 2002

Comment:

Council recommendation: The ISRP provided this project a "Do not fund" recommendation (except for the monitoring and evaluation portion needed to tie in with Idaho Supplementation Studies (ISS)). The ISRP comments focus on the role of the Johnson Creek within the ISS study. Specifically, the ISRP notes that Johnson Creek was originally a control stream within the supplementation study, and that the past and proposed supplementation activities in this proposal are not consistent with the original ISS study design. The ISRP would have Johnson Creek supplementation activities halted so that the stream may continue to be used as a control stream within the larger ISS study.

Bonneville rated the projects as fundable (A, conditional). BPA recommends funding only HGMP development, base level M&E program, and other planning actions called for under the Council's approved three-step review process for artificial production facilities. However, BPA notes that Johnson Creek is not a control stream within the ISS. Reference is made to the emergency action to address declining adult salmon returns to Johnson Creek and that ISS cooperators (USFWS, NPT, SBT, IDFG) agreed to change Johnson Creek from a control stream to a treatment stream following the determination to begin an emergency supplementation action in Johnson Creek.

The Council's own past funding decisions endorsed the managers' changed strategy for Johnson Creek from a control stream to a supplemented stream. In 1996, the Council approved 15 high priority supplementation projects under Program Measure 7.3B. This was one of those projects. On June 30, 1998 the Council recommended funding, as an emergency measure, the Johnson Creek Artificial Propagation Enhancement Project to collect summer chinook salmon adults and rear juveniles. The most recent Council action on the Johnson Creek Artificial Propagation Enhancement Project was its FY 2001 funding recommendations. The Council considered and approved detailed project elements and associated budgets for the artificial production activities.

NMFS considers the project as a BASE project for Biological Opinion implementation and recognizes that this project was supported as a high priority supplementation project in 1996, but notes that the project has evolved into a moderately large and fairly expensive production program. NMFS recommends that an HGMP needs to be completed, and a special use permit for the permanent weir, holding ponds and acclimation pond needs to be received from USFS.

The Council is recommending that this project be funded at levels consistent with past Council decisions in Fiscal Year 1998 and Fiscal Year 2001. The ISRP's recommendation not to fund the project because of impacts to the original study design of the Idaho Supplementation Studies cannot be strictly accepted without further information gathering, as the project cooperators, NMFS, and the Council have consciously decided to take a different course with regard to supplementation within Johnson Creek than was originally conceived in the Idaho Supplementation Study. This Council recommendation to fund this project is subject to four conditions:

Condition One: The Council recommends that the sponsor be required to address how Johnson Creek will be used in the continuing Idaho Supplementation Studies as discussed in Salmon Issue 7 above. While past and current management and policy decisions to supplement Johnson Creek populations may have impacted the original study design, the sponsors should explore and provide explanations and alternatives that show how Johnson Creek can continue to be a part of the larger supplementation experiment. The sponsor should address the three questions in the ISRP final report on page 45. As part of that response, the sponsor should clearly identify how the past and proposed supplementation activities may diminish the quality or quantity of information that would be gathered in the larger ISS project. The Council recommends that this information be provided to the ISRP for review and a report back to the Council and sponsor before funding is committed.

Condition Two: The Council recommends that the JCAPE cooperators (Nez Perce, IDFG; USFWS, Shoshone Bannock) need to specifically detail how they agreed to move Johnson Creek from a control stream in the ISS study to one that is supplemented. This confirmation must include: (1) the understanding of the cooperators in 1996 regarding the use of this stream in the ISS study design; and (2) any agreements reached at that time regarding the magnitude of the Johnson Creek supplementation program, and any current agreement about the magnitude of the program currently underway. This information needs to be provided to the Council prior to the step two submittal.

Condition Three: The Council was very specific during its deliberation and approval of the Johnson Creek project in its Fiscal Year 2001 work plan. Those specifics were provided to ensure that the project maintained its approved scope and intent. Council has aligned the proposed budgets in this recommendation to reflect previous Council decisions and future step reviews. The Council wants to make clear that future budgets depend upon favorable Council decisions at each of those future reviews. The Council also strongly recommends that the sponsors be put on notice that the future step submittals must addresses the conditions placed on this project since the emergency action taken by the Council in 1998 and FY 2001 as outlined in a memo to BPA and sponsors on March 27, 2001. This includes the following conditions.

Conditions, as outlined, were placed on the project as part of the partial step two review approved by the Council on June 30, 1998.*