FY 2001 Ongoing proposal 199500400

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

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal title	Mitigation For The Construction And Operation Of Libby Dam
Proposal ID	199500400
Organization	Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP)
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
Name	Brian Marotz / Greg Hoffman
Mailing address	490 North Meridian Kalispell, MT 59901
Phone / email	4067514546 / marotz@digisys.net
Manager authorizing this project	Brian Marotz
Review cycle	FY 2001 Ongoing
Province / Subbasin	Mountain Columbia / Kootenai
Short description	Implementation of watershed based habitat enhancement and fish recovery actions to mitigate the losses caused by hydropower in the Kootenai Subbasin. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks collaborates with the Tribes of Montana and Idaho, IDFG and B. C. Canada.
Target species

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
1989	The LRMOD and preliminary IRC's (called Biological Rule Curves) were first published in 1989 (Fraley et al. 1989), then refined in 1996 (Marotz et al. 1996 and 1999).
1995	Developed a tiered (variable volume) approach for white sturgeon spawning flows balanced with reservoir IRC's and Snake River salmon biological opinion.
1996	A model was calibrated to estimate the entrainment of fish and zooplankton through Libby Dam as related to hydropower operations and use of the selective withdrawal structure.
1997	The effects of dam operation on benthic macroinvertebrates were assessed (Hauer et al. 1997) for comparison with conditions measured in the past (Perry and Huston 1983).
1997	Chemically rehabilitated Bootjack, Topless and Cibid Lakes in eastern Lincoln County to remove illegally introduced pumpkinseeds and yellow perch and reestablish rainbow trout and westslope cutthroat trout. Closed basin lakes.
1998	Rehabilitated 200' of Pipe Creek frontage to prevent further loss of habitat for bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout. Pipe Creek is a primary spawning tributary to the Kootenai River.
1998	Developed an isolation facility for the conservation of redband rainbow trout at the Libby Field Station. Existing ponds were restored and the inlet stream was enhanced for natural outdoor rearing (1998 through 1999). Natural reproduction may be possible.
1999	Chemically rehabilitated Carpenter Lake to remove illegally introduced pike, largemouth bass and bluegills and reestablish westslope cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. Natural reproduction is not expected in this closed basin lake.
1999	Rehabilitated ~400' of Sinclair Creek to reduce erosion, stabilize highway crossing, and install fisheries habitat for westslope cutthroat trout. Sinclair Creek is a tributary to Libby Reservoir.
2000	Completed fish screening (bull trout) project on Grave Creek diversion channel in cooperation with USFS, USFWS and MFWP's Future Fisheries Program. Grave Creek is a primary native trout spawning tributary to Libby Reservoir.
2000	Stabilized ~1,000' of Libby Creek (100' tall cut bank) to eliminate a major sediment point source and to improve migration corridor for bull trout and instream habitat for westslope cutthroat trout and juvenile bull trout. A tributary to Kootenai River.
2000	Completed additional work on Sinclair Creek to stabilize a bank slough for westslope cutthroat habitat improvement. Sinclair Creek is now accessible to adfluvial spawners from Libby Reservoir.
2000	Major contributor towards completion of Parmenter Creek re-channelization/rehabilitation work in Libby (Project Impact). . Parmenter has the potential to provide additional spawning and rearing habitat for Kootenai River fish.
2000	Major contributor towards completion of new ditch diversion / fish screen / channel stabilization project on Porcupine Creek. Project will benefit redband in this Yaak River tributary.
2000	Constructed "Kids Fishing Pond" in cooperation with Lincoln County Fair Board in Eureka to increase fishing opportunities for youngsters lost due to construction and operation of Libby Dam. The new fishing hole is in a closed basin.
2000	Completed Instream Flow Incremental Methodology report and model for use in guiding operational strategies for Libby Dam to better suit fisheries habitat needs. Provided evidence and recommendations for improved river operations.

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 2001 cost	Subcontractor
1. Use the completed Libby Mitigation Plan document (MFWP, CSKT and KTOI 1998) to design watershed-based habitat protection and enhancement projects in identified bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout and inland redband trout streams.	a. Contact landowners to describe goals and encourage cooperation in renovation efforts. Work cooperatively with Focus Watershed Coordination program, local watershed councils, related resource groups and government entities.	ongoing for duration of project	$15,000
	b. Conduct stream inventories and evaluate feasibility of restoring priority streams to quality native trout habitat.	ongoing for duration of project	$15,000
	c. Select and prioritize project sites for habitat restoration, livestock fencing and watering stations, migrant passage improvement, point source sediment abatement, streambank stabilization revegetation of riparian areas.	ongoing for duration of project	$10,000
	d. Formalize landowner and agency agreements to protect investments. Develop cost-share programs with USFS, NRCS, Montana Department of Natural Resource Conservation, Libby Area Conservation District, ACOE and other agencies and organizations.	ongoing for duration of project	$15,000
	e. Develop site-specific project designs, maps, materials lists and contracts, budgets and timelines, obtain 124, 3A, 404 and chemical treatment permits for completion of projects listed in the plan. .	ongoing for duration of project	$120,000	Yes
	f. Initiate purchasing, contracts and implement plans at highest priority sites. Document remaining projects for inclusion in the Libby Mitigation Project.	ongoing for duration of project	$10,000
	a. Complete pre-project monitoring and NEPA/MEPA documentation processes prior to any habitat manipulation.	ongoing for duration of project	$3,338

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost

Outyear budgets for Planning and Design phase

FY 2003	FY 2004	FY 2005	FY 2002
$192,500	$195,000	$197,500	$190,000

Section 5. Budget for Construction and Implementation phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2001 cost	Subcontractor
1. Develop a stockpile of native streambank stabilization material (rootwads, boulders, revegetation material) for use by private landowners, MDOT, and MFWP in streambank conservation projects.	a Locate sources of useful dimensioned rootwads, logs, and rocks; negotiate purchase. Collect and transport materials	ongoing for duration of project	$50,000
2. Develop a genetic conservation reserve of native interior redband trout to be used as the initial source of eggs for the established state hatchery program.	a. After appropriate disease and genetic testing, capture interior redband trout from Basin Creek, Porcupine Creek and Callahan Creek and transport to the Libby Field Station isolation habitat.	1-2	$4,800
3. Establish permanent protection of stream corridors where habitat protection and enhancement investments have been made by acquiring easements and purchasing riparian zones in target recovery areas.	a. In cooperation with the Kootenai Focus Watershed Coordination program and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service "Partners for Wildlife" program, identify and develop easements and land purchase opportunities for riparian zones in the Kootenai River.	ongoing for duration of project	$6,837	Yes
4. Use the completed Libby Mitigation Plan document (MFWP, CSKT and KTOI 1998) to complete habitat rehabilitation projects to enhance native species the Kootenai Basin.	a. Complete mitigation projects in the Kootenai Watershed to compensate for fisheries losses caused by the construction and operation of Libby Dam.	ongoing for duration of project	$141,000	Yes
To be completed during FY2001:	Libby Creek, Pleasant Valley Fisher River, Young Creek, Granite / Big Cherry Creek, Loon Lake and Banana Lake.	1-2	$0
	See "FISHERIES MITIGATION AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR LOSSES ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF LIBBY DAM" for complete listing of proposed projects.		$0

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost

Outyear budgets for Construction and Implementation phase

FY 2003	FY 2004	FY 2005	FY 2002
$202,500	$205,000	$207,500	$200,000

Section 6. Budget for Operations and Maintenance phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2001 cost	Subcontractor
1. Maintain Libby Field Station redband experimental isolation habitat and associated laboraory equipment.	a. Purchase equipment needed to operate Libby Field Station.	ongoing for duration of project.	$40,000
	b. Provide for repair of existing equipment.	ongoing for duration of project.	$20,000
	c. Provide for construction and maintenance of redband isolation habitat and laboratory.	ongoing for duration of project.	$40,000	Yes
2. Purchase equipment and materials needed for justifying, designing, implementing and monitoring mitigation projects and research.	a. Purchase equipment as needed.	Varying	$41,981
3. Provide for maintenace and repair of instream structures and associated rehabilitated property.	a. Repair bank and structure failures.	ongoing for duration of project.	$40,000

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost

Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase

FY 2003	FY 2004	FY 2005	FY 2002
$182,500	$185,000	$187,500	$180,000

Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2001 cost	Subcontractor
1. Assess the metapopulation strength of transboundary (British Columbia and Montana) populations of native bull trout in the Kootenai River above Libby Dam.	a. Ground truth major redd concentrations found by aerial surveys and identify possible index streams for long-term population monitoring.	ongoing for duration of project	$1,900
	b. Conduct redd surveys in the Grave and Weasel Creek drainages in Montana.	ongoing for duration of project	$900
	c. Track movements of radio-tagged bull trout through the staging and spawning seasons to identify likely spawning areas.	10	$3,200
2. Monitor permanent stream form and sediment monitoring stations in the Wigwam River (BC) and in Grave Creek (MT).	a. Cooperate with BCMOE to identify spawning areas, complete McNeil core sampling, estimate juvenile survival, identify juvenile rearing areas, and complete Rosgen-type habitat inventories.	ongoing for duration of project	$6,200	Yes
3. Increase knowledge of native westslope cutthroat trout populations and other trout species in Libby Reservoir and its tributaries.	a. Determine strength of adfluvial spawning runs in Young, Big, Five Mile, Ten Mile, Pinkham, Sinclair, Therriault, Swamp, Lake and Fortine Creeks and the Tobacco River using migrant traps and redd counts.	ongoing for duration of project	$12,500
4. Continue to monitor the effectiveness of using remote site incubators (RSI) and artificial redd construction as a means of increasing recruitment of age-2 or greater westslope cutthroat trout into tributary populations.	a. Operate the permanent weir on Young Creek to capture upstream migrant adult trout and downstream migrant juvenile trout to monitor the spawning population and strength of emigration.	5	$5,000
	b. Conduct electrofishing population estimates in historically sampled reaches to monitor the effects of RSI's and artificial redds.	ongoing for duration of project	$6,500
	c. Deploy RSI's in Barron Creek in each of the next 5 years as part of a study to determine effectiveness of westslope cutthroat trout at displacing non-native eastern brook trout.	7	$5,000
5. Evaluate thermal otolith marking methods for marking westslope cutthroat fry delivered from hatcheries to enable more effective evaluation of RSI program.	a. Prepare and interpret otolith collected from migrating WCT of known origin bearing differing cold-marked otolith.	7	$4,500
6. Assess the seasonal movement and habitat use of native burbot and westslope cutthroat trout in the Kootenai River above Libby Dam.	a. Monitor movements of radio-tagged fish to identify seasonal movements, habitat use and preferences and likely spawning concentrations (using benthic samplers, temperature probes, turbidity samplers, and SCUBA transects and snorkeling).	3-6	$5,500
7. Use IFIM to aid in establishing biologically sound river operations. Link IFIM and LRMOD to help evaluate operational tradeoffs between the reservoir and the river. Use VARQ/IRC models to assess dam operations and effects on the river environment.	a. Calibrate completed PHABSIM (RHABSIM) model; develop interface between existing reservoir model (LRMOD) and completed riverine model (RHABSIM).	1	$13,500	Yes
	b. Quantify amount of available habitat for target species in Kootenai River from Libby Dam to Kootenay Lake under various operational strategies.	1	$8,500	Yes
	c. Determine microhabitat selection of Kootenai River bull trout and juvenile white sturgeon and incorporate HSI data into IFIM model.	2	$15,000	Yes
8. Define river operations required to mitigate for losses of Kootenai River macrozoobenthos attributed to river regulation.	a. Determine varial zone area of the Kootenai River affected by ramping operations.	2	$7,500	Yes
	b. Quantify seasonal losses of macrozoobenthos in the Kootenai River during ramping periods.	2	$12,500
	c. Establish seasonal operational guidelines to minimize effects.	ongoing for duration of project	$8,000
9. Continue to monitor biological and hydrological effects of stream and lake rehabilitation.	a. Monitor zooplankton recolonization and fisheries growth in chemically treated lakes. Monitor hydrological function and aquatic biota in rehabilitated streams.	ongoing for duration of project	$18,100
10. Quantify and document life cycle requirements and devise recovery actions for burbot in the Kootenai basin.	a. Enumerate burbot in SCUBA transects year around in the Libby Dam stilling basin.	ongoing for duration of project	$8,000
	b. Determine distribution, timing of spawning, and habitat use of all life stages of burbot in the Kootenai River from Libby Dam to the Idaho border.	ongoing for duration of project	$2,500
11. Quantify white sturgeon populations in the Montana portions of the Kootenai River. Investigate habitat requirements of juvenile hatchery and wild sturgeon and determine availability of habitat in Montana.	a. Assist IDFG in conducting beam trawling efforts for egg and larval fish collection in the Montana, Idaho and British Columbia portions of the Kootenai River	ongoing for duration of project / white sturgeon recovery	$1,500
	b. Continue participation in the white sturgeon recovery team	ongoing for duration of project / white sturgeon recovery	$994
12. Continue efforts investigating limiting factors and primarily recruitment of salmonid populations in the lower Kootenai River (Kootenai Falls to Idaho border). Address and implement actions that will enhance this fishery.	a. Conduct electrofishing population estimates in the mainstem Kootenai River below Kootenai Falls and in principal tributaries. Determine recruitment to Kootenai River.	5-9	$4,500
	b. Work with Kootenai River Ecosystem Assessment Committee (IDFG, KTOI, BCMOE and others) to assess productivity status and needs in the Kootenai River.	3-6	$3,000
13. Monitor spawning and rearing of fluvial burbot and cutthroat and bull trout in the mainstem Kootenai River and principal tributaries.	a. Continue hoopnetting operations during December and February to monitor burbot spawning activity in the stilling basin below Libby Dam.	ongoing for duration of project / burbot recovery	$6,000
	b. Monitor tributary use of fluvial bull trout in the Montana portion of the Kootenai River. Conduct bull trout redd counts in core areas tributaries in the U.S. and Canada. Redd counts have been the principal bull trout monitoring tool since 1983.	ongoing for duration of project / bull trout recovery	$11,500
	c. Continue counting rainbow redds below Libby Dam from 4-20 through 5-31 between Alexander Creek and the Fisher River.	ongoing for duration of project	$750
14. Monitor bull trout movement and habitat use of main stem Kootenai River and tributaries.	a. Collect adult bull trout in the Kootenai River via electrofishing and from Bear Creek via migrant trapping; Surgically implant radio tags.	ongoing for duration of project / bull trout recovery	$15,000
	b. Track fish from boats and planes on a bi-weekly basis annually, and weekly during spawning season.	ongoing for duration of project / bull trout recovery	$18,000
15. Document entrainment of fish through Libby Dam during flow events greater than 20,000 cfs.	a. Monitor entrainment of fish through Libby Dam; measure draft tube velocities and determine relationships to discharge and reservoir elevation; incorporate >20 kcfs entrainment data into the existing entrainment model (Skaar et al. 1996)..	3	$2,000
	b. Estimate forebay kokanee densities using hydroacoustic technology and equipment.	ongoing for duration of project	$1,500
16. Monitor zooplankton and gamefish populations in Koocanusa Reservoir. Monitor zooplankton and gamefish populations in Libby Reservoir.	a. Monitor seasonal and annual changes in fish abundance in near shore zones with seasonal gillnetting.	ongoing for duration of project	$3,000
	b. Conduct annual estimates of population numbers of each age class of kokanee (hydroacoustics) with FWP Regional Fisheries Program.	ongoing for duration of project	$3,000
	c. Monitor zooplankton populations in the reservoir.	ongoing for duration of project	$6,500

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost

Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

FY 2003	FY 2004	FY 2005	FY 2002
$227,500	$230,000	$232,500	$225,000

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget

Item	Note	FY 2001 cost
Personnel	FTE: 2.535	$70,180
Fringe	Insurance and benefits	$18,200
NEPA	No contracted NEPA; all work done in house.	$0
Subcontractor	Westwater Consultants, Hamilton, MT	$99,958
Personnel	FTE: 2.7975	$66,689
Fringe	Insurance and benefits	$18,078
Supplies		$35,907
NEPA	No contracted NEPA; all work done in house.	$0
Subcontractor	Grants through Kootenai River Network, Libby, MT.	$81,963
Personnel	FTE: 2.3075	$50,330
Fringe	Insurance and benefits	$13,390
Supplies		$29,272
Travel		$32,005
NEPA	No contracted NEPA; all work done in house.	$0
Subcontractor		$13,270
Other	Communications, Utilities, Maintenance (~11.2%).	$43,714
Personnel	FTE: 2.31	$57,584
Fringe	Insurance and benefits	$15,250
Supplies		$81,984
Indirect		$16,526
NEPA	No contracted NEPA; all work done in house.	$0
Subcontractor		$50,700
		$795,000

Total estimated budget

Total FY 2001 cost	$795,000
Amount anticipated from previously committed BPA funds	$100,000
Total FY 2001 budget request	$695,000
FY 2001 forecast from 2000	$800,000
% change from forecast	-13.1%

Reason for change in estimated budget

Refined cost estimates.

Reason for change in scope

British Columbia Ministry of Environment has been awarded BPA funding to monitor transboundary bull trout populations in the Kootenai River system, and some of the objectives formerly in this workplan have been transferred to BCMOE.

Cost sharing

Organization	Item or service provided	Amount	Cash or in-kind

Reviews and recommendations

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

REVIEW:
CBFWA Funding Recommendation

Recommendation:

Date:
Jul 14, 2000

Comment:

REVIEW:
NWPPC Funding Recommendation

Recommendation:
Fund

Date:
Sep 13, 2000

Comment:

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:
$840,000	$840,000	$840,000

Sponsor comments: See comment at Council's website