BPA Fish and Wildlife FY 1997 Proposal

Section 1. Administrative
Section 2. Narrative
Section 3. Budget

see CBFWA and BPA funding recommendations

Section 1. Administrative

Title of project
Delayed Mortality in Transported Smolts

BPA project number   5515100

Business name of agency, institution or organization requesting funding
TBD

Sponsor type   Placeholder

Proposal contact person or principal investigator

BPA technical contact   ,

Biological opinion ID   RM&EP; Hypothesis B.1.1.1

NWPPC Program number   

Short description
With inriver survival as a baseline, determine if survival of transported smolts after release comports with the hypothesis of zero delayed loss. The problem to date is that accurate estimates of inriver migrant survival through all reaches have been unavailable. Success depends on extension of mainstem reach survival studies downstream to at least The Dalles Dam (TDA).

Project start year   1997    End year   

Start of operation and/or maintenance   0

Project development phase   PLANNING

Section 2. Narrative

Related projects

Project history

Biological results achieved

Annual reports and technical papers

Management implications
A key question in the decision path for juvenile migrations (see Figure 1, blocks I-IV) is whether transportation of smolts should be employed under most conditions. One aspect of resolving this issue is to evaluate the extent, if any, that delayed mortality plays in overall mortality of transported smolts. This project addresses the null hypothesis that there is no delayed mortality due to transportation.

Specific measureable objectives

Testable hypothesis
Hypothesis B.1.1.1.: Transported smolts do not suffer delayed mortality caused by transportation.

Underlying assumptions or critical constraints
Success depends on extension of mainstem reach survival studies downstream to at least The Dalles Dam (TDA), and would be further enhanced with PIT-tag interogaton capability in the lower river or estuary.

Methods
Approaches such as holding fish in netpens to evaluate post-transport residual effects (e.g., as suggested in the SRRP (Task No. 2.4.c.)) will not address the hypothesis in holistic fashion. It can always be argued that the fish were not held long enough to observe residual effects, and that delayed mortality occurs long after release of smolts. Thus, only survival to adulthood of transported smolts v. multi-project survival of inriver migrants will address the hypothesis.

Brief schedule of activities

Biological need
Survival of transported fish should be greater than that of inriver migrants by the factor represented by the inverse of total inriver mortality. The problem to date is that accurate estimates of inriver migrant survival through all reaches have been unavailable. Those estimates require reach-specific studies through the system, or a large portion of it and modeling of the remainder, with PIT tag detection at all feasible points. With inriver survival as a baseline, one can determine if survival of transported smolts after release comports with the hypothesis of zero delayed loss.

Critical uncertainties
Extent of delayed mortality of transported juvenile migrants.

Summary of expected outcome
Data should be available for more than 1 year of each condition and for a variety of conditions. Decisions as to whether to transport or not in given flow years will depend on the spectrum of results from such studies. Survival of inriver migrants and, to a lesser degree, transported smolts, will depend on extant conditions, including flow, temperature, and fish condition.

Dependencies/opportunities for cooperation

Risks

Monitoring activity
With inriver survival as a baseline, one can determine if survival of transported smolts after release comports with the hypothesis of zero delayed loss. If a practical means of capturing and interrogating smolts in the estuary is developed, it may be feasible to extend the post-release stanza, providing some data before adults return

Section 3. Budget

* For most projects, Authorized is the amount recommended by CBFWA and the Council. Planned is amount currently allocated. Contracted is the amount obligated to date of printout.

Funding recommendations

CBFWA funding review group   System Policy

Recommendation    Tier 2 - fund when funds available

Recommended funding level   $200,000