South Fork Snake River Yellowstone cutthroat trout recruitment and survival improvement proposal 200717000

FY07-09 proposal 200717000

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal title	South Fork Snake River Yellowstone cutthroat trout recruitment and survival improvement
Proposal ID	200717000
Organization	Idaho Department of Fish & Game
Short description	Increase juvenile Yellowstone cutthroat trout recruitment and survival in the South Fork of the Snake River by minimizing entrainment losses and side channel stranding mortality, and by restoring tributary habitat.
Information transfer	Information learned in this project will be used directly in the management of Yellowstone cutthroat trout, in prioritizing and implementing habitat improvement projects in tributary streams, in prioritizing diversions for screening, and in recommending winter and other season flows below Palisades Reservoir.
Proposal contact person or principal investigator

Contacts

Contact	Organization	Email
Form submitter
Jim Fredericks	Idaho Department of Fish and Game	jfredericks@idfg.idaho.gov
All assigned contacts

Section 2. Locations

Province / subbasin: Upper Snake / Snake Headwaters

Latitude	Longitude	Waterbody	Description
43° 45' 25"N	111° 56' 58"W	South Fork Snake River	Confluence of South Fork and Henry's Fork of the Snake River (downstream project boundary)
43° 20' 01	111° 12' 12	South Fork Snake River	Palisades Dam (upsteam project boundary)

Section 3. Focal species

primary: Yellowstone Cutthroat

Section 4. Past accomplishments

Year	Accomplishments

Section 5. Relationships to other projects

Funding source	Related ID	Related title	Relationship
BPA	199800200	Snake River Native Salmonid As	This project has focused to date on broad scale assessment of status of native salmonids in this subbasin. Project researchers have found that YCT were the most widely distributed species in 961 sites (of which 84% were randomly selected) from within the historical range in Idaho, Utah, and Nevada. Genetically pure YCT occupied 81% of sites where YCT abundance was estimated, indicating widespread distribution of genetically pure fish throughout Idaho. Abundance and distribution of YCT have declined from historical levels; however, current information indicates broad distribution and large numbers of genetically pure populations of YCT across the range, even though hybridized populations exist in many areas.
Other: multi-agency	[no entry]	South Fork cutthroat conservation Project	In an intensive Yellowstone cutthroat conservation project, IDFG has worked in cooperation with U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the Jackson One-Fly Foundation, Trout Unlimited, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation since 1996 to design, construct and operate permanent fish trapping facilities on Palisades, Burns, Rainey, and Pine creeks, the four most important cutthroat spawning tributaries to South Fork. These traps are being used to prevent upstream migration and spawning of rainbow trout. This program will not only help minimize introgression in the South Fork cutthroat population, but it will also create refuges of pure Yellowstone cutthroat trout in these important tributaries. Additionally, irrigation diversions on Palisades, Burns, and Rainey creeks were screened to minimize entrainment losses of juvenile Yellowstone cutthroat trout outmigrants.
[Funding Source left blank]	[no entry]	Ecologically Based System Management	The Bureau of Reclamation and University of Montana's Flathead Research Station have developed an Ecologically Based System Management model. The goal of this model is, in part, to accurately predict, and scientifically defend, flow rates requisite for conserving the ecosystem associated with the South Fork floodplain and river system. This model is now being used to demonstrate the ecological implications of water management and guide resource managers as they make decisions on the timing and magnitude of flows.
Other: IDFG	[no entry]	Flow-Recruitment Evaluation	In a cooperative effort with IDFG funded by the Bureau of Reclamation, Idaho State University recently evaluated hydrologic data for the South Fork Snake River and its relationship to subsequent year class strength for Yellowstone cutthroat trout and rainbow trout (Moller and Van Kirk 2003). By analyzing post-Palisades flows, reconstructing unregulated flows, and statistically comparing the regulated and unregulated hydrologic regimes, this study demonstrated the benefits of a more normative springtime flow in the South Fork and also indicated that higher winter flows may be far more beneficial to rainbow trout than to cutthroat trout. In essence, though benefitting water users and the federal hydrosystem, BOR's winter/spring operation of Palisades Dam favors rainbow trout over the native cutthroat trout. This, combined with the Ecologically Based System Management Model, resulted in modified flows designed to benefit Yellowstone cutthroat recruitment and hinder rainbow trout reproduction in 2004 and 2005. We are currently assimilating the population and flow data from the past two years to further define and understand how flows can be shaped to protect and maintain a healthy cutthroat population.
[Funding Source left blank]	[no entry]	Trout Unlimited Home Rivers Initiative	Trout Unlimited identified the South Fork of the Snake River for the national Home Rivers Initiative, thereby commencing a multi-year project designed to conserve the native Yellowstone Cutthroat trout fishery on Idaho's South Fork of the Snake River. The project, beginning in the fall, 2001, combines research and assessment, habitat restoration, and long-term conservation planning. The current focus of this project is to restore connectivity and improve habitat in Garden, Pritchard, and Rainey creeks. The Home Rivers Project has also been instrumental in outreach efforts aimed at encouraging anglers to harvest rainbow trout.

Section 6. Biological objectives

Biological objectives	Full description	Associated subbasin plan	Strategy
Identify and reduce unscreened diversions	Five relevant strategies apply to this biological objective on pages 3-6	Upper Snake	a) Inventory ... unscreened diversions. b) Develop a range of alternatives to resolve ... screening issues... c) Develop methods to secure funding for implementing ... screening options for focal species ... d) Select a priority alternative ... and e)
Improve survival of focal sp. in all life stages	[BO Description left blank]	Upper Snake	a) Identify and prioritize specific threats to focal species’ survival.
Protect, enhance, restore genetic integrity	This biological objective specifically references Yellowstone cutthroat trout.	Upper Snake	a)Identify genetic strongholds of...Yellowstone cutthroat trout (YCT)... b) Identify hybridization threats... d) Develop priorities... that protect YCT. e) Implement... projects...that protect...YCT f)Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of L1e...

Section 7. Work elements (coming back to this)

Work element name	Work element title	Description	Start date	End date	Est budget
Remove or Relocate Non-predaceous Animals	Update tributary weirs that block tributary access for rainbow trout	The tributary weirs are in need of new pickets to continue to block rainbow trout access to tributaries of the South Fork Snake River. Such blockage is coupled with the passage of Yellowstone cutthroat trout over the weir so they can spawn without hybridizing with rainbow trout. PIckets will be replaced for all four weirs, two each for two years.	7/1/2007	6/30/2009	$200,000
Biological objectives Protect, enhance, restore genetic integrity			Metrics
Install Fish Screen	Screen important diversions in the South Fork Snake River	We will conduct an assessment of the position and size of mainstem diversions to prioritize the most significant entrainment risks. We will install self-cleaning rotating drum fish screens at mainstem diversions. IDFG will oversee the design and construction of one diversion screen per year. We will maintain the diversion screens for no less than three years.	7/1/2007	6/30/2009	$3,024,200
Biological objectives Identify and reduce unscreened diversions Improve survival of focal sp. in all life stages			Metrics

Section 8. Budgets

Itemized estimated budget

Item	Note	FY07	FY08	FY09
Fringe Benefits	benefits	$21,600	$22,400	$23,200
Capital Equipment	screen	$900,000	$900,000	$900,000
Personnel	biologist and technicians	$65,500	$67,000	$70,500
Travel	mileage and travel	$3,000	$3,000	$3,000
Capital Equipment	weir panels	$100,000	$100,000	$0
Supplies	supplies and operating	$15,000	$15,000	$15,000
Totals		$1,105,100	$1,107,400	$1,011,700

Total estimated FY 2007-2009 budgets

Total itemized budget:	$3,224,200
Total work element budget:	$3,224,200

Cost sharing

Funding source/org	Item or service provided	FY 07 est value ($)	FY 08 est value ($)	FY 09 est value ($)	Cash or in-kind?	Status
Bureau of Reclamation	M & E funding	$120,000	$0	$0	Cash	Confirmed
trout unlimited	Weir materials	$5,000	$0	$0	Cash	Confirmed
Totals		$125,000	$0	$0

Section 9. Project future

FY 2010 estimated budget: $1,015,000
FY 2011 estimated budget: $1,015,000

Comments: two diversion screens

Future O&M costs: screening two more diversions on mainstem

Termination date: October 2111
Comments:

Final deliverables: Five screened irrigation diversions on South Fork mainstem and four updated fish weir and collection facilities on South Fork tributaries.

Section 10. Narrative and other documents

Reviews and recommendations

FY07 budget	FY08 budget	FY09 budget	Total budget	Type	Category	Recommendation
NPCC FINAL FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Oct 23, 2006) [full Council recs]
$205,100	$357,400	$688,343	$1,250,843	Expense	ProvinceExpense	Fund
NPCC DRAFT FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Sep 15, 2006) [full Council recs]
$205,100	$357,400	$688,343	$0		ProvinceExpense
Comments: Need to determine if any of this can be capitalized

ISRP PRELIMINARY REVIEW (Jun 2, 2006)

Recommendation: Fundable

NPCC comments: This is a new proposal from IDF&G focusing on native Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the South Fork of the Snake River in eastern Idaho. The proposal is well written and logical, and refers to relevant recent studies and results within the South Fork system. The project proposes to upgrade existing picket weir traps in four important upper river spawning tributaries for Yellowstone cutthroat trout. The weirs allow managers to keep introduced rainbow trout out of the tributaries and to therefore avoid hybridization - at least in these major tributaries. Rainbow trout are now well established in the mainstem and are a significant threat to the genetic integrity and population viability of the South Fork cutthroat trout population. A second important objective of the proposed project is to install irrigation screens on four lower river feeder canals where entrainment of juvenile Yellowstone cutthroat trout is thought to be a limiting factor in their abundance in the lower river section. The proposal does not justify, with data, that entrainment in the diversions is actually a problem. But this is likely a good assumption considering the volume of water being moved. The proposed project fits extremely well with local and regional planning documents. This is a new project, but linkages are made to other existing projects within the drainage. A strong collaborative effort is ongoing to preserve native cutthroat on South Fork There are two clearly stated Objectives - to screen one lower river diversion per year, and to replace pickets in one existing weir per year. Screening the diversions should reduce entrainment losses, but reviewers are asked to take that on faith. Tasks (work elements) and methods are clearly stated -- straightforward engineering. Facilities, equipment, and personnel are excellent Monitoring of trout populations to verify expected results is referred to within the proposal but is not explicitly detailed. This is not particularly surprising, as the project is primarily a capital expense and facilities upgrade project, rather than a research project. Nevertheless, several assumptions are made that monitoring could be used (and should be used) to verify. One such assumption is that keeping the Yellowstone populations in the upper river tributaries (Pine, Rainey, etc,) free from rainbow trout introgression (via the picket weirs and genetic sampling) will be adequate to keep rainbow numbers down and Yellowstone cutthroat trout abundance high. This may be correct - and monitoring would show that - but it may also be overly optimistic. Information transfer is adequate. One also hopes that peer reviewed publications will emerge from this larger study.

ISRP FINAL REVIEW (Aug 31, 2006)

Recommendation: Fundable