FY 2002 Blue Mountain proposal 27016

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
27016 Narrative	Narrative
27016 Sponsor Response to ISRP	Response
27016 Powerpoint Presentation	Powerpoint Presentation

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal title	Evaluate the effects of hyporheic discharge on egg pocket water temperature in Snake River fall chinook salmon spawning areas
Proposal ID	27016
Organization	Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
Name	Timothy P. Hanrahan
Mailing address	P.O. Box 999, MS K6-85 Richland, WA 99352
Phone / email	5093760972 / tim.hanrahan@pnl.gov
Manager authorizing this project
Review cycle	Blue Mountain
Province / Subbasin	Blue Mountain / Snake Hells Canyon
Short description	Evaluate the relationships among river discharge, hyporheic zone characteristics, and egg pocket water temperature in Snake River fall chinook salmon spawning areas; evaluate the potential for improving Snake River fall chinook salmon smolt survival
Target species	Snake River fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

Project location

Latitude	Longitude	Description
45.255	-116.701	Snake River from Hells Canyon Dam downstream to Asotin, WA

Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)

Sponsor-reported:

RPA
RM&E RPA Action 190

Relevant RPAs based on NMFS/BPA review:

Reviewing agency	Action #	BiOp Agency	Description
NMFS	Action 190	NMFS	The Action Agencies shall continue to fund studies that monitor survival, growth, and other early life history attributes of Snake River wild juvenile fall chinook.

Section 2. Past accomplishments

Year	Accomplishment

Section 3. Relationships to other projects

Project ID	Title	Description
199102900	Understanding the effects of summer flow augmentation on the migratory behavior and survival of fall chinook salmon migrating through Lower Granite Reservoir	Collaborative effort to estimate survival of wild fall chinook salmon in the Snake River. Data and information sharing.

Section 4. Budget for Planning and Design phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2002 cost	Subcontractor

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost

Outyear budgets for Planning and Design phase

Section 5. Budget for Construction and Implementation phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2002 cost
Objective 1. Quantify the water temperature at egg pocket depth (20 – 50 cm), from the hyporheic zone (100+ cm) and from the adjacent water column during a continuous period extending from mid-September through June.	Task 1.1. At each study site, ground water – surface water interactions will be quantified through the use of a combined pressure/temperature logger suspended inside piezometers placed in the riverbed.	FY02-04	$103,833
Objective 2: Determine the magnitude of water temperature differences among the egg pocket depths, deep hyporheic zone, and river water.	Task 2.1. Temperature data from the hyporheic and surface waters will be summarized by site and segment.	FY02-04	$0
Objective 3: Quantify the vertical hydraulic gradient between hyporheic water and the river during a continuous period extending from mid-September through June.	Task 3.1. At each study site, ground water – surface water interactions will be quantified through the use of a combined pressure/temperature logger suspended inside piezometers placed in the riverbed.	FY02-03	$50,303
Objective 4: Quantify the relationship between VHG and river discharge.	Task 4.1. VHG data will be summarized by site and segment.	FY02-04	$0

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost
Objective 1. Quantify the water temperature at egg pocket depth (20 – 50 cm), from the hyporheic zone (100+ cm) and from the adjacent water column during a continuous period extending from mid-September through June.	2003	2004	$159,544
Objective 2: Determine the magnitude of water temperature differences among the egg pocket depths, deep hyporheic zone, and river water.	2003	2004	$123,911
Objective 3: Quantify the vertical hydraulic gradient between hyporheic water and the river during a continuous period extending from mid-September through June.	2003	2004	$24,455
Objective 4: Quantify the relationship between VHG and river discharge.	2003	2004	$123,911
Objective 5: Communicate key findings to the management agencies and scientific community.	2003	2004	$105,819

Outyear budgets for Construction and Implementation phase

FY 2003	FY 2004
$256,393	$281,247

Section 6. Budget for Operations and Maintenance phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2002 cost	Subcontractor

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost

Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase

Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2002 cost	Subcontractor

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost

Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget

Item	Note	FY 2002 cost
Personnel	FTE: 0.28	$17,896
Fringe		$4,672
Supplies		$61,606
Travel		$1,998
Indirect		$39,640
Capital		$0
NEPA		$0
PIT tags		$0
Subcontractor	post-graduate research intern	$28,324
Other		$0
		$154,136

Total estimated budget

Total FY 2002 cost	$154,136
Amount anticipated from previously committed BPA funds	$0
Total FY 2002 budget request	$154,136
FY 2002 forecast from 2001	$0
% change from forecast	0.0%

Cost sharing

Organization	Item or service provided	Amount	Cash or in-kind
Idaho Power Company	2 biologists during river work; boat transportation during river work	$50,000	in-kind
	purchase of 23 data loggers	$36,800	cash

Other budget explanation

Because of the timing of the funding for this project, there are no labor costs for data analysis in FY02 (Tasks 2.1 and 4.1). The tasks are listed in the budget table to be consistent with the narrative part of this proposal.

Reviews and recommendations

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

REVIEW:
ISRP Preliminary Review (ISRP 2001-9)

Recommendation:
Fundable only if response is adequate

Date:
Sep 28, 2001

Comment:

A response is required. This is an innovative and potentially high priority proposal. Summer flow augmentation to benefit downstream migrating fall chinook has been a contentious issue within the basin. The investigators hypothesize that extending the period of stable flows below the Hell's Canyon complex well into the egg incubation period could provide more favorable conditions for incubation and decrease the time required for the eggs to hatch. Earlier emergence would make it possible for juvenile fall chinook to migrate downstream sooner than they currently do and thus enter the Snake River reservoirs earlier in the summer, when water temperatures and stream flows are more beneficial for survival. This change in migration timing could reduce the need for summer flow augmentation. A clear and reasonable line of logic backs the proposal. The investigators are exceptionally well qualified to conduct this work.

A response is needed to ensure that Idaho Power is amenable to extending the period of stable flows below Hell's Canyon. This response could simply be a supportive letter indicating the degree of flexibility expected and the situations that may preclude these changes in late fall flows. The predicted benefits to fall chinook emergence time should be included in the proposal. It would also be advisable for the investigators to verify (or have verified) the emergence timing versus degree-days accumulated for this specific stock if it has not already been determined.

The proposal has excellent cost sharing but other aspects of the budget are less clear. Why are the indirect costs so large given the limited salary dollars (itemize the costs)? What is included under supplies, and why would reporting costs (Objective 5) be so large? The budget information is very scant but could be examined later by a contract administrator.

REVIEW:
CBFWA Funding Recommendation

Recommendation:
Recommended Action

Date:
Nov 30, 2001

Comment:

The overall objective of this project is to evaluate the potential for improving juvenile Snake River fall chinook salmon survival by modifying the discharge operations of Hells Canyon Dam. The potential for improved survival would be gained by increasing the rate at which early life history events proceed (i.e., incubation and emergence), thereby allowing smolts to migrate through downstream reservoirs during early- to mid-summer when river conditions are more favorable for survival. This proposal is in response to an ISAB report in which they asked for alternatives that could be affecting migration timing. Reviewers expressed concern about the potential benefits from this project because realized benefits will be dependent on Idaho Power (would assist in the funding of this proposed work) agreement to adjust the flows. The reviewers acknowledge that the proposal is well written by a respected researcher; however, the proposal may be more suitable for consideration through the Innovative Project process.

REVIEW:
ISRP Final Review (ISRP 2001-12A)

Recommendation:
Fund

Date:
Dec 21, 2001

Comment:

Fundable. Responses to ISRP questions were reasonable. This is an innovative and high priority proposal. Summer flow augmentation to benefit downstream migrating fall chinook has been a contentious issue within the basin. The investigators hypothesize that extending the period of stable flows below the Hell's Canyon complex well into the egg incubation period could provide more favorable conditions for incubation and decrease the time required for the eggs to hatch. Earlier emergence would make it possible for juvenile fall chinook to migrate downstream sooner than they currently do and thus enter the Snake River reservoirs earlier in the summer, when water temperatures and stream flows are more beneficial for survival. This change in migration timing could reduce the need for summer flow augmentation. A clear and reasonable line of logic backs the proposal. The investigators are exceptionally well qualified to conduct this work.

Idaho Power is supportive, but apparently is unwilling to commit further at this point. This is understandable and should not preclude funding for the project.

Reviewers suggest that the project be funded for a finite term within the three-year funding duration and that project results be analyzed and presented in that time frame. The final report should include recommendations for flow management, and monitoring and evaluation of benefits.

REVIEW:
NMFS Review

Recommendation:

Date:
Feb 1, 2002

Comment:

Statement of Potential Biological Benefit to ESU
Benefits are indirect. Hydrologic research will evaluate the potential for altered hydropower operations (discharge from Hells Canyon Dam) to alter temperatures in spawning areas for Snake River Fall Chinook

Comments
Study does not appear to include any means to link its findings with fish survival. Strong hydrologic research project that could be tremendously enhanced from NMFS's perspective with the addition of some means to link to fish survival.

Already ESA Req? No

Biop? Yes

REVIEW:
BPA Funding Recommendation

Recommendation:
C

Date:
Feb 11, 2002

Comment:

Recommend not funding until regional RM&E plan is completed and the need for this project can be properly assessed.

BPA RPA RPM:
--

NMFS RPA/USFWS RPM:
190

REVIEW:
NWPPC Funding Recommendation

Recommendation:
Do Not Fund

Date:
Apr 19, 2002

Comment: