FY 2001 High Priority proposal 23056

Section 1. Administrative

Project location

Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)

Section 2. Past accomplishments

Section 3. Relationships to other projects

Section 4. Budget for Planning and Design phase

Task-based budget

Outyear objectives-based budget

Outyear budgets for Planning and Design phase

Section 5. Budget for Construction and Implementation phase

Task-based budget

Outyear objectives-based budget

Outyear budgets for Construction and Implementation phase

Section 6. Budget for Operations and Maintenance phase

Task-based budget

Outyear objectives-based budget

Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase

Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Task-based budget

Outyear objectives-based budget

Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget

Total estimated budget

Cost sharing

Reviews and recommendations

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

Comment:

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Response: The Farmers Irrigation District (FID) Farmers Canal water diversion is located at RM 11.5 on the mainstem Hood River. The mainstem Hood River is a migration and juvenile rearing corridor for all fish species within the Hood River subbasin, including three ESA-listed species and one species proposed for listing. Hood River bull trout are genetically distinct from other bull trout in Oregon (Spruell and Allendorf 1997). The population, including juveniles, is believed to number less than 300 and is classified as "at high risk of extinction" by ODFW (Buchanan et al. 1997). Bull trout were listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act in June 1998. Both winter and summer steelhead wild returns have declined in recent years to very low numbers within the Hood River subbasin. Summer steelhead wild adult returns declined to as low as 79 during the 1997-98 run year and winter steelhead dropped to as low as 206 during the 1994-95 run year. Both species of steelhead were listed by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act in March 1998. ODFW has listed sea-run cutthroat trout as a sensitive species (BPA and DOE 1996). Very few numbers have been captured in the Powerdale Dam fish trap since 1992 and sea-run cutthroat have been proposed for listing. CTWSRO staff has recovered cutthroat trout that were smolting during fish salvage operations of the FID Farmers Canal.

Spring chinook salmon, fall chinook salmon, and coho salmon have already been classified as extinct within the Hood River subbasin. Pacific lamprey have also declined significantly from historic levels (Coccoli et al. 2000). Without proper screening of all water diversions, including the Farmers Canal diversion, within the Hood River subbasin there is an imminent risk of survival for all ESA-listed stocks. Implementation of this screen project would benefit all fish species by providing safe downstream passage and juvenile rearing for juvenile and adult fish and eliminating mortality associated with operation of the existing screen, increasing smolt-to-adult survival (Table 1). Upon reading the initial proposal again, there may have been some concern from ISRP with regards to the necessary approval of the fish screen and bypass being approved by NMFS as ESA compliant. In a letter (completed January 26, 2001) by Eva Huntsinger of Century West Engineering Corporation to the National Marine Fisheries Service, parties defined and agreed to a work plan which consists of two parallel tracks for selection of the type of screen applicable and acceptable for FID's site-specific canal installation. The project schedule is such that on or about May 31, 2001 a decision shall be made as to which type of screen to install. The bottom line is that if the horizontal plate screen that is currently in development is not acceptable to NMFS, a conventional screen technology shall be selected for installation at FID's site specific location by the required September 30, 2001. Also, FID has hired fish consultant Richard Craven of Craven Consulting Group to complete a study plan that provides proof of the hydraulic performance and demonstrates the biological performance of the new fish screen and bypass facility. A Monitoring Plan approach will be used to provide NMFS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ODFW, and Bonneville Power Administration with periodic reporting of the performance of the site-specific screen.

ISRP Comment: The project will apparently be completed without these funds, perhaps even in 2001.

Response: The requested monies are essential to provide proper fish screening and bypass installation at FID's Hood River diversion and to provide safe passage of the threatened fish populations of the area - bull trout and steelhead. The NMFS, USFWS, ODFW, and CTWSRO are active participants in identifying the type of the screen and bypass that will be used to provide a permanent safe passageway and bring significant benefit to the Hood River Subbasin. The project schedule is such that on or about May 31, 2001 a decision shall be made as to which type of screen to install. Obtaining the requested funds is crucial to constructing proper and permanent fish screens and related bypass for safe passage of fish. The financial support offered through this program would be directed explicitly to the design and installation of a safe passageway; the construction of which would commence prior to the September 30, 2001 deadline. Monitoring and reporting of the fish screen and bypass facility performance will be provided by FID in compliance with NMFS, USFWS, ODFW, CTWSRO, and BPA requirements. Periodic maintenance will also be provided by FID.

Without the requested monies, the cost to install the necessary fish screen and associated bypass are at present cost prohibitive to FID which serves the rural, agricultural community of the Hood River area. The total cost of the project for engineering, construction, and fish testing is around 2.1 million dollars of which FID would be contributing $1,645,000. Given financial concerns with FID, they had originally estimated the cost to be about $800,000 - $1,000,000. Cost share dollars, both cash and in-kind, have exceeded $400,000 from various agencies and funding sources such as the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, ODFW, CTWSRO, Bureau of Reclamation, and the Hood River Watershed Group. Additional cost share dollars may also be contributed by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the Wyden Amendment dollars that can be spent off forest, but these funds have not been secured. Most of these cost share dollars would be lost if this project does not go forward in 2001 with the much needed assistance in funding.

ISRP Comment: If this is a "High Priority" project, we were surprised not to have seen it proposed during the Columbia River Gorge provincial review.

Response: The FID Farmers Canal fish screen project is listed as a high priority project (Table 1) within the Hood River Fish Habitat Protection, Restoration, and Monitoring Plan [Habitat Plan] (Coccoli et al., 2000). As presented to the ISRP during the provincial review process, the Habitat Plan lists a number of factors limiting the biological potential of the Hood River subbasin. The Habitat Plan is derived from a science-based watershed assessment (HRWG 1999). Both the Hood River Subbasin Summary (Coccoli et al., June 30, 2000; prepared for the NPPC as part of the provincial review) and the Habitat Plan lists artificial migration barriers, including inadequately screened diversions, as a limiting factor for anadromous and resident fish production in the Hood River subbasin. Sixteen upstream and downstream fish passage problems are identified and are considered a serious habitat problem within the subbasin (Table 2).

As understood during the provincial review, not enough funding existed for the next three years to fund all identified high priority projects under the Hood River Fish Habitat Project for the Hood River subbasin. The new "High Priority" proposal process developed by the NPPC became available after the Gorge provincial review process was already completed. Funding needs by the Farmers Irrigation District (identified in response to question #2) in order to complete the fish screen project prompted the CTWSRO to write a proposal under the "High Priority" proposal process. The goal of the CTWSRO, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Hood River Watershed Group is to have all major diversions within the Hood River subbasin properly screened and have appropriate fish passage within the next five years.

Table 1.  Hood River Mainstem Drainage - Proposed Actions

^a Relative priority ranking: 1 = High, 2 = Medium, 3 = Low.

^b StS = summer steelhead, StW = winter steelhead, ChS = spring chinook salmon, ChF = fall chinook salmon, Co = coho salmon, Rb = rainbow trout,  Ct = cutthroat trout, But = bull trout.

^c Limiting Factors: 1 = fish passage, 2 = habitat structure, 3 = water quality and riparian conditions, 4 = low flows, 5 = sediment and turbidity, 6 = channel  modifications, 7 = marine nutrients, 8 = altered peak flows.

Table 2.  Known or Potential Migration Barriers Affecting Anadromous Fish or Bull Trout in the Hood River Watershed, Excluding Road Culverts.

¹ Bull trout fry criteria screening listed as Potential Conservation Action for Bull Trout in Pribyl, et al 1996

² Listed as Potential Conservation Action for Bull Trout in Pribyl, et al 1996

³ CTWSRO, December 1998

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