FY 2002 Innovative proposal 34001

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:

The ISRP reviewed this proposal in the preliminary Columbia Cascade Provincial review and found it to be a good proposal, saying it also would be acceptable as an innovative proposal. However, that proposal was for four years at budgets of ~220K, 255K, 263K, and 68K. This pilot version retains the scientific elements that were viewed favorable in the Columbia Cascade but for a more limited study.

This proposal would use innovative DNA-based detection techniques to assay selected waters of the upper middle Columbia River basin (Columbia Cascade Province) for presence and relative abundance of several fish pathogens. Synoptic information on the occurrence of pathogens in broad regions has been hampered by lack of rapid detection techniques (reliance on standard culture approaches). This project would develop for fish pathogens a recently developed DNA-based detection system that has already been demonstrated successfully for human pathogens. The work is broken down into three explicit phases: methods development, pilot survey of selected waters, and search for sources of pathogen contamination. The detection technique would first be adapted for specific fish pathogens. The technique would then be applied to detection of fish pathogens in water samples collected from representative sites throughout the upper middle basin. The analyses would be quantitative. They can process great amounts of water and have fine scale detection rate -- 0.002 organisms per liter. They would quantify the significance of the presence of pathogens in the environment to actual infection of fish, using quantitative exposure-response equations. A dose-response relationship would be evaluated to suggest whether the quantities of pathogens per unit of water are sufficient to be an infectious problem for fish. Initial efforts would be made to locate the source(s) of pathogens in the water (e.g., hatchery effluents, polluted waters).

This proposal describes the new technique in appropriate detail to be persuasive that it is something worth pursuing for both its technique development and for the pathogen characterization it would provide. The proposed work is certainly innovative (has not been used for fish projects in the Northwest) and meets the ISRP criteria of sound science, consistency with the FWP, has potential benefit to fish, has clear objectives and expected outcomes, and has appropriate monitoring and evaluation in the form of quality assurance. The proposal goes through a rationale for regional relevance. There is a good attempt to integrate the proposed work with other pathogen projects (few) and other regional assessments. There are good hypotheses, objectives, tasks, and a good timeline. The presentation for the province review noted that initial samples will be taken from hatchery outfalls where pathogens could be expected to be most easily detected. Methods are presented in detail. Expected benefits overall, and benefits to fish are explicitly described. Facilities appear to be excellent and suitable (since the sort of work has already been done for human pathogens). The authors cite abundant, relevant scientific literature. There is an excellent set of resumes for well-qualified staff. The project meets ISRP evaluation criteria.

Comment:

Comment:

Comments
The methodology is well thought out, can be highly specific and extremely sensitive, and has been used for detection of human pathogens in environmental samples. The method has great advantages over standard microbiological culturing methods, and its multiplex nature is much more flexible than other sample concentration and PCR methods, allowing simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens in a single reaction. The strength of the proposed method and the data to be collected by it lies in the determination of the spatial and temporal relationships between the presence of a particular pathogen in different aquatic habitats, as outlined in Phase 3. Such information, when combined with future epizooilogical data on disease outbreaks in a specific location or habitat, will help in the determination as to whether certain habitat conditions, man-made or natural, contribute to infectious disease outbreaks that impact threatened and endangered salmon runs.

Already ESA Required?
No

Biop?
No

Comment:

Comments
The methodology is well thought out, can be highly specific and extremely sensitive, and has been used for detection of human pathogens in environmental samples. The method has great advantages over standard microbiological culturing methods, and its multiplex nature is much more flexible than other sample concentration and PCR methods, allowing simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens in a single reaction. The strength of the proposed method and the data to be collected by it lies in the determination of the spatial and temporal relationships between the presence of a particular pathogen in different aquatic habitats, as outlined in Phase 3. Such information, when combined with future epizootilogical data on disease outbreaks in a specific location or habitat, will help in the determination as to whether certain habitat conditions, man-made or natural, contribute to infectious disease outbreaks that impact threatened and endangered salmon runs.

Already ESA Req? No

Biop? No