FY 2002 Mountain Snake proposal 28022
Contents
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 |
|---|---|
| 28022 Narrative | Narrative |
| 28022 Sponsor Response to the ISRP | Response |
| 28022 Powerpoint Presentation | Powerpoint Presentation |
| Letter from H. Schaller (USFWS) to Resident Fish Committee (CBFWA) Re: Support for resident fish projects in provincial review process | Correspondence |
Section 1. Administrative
| Proposal title | Evaluate Bull Trout Life History In Dworshak Reservoir, N.F. Clearwater River Drainage, ID |
| Proposal ID | 28022 |
| Organization | Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) |
| Proposal contact person or principal investigator | |
| Name | Tim Cochnauer |
| Mailing address | 1540 Warner Lewiston, ID 83501 |
| Phone / email | 2087995010 / tcochnau@idfg.state.id.us |
| Manager authorizing this project | Cal Groen |
| Review cycle | Mountain Snake |
| Province / Subbasin | Mountain Snake / Clearwater |
| Short description | Evaluate distribution, habitat use, and movment patterns of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in Dworshak Reservoir |
| Target species | Bull Trout |
Project location
| Latitude | Longitude | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 46.509 | -116.2875 | Dworshak Reservoir |
Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)
Sponsor-reported:
| RPA |
|---|
Relevant RPAs based on NMFS/BPA review:
| Reviewing agency | Action # | BiOp Agency | Description |
|---|
Section 2. Past accomplishments
| Year | Accomplishment |
|---|
Section 3. Relationships to other projects
| Project ID | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 8709900 | Dworshak Dam Impacts Assessment and Fisheries investigation | Will assist in monitoring tagged bull trout entrained through Dworshak Dam. |
| 8740700 | Dworshak Impacts/M&E Biological-Integrated Rule Curves | The relationship of entrained bull trout and Dworshak Dam operation will be identified and utilized to recommend changes in flow discharge from the dam. |
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 | Subcontractor |
|---|
Outyear objectives-based budget
| Objective | Starting FY | Ending FY | Estimated cost |
|---|
Outyear budgets for Construction and Implementation phase
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objective 1. Characterize basic biology of bull trout in the North Fork Clearwater River drainage | Task 1.1: Collect bull trout, measure individual parameters, and mark as appropriate. Collect scales, length, weight, and fin clip from all sampled/collected bull trout. Attempt to determine sex of all captured bull trout. | .1 | $12,200 | |
| Task 1.2: From data collected in task 1.1, determine age, growth rate, condition factor, length-weight relationship, and mortality. Determine ratio of female to male adult bull trout in drainage. From literature values estimate fecundity of adult femal | .05 | $6,650 | ||
| Task 1.3:Insert a PIT tag into all sampled/collected bull trout. | .05 | $8,000 | ||
| Task 1.4: Recapture of PIT tagged fish will be used to validate aging methods and determine growth rates and distribution. | .05 | $8,000 | ||
| Objective 2: Determine bull trout temporal and spatial distributions within Dworshak Reservoir project area. | Task 2.1: Surgically implant radio transmitters into approximately 100 bull trout collected in Dworshak Reservoir. | .05 | $31,000 | |
| Task 2.2: Establish and implement a radio telemetry tracking protocol, utilizing aerial, boat, and ground tracking methods. | .05 | $24,000 | ||
| Task 2.3: Using electroshocking or snorkeling techniques, survey selected Dworshak Reservoir tributaries (except North Fork Clearwater and Little North Fork Clearwater rivers) for presence of bull trout. | .1 | $12,000 | ||
| Objective 3: Determine timing and extent of migration into the North Fork and Little North Fork Clearwater Rivers and tributaries. | Task 3.1: Establish a stationary radio tag receiver station at Canyon Work Center on the North Fork Clearwater River and near the mouth of the Little North Fork Clearwater River. | .05 | $6,000 | |
| Task 3.2: Continue aerial and ground tracking protocol within rivers and tributaries. | .1 | $14,000 | ||
| Task 3.3: Identify spawning grounds by radio tracking and visual confirmation of redds or bull trout constructing redds. | .1 | $8,000 | ||
| Task 3.4: Establish monitoring areas to perform annual redd counts to establish trends. | .02 | $5,000 | ||
| Objective 4: Assess potential entrainment associated with Dworshak Dam. | Task 4.1: Use radio telemetry to determine bull trout proximity above Dworshak Dam or entrainment through dam. | .05 | $12,000 | |
| Task 4.2: Establish a stationary radio tag receiver station below Dworshak Dam to determine movement of radio tagged fish downstream of Dworshak Dam. | .05 | $12,000 | ||
| Task 4.3: Actively sample by electrofishing bull trout below Dworshak Dam and PIT tagged individuals. | .05 | $13,000 | ||
| Objective 5: Describe relative abundance of kokanee fry to bull trout distribution and seasonal utilization in bull trout diet. | Task 5.1: Collect bull trout at head of Dworshak Reservoir when kokanee are outmigrating, and sample stomach contents of collected bull trout. | .1 | $10,000 | |
| Task 5.2: Compare stomach contents taken at the period of kokanee outmigration to stomach contents taken at other times. | .02 | $9,000 | ||
| Task 5.3: Establish a protocol to collect kokanee at the head of Dworshak Reservoir, with a purse seine, to determine relative abundance. | .04 | $8,000 | ||
| Objective 6: Determine potential threats that limit the bull trout population within the North Fork Clearwater River. | Task 6.1 Identify threats to bull trout by watershed. | $10,000 | ||
| Task 6.2 Recommend management actions to improve threats identified in Task 6.1. | $4,000 | |||
| Task 6.3 Review current literature and models with emphasis on those being developed by the staff at US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station and apply them to the North Fork Clearwater River System. | $10,000 | |||
| Objective 7: Document thermal habitat preferences for adult bull trout. | Task 7.1 Tag a subset of 30 bull trout tagged in Task 2.1 with an additional archival temperature tag. | $10,000 | ||
| Task 7.2 Record movement patterns as in Task 2.2, 3.1, and 3.2. | $1,000 | |||
| Task 7.3 Recover archival temperature tags within one to two years after initial tagging. | $5,000 | |||
| Task 7.4 Compare movement history to temperature archive. | $7,000 | |||
| Objective 8 (Previously 6): Coordination of existing information from pre-existing data sources. | Task 8.1: Contact federal and tribal research agencies to find pre-existing bull trout data on the NFCWR drainage. | .02 | $6,000 | |
| Task 8.2: Compile all sources to obtain a comprehensive database. | .02 | $6,000 |
Outyear objectives-based budget
| Objective | Starting FY | Ending FY | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Objective 1. Characterize basic biology of bull trout in the North Fork Clearwater River drainage | 3 | 3 | $53,000 |
| Objective 2: Determine bull trout temporal and spatial distributions within Dworshak Reservoir project area. | 3 | 3 | $50,000 |
| Objective 3: Determine timing and extent of migration into the North Fork and Little North Fork Clearwater Rivers and tributaries. | 3 | 3 | $20,000 |
| Objective 4: Assess potential entrainment associated with Dworshak Dam. | 3 | 4 | $75,000 |
| Objective 5: Describe relative abundance of kokanee fry to bull trout distribution and seasonal utilization in bull trout diet. | 3 | 3 | $50,000 |
| Objective 6: Determine potential threats that limit the bull trout population within the North Fork Clearwater River. | 3 | 3 | $23,000 |
| Objective 7: Document thermal habitat preferences for adult bull trout. | 3 | 4 | $10,000 |
| Objective 8 (Previously 6): Summarize and develop long-term management plan. | 4 | 5 | $65,000 |
Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase
| FY 2003 | FY 2004 | FY 2005 |
|---|---|---|
| $238,000 | $113,000 | $65,000 |
Section 8. Estimated budget summary
Itemized budget
| Item | Note | FY 2002 cost |
|---|---|---|
| Personnel | FTE: Fishery Biologist-12 mos; Seasonal-18 mos | $81,700 |
| Fringe | @36.5% | $29,800 |
| Supplies | Receiver, tags, boat fuel, vehicle rental, per diem, miscellaneous equipment, monitoring flights | $78,000 |
| Travel | Meetings | $2,500 |
| Indirect | @20.5% | $39,400 |
| PIT tags | # of tags: 200 | $450 |
| Other | Capital purchase of radio tag receiver, fixed site | $26,000 |
| $257,850 | ||
Total estimated budget
| Total FY 2002 cost | $257,850 |
| Amount anticipated from previously committed BPA funds | $0 |
| Total FY 2002 budget request | $257,850 |
| FY 2002 forecast from 2001 | $0 |
| % change from forecast | 0.0% |
Cost sharing
| Organization | Item or service provided | Amount | Cash or in-kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Fish and Game | Supervision, field assistance with fish collection, monitoring below dam | $25,000 | cash |
| U.S. Forest Service | U.S. Forest Service | $20,000 | cash |
Reviews and recommendations
This information was not provided on the original proposals, but was generated during the review process.
Fundable only if response is adequate
Sep 28, 2001
Comment:
Response needed. The objective of this project is to evaluate distribution, habitat use, feeding, and movement of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in Dworshak Reservoir and tributary streams, as well as measure possible entrainment at Dworshak Dam. It would consolidate various bull trout activities and funding sources into a single project. The project is generally well planned and comprehensive. The data from it, with some additions, should provide a basis for managing the system to benefit bull trout. In addition to the tasks listed in the proposal, the project should sex the adult fish, estimate fecundity of adult females (literature values for number of eggs per female of given size applied to the sizes of females in the population or sub-populations), and estimate total egg deposition from fecundity data, size structure of the female population, and redd counts. Total mature female population and, based on sex ratio, total adult population might then be estimated. These additions could be fitted into Tasks 1.1 and 3.4 at little or no added cost, and, particularly if done for enough years, should yield helpful basic information. Importantly, an objective should be added to assess factors that limit the bull trout population; this would make it more likely that critically needed management could be undertaken soon.The reviewers recommend that the proposal include greater consideration of recent bull trout studies done or underway elsewhere, in particular those at the U.S. Forest Service's Boise Research Station.
CBFWA Funding Recommendation
High Priority (Obj 4, see comments)\ Recommended Action (all else)
Nov 30, 2001
Comment:
This project would contribute towards meeting the terms and conditions stated in the FCRPS Biological Opinion for Dworshak Dam. Objective 4 of the proposal is considered a high priority from USFWS to measure entrainment of bull trout through Dworshak Dam.This proposal is directly tied to hydrosystem impacts and Terms and Conditions set forth in the FCRPS BiOp. The addition of a fixed telemetry site in Dworshak Tailrace substantially strengthened the project as a whole, in addition to the success of meeting Objective 4.
In past studies, the proponents have been used 400 kHz PIT tags. It is unclear in the proposal if the project intends on switching over to 134 kHz PIT tags if awarded funding. Switching over to the 134 kHz tags would likely provide additional interrogations of entrained fish below Dworshak Dam, and would also strengthen the proposal.
Through the Subbasin Team Review, Objective 4 of this proposal received a "High Priority" ranking while the other objectives were categorized as "Recommended Action." The RFC suggests that Objective 4 cannot be completed without making the following Objectives/tasks High Priority: Task 1.1, Task 1.3, Task 2.1, Objective 3, and Objective 4 for a total of approximately $133,000. The remaining proposed work should be categorized as Recommended Action.
The USFWS indicates that the proposed work "will help implement reasonable and prudent measure 10.A.3.2 and terms and conditions 11.1 and 11.2 in the FCRPS biological opinion."
Comment:
Fundable in Part. The ISRP agrees with CBFWA that objective 4 on entrainment is of high priority. The project will study bull trout distribution, habitat use, feeding, and movement in Dworshak Reservoir and tributary streams, as well as measure possible entrainment at Dworshak Dam. It will consolidate various bull trout activities and funding sources into a single project. The project is generally well planned and comprehensive. Its data should provide a basis for managing the system to benefit bull trout. The response remedied gaps in a generally appropriate manner but added cost that seem excessive.To meet ISRP concerns, a revised proposal was submitted containing two new objectives (6 new tasks and one switched from another objective = $41K additional) and augmentation of three previously existing tasks ($8K additional). A task (6.2) was added at cost of $10,000 to review and apply existing literature that ISRP suggested the sponsor should have been familiar with before writing the proposal. The $10K definitely should be cut. The Council should scrutinize the budget request.
Further, the ISRP questions the response's inclusion of an additional 30 tags (another $10K) that would archive temperature/pressure data in the reservoir. This might be a good idea but is not described in adequate detail. Use of those tags seems a form of gadgetry; the proposal and response do not give a clear description of the hypotheses that might be then tested with the tags. The reviewers are also skeptical about the feasibility of recapturing fish to recover the tag data. How they would be recaptured is not explained. It might be more practical to use tags that provide temperature data when the fish's location is recorded, without the archival feature and without the need to recapture the fish.
Comment:
Statement of Potential Biological Benefit to ESUComments
Already ESA Req?
Biop?
Comment:
Do not recommend. This project appears to be fully funded by the Corps, Walla Walla District, through AFEP. BPA RPA RPM:
Not USFWS BiOp Related
NMFS RPA/USFWS RPM:
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Comment: