BPA Fish and Wildlife FY 1997 Proposal

Section 1. Administrative
Section 2. Narrative
Section 3. Budget

see CBFWA and BPA funding recommendations

Section 1. Administrative

Title of project
Monitoring and Classification of Wild Steelhead Production on Mid-Columbia Basin Rivers

BPA project number   5504300

Business name of agency, institution or organization requesting funding
Clark-Skamania Flyfishers

Sponsor type   WA-Consultant

Proposal contact person or principal investigator

BPA technical contact   , EWN

Biological opinion ID   

NWPPC Program number   

Short description
Genetically unique populations of wild steelhead inhabit the Washougal, and the Wind and Klickitat watersheds of the Mid-Columbia. Our goals are to thoroughly understand the production potential and to comparatively monitor population and habitat trends of each basin. Comparing Mid-Columbia basins to the adjacent Washougal basin, below Bonneville, will give insight into factors influencing wild production both above and below Bonneville dam. CSF has a history of snorkel surveys, redd surveys, temperature monitoring, and habitat classification on the Washougal, Wind, and East Fork Lewis basins. This project will extend this work on the Wind and Klickitat basins.

Project start year   1996    End year   2001

Start of operation and/or maintenance   1997

Project development phase   IMPLEMENTATION

Section 2. Narrative

Related projects

Project history
The Clark-Skamania Flyfishers have been monitoring wild steelhead populations on the Washougal watershed since 1977. The methods used include snorkeling of critical (over-summering) index areas to count and identify returning adults, and redd surveys of upper mainstem and tributaries. Habitat monitoring and classification activities have also taken place, consisting of temperature monitoring, stream typing, and migration barrier analysis.
Similar activities have occurred on the Wind river since 1983, in cooperation with the Washington State Dept of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and the US Forest Service. Our efforts on the East Fork Lewis began in 1995.

Biological results achieved
On the Washougal, our data indicate that natural passage barriers (waterfalls) effectively isolate returning wild steelhead from straying, hatchery-origin adults. Above Dougan Falls on the Washougal, less than 3% of returning adults have been identified as hatchery origin. Using this data, WDFW determined this area to be a genetic sanctuary and included it in a electrophoretic (protein) analysis of steelhead in Washington state.
Population dynamics and trends have been documented on the Wind and Washougal systems since 1983. These data are useful in analyzing the effectiveness of seasonal and wild steelhead release regulations, correlations with drought conditions, and so forth.
Redd surveys on the upper mainstem and tributaries have documented the importance of small tributaries for wild summer steelhead, and have produced data sufficient for a formal stream-typing process to begin.

Annual reports and technical papers
Status of Wild Steelhead Stocks, From Grays River to Klickitat River, B. McMillan, 1988.
Southwest Washington Stream Inventories, A 1983 Update, B. McMillan, 1983.
Southwest Washington Stream Inventories, 1984-86, B. McMillan, 1986.
Washougal Drainage:
The Clark-Skamania Flyfishers� Snorkel Surveys of Washougal River (1985),� B. McMillan, 1985.
The Clark-Skamania Flyfishers� Snorkel Surveys of Washougal River (1986),� B. McMillan, 1986.
The Clark-Skamania Flyfishers� Snorkel Surveys of Washougal River (1987),� B. McMillan, 1987.
Upper Washougal River Snorkel Count -- June 1988,� B. McMillan, 1988.
Spawning Surveys on Washougal River from 1987--90,� B. McMillan, 1990.
Spawning Surveys on Washougal River 1991,� B. McMillan, 1991.
Upper Washougal Basin Temperature Study, 1992-93,� J. Sowinski, 1996.
Wind River:
The Clark-Skamania Flyfishers� Snorkel Surveys of Wind River (1983-85),� B. McMillan and R. Nawa, 1985.
An Evaluation of Wind River Steelhead Redd Surveys and Management Analysis, 1985� B. McMillan, 1985.
An Angling Analysis, Wind River -- 1985,� B. McMillan, 1985.
The Clark-Skamania Flyfishers� Snorkel Surveys of Wind River (1986),� B. McMillan, 1986.
The Clark-Skamania Flyfishers� Snorkel Surveys of Wind River (1987),� B. McMillan, 1988.
From 1988 to the present, Wind River surveys have been conducted in cooperation with WDFW. The data is captured in WDFW memos:
Sept 10, 1991 WDFW Memo from John Weinheimer, Area 2 Fish Biologist, contains the data for 1988-91 surveys.
August 19, 1994 WDFW Memo from Dan Rawding, contains the data for 1988-94 surveys.

East Fork Lewis Drainage:
�The Clark-Skamania Flyfishers� Snorkel Survey of the East Fork Lewis River (1985),� B. McMillan, 1985.
The Clark-Skamania Flyfishers� Snorkel Survey of the East Fork Lewis River (1986), B. McMillan, 1986.

Management implications
Uniqueness and isolation of wild stocks imply the need for protection through:
� restrictive angling regulations and creation of spawning sanctuaries,
� minimize interaction between hatchery and wild stocks,
� and, influence timber harvest and mining decisions.

Specific measureable objectives
The main objective of the project is an accurate understanding of wild steelhead population dynamics and trends in Mid-Columbia tributaries, compared and contrasted with basins below Bonneville Dam. This will help us understand adverse influences associated with Bonneville versus those common to all systems.
Stream typing, redd counts, and temperature monitoring will give us a better understanding of current habitat quality and quantity.

Testable hypothesis
Wild steelhead populations in Southwest Washington and Mid-Columbia streams have declined since the 1970s. It is our hypothesis that the primary factors responsible for this are not associated with passage at Bonneville dam, but instead are due to:
� overharvest of wild stocks in mixed hatchery/wild sport and commercial fisheries, and
� less effective riparian habitat protection, from timber harvest activities in the basins of improperly typed and classified small tributaries.

Underlying assumptions or critical constraints
Cooperation with state and federal management agencies and the Yakama Indian Nation (for the Klickitat).
A possible difficulty in adapting our snorkeling and redd surveying techniques to the Klickitat river.

Methods
1) Techniques and equipment:
Temperature monitoring: place automatically logging temperature probes in streams.
� Onset Optic StowAway Temperature data logger. 20 units, at $119.00 each, $2,380.00
� Optic Shuttle Data Transporter. 2 units, at $ 199.00 each, $398.00
� Optic StowAway software for PC, $129.00
Redd surveys: team members bank walk late winter and early spring spawning index areas. Index areas are identified and are then kept constant from year to year so as to get trend data.
Snorkeling: team members snorkel over-summering index areas, count adults and identify wild versus hatchery.
� Complete wetsuit, boots, mask, etc. 4 units, at $ 500.00 each, $2,000.00
Data analysis and publishing equipment: club needs to purchase PC, with printer, database software. Data will be published on CSF Internet page.
� PC, printer, database software: approximately $ 2,500.00
Stream typing and culvert analysis, as per methodology developed by Washington Trout.
� Initial training of team members (this would occur in 1997). Cost for training class: $1,500.00
2) Statistical Analysis:
Index areas are a representative sample of the entire watershed. They are kept constant from year to year so as give accurate trend data.

3) Fish used:
Project is expected to have no negative impacts on adult or juvenile salmonids.

Brief schedule of activities
1997:
1) purchase temperature probes, wetsuits, and computer
2) hold training class for stream typing
3) place probes in Washougal, Wind, and Klickitat drainages
4) identify possible index areas for Klickitat surveys
mileage costs: 3,500 miles at .29/mi = $1,015.00
1998:
1) monitor temperature probes, 1 man-month of effort
2) redd surveys, 4 man-months
3) stream typing, 1 man-month
a total of 6 man-months of effort for 1998, and we plan for this same level of effort in subsequent years. $2,500.00 per month, times 6 mo = $15,000.00
mileage costs: 7,200 miles at .29/mi = $2105.00
1999 and subsequent years: same as 1998

Biological need
There is a lack of existing comparative data for these watersheds. It is important to understand why wild steelhead populations in these basins continue to decline in spite of efforts to protect and rebuild these populations.

Critical uncertainties
Since this project is observational, and merely attempts to gather data and deepen our understanding of the wild populations, there isn�t a strong uncertainty or risk factor in the project.

Summary of expected outcome
We expect an accurate understanding of wild steelhead population dynamics and trends in Mid-Columbia tributaries, compared and contrasted with basins below Bonneville Dam. This will help us understand adverse influences associated with Bonneville versus those common to all systems.
Stream typing, redd counts, and temperature monitoring will give us a better understanding of current habitat quality and quantity and help us address means of rebuilding wild populations.

Dependencies/opportunities for cooperation
Our efforts so far have been in cooperation with WDFW and the US Forest Service. We expect this to continue, and we also see an opportunity for cooperation with the Yakama Indian Nation in studies of the Klickitat system.

Risks
The project is passive in nature and so entails little risk. There should be no negative impacts on fish populations since interaction with the fish is minimal. The long term nature of the project minimizes possible fluctuations in data due to events such as flooding, extreme weather, etc.

Monitoring activity
The data gathered will be published in reports available from CSF, will be transferred to state and federal agencies, the Yakama Indian Nation, and easily accessible from the Clark-Skamania location on the Internet (the Clark-Skamania home page on the world-wide web).

Section 3. Budget

* For most projects, Authorized is the amount recommended by CBFWA and the Council. Planned is amount currently allocated. Contracted is the amount obligated to date of printout.

Funding recommendations

CBFWA funding review group   Bonneville Dam - Priest Rapids Dam

Recommendation    Tier 2 - fund when funds available

Recommended funding level   $11,500