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
Bull Trout Assessment - Willamette/Mckenzie

BPA project number   9405300

Business name of agency, institution or organization requesting funding
ODFW

Sponsor type   OR-State/Local Agency

Proposal contact person or principal investigator

BPA technical contact   Ron Morinaka, EWP 503/230-5365

Biological opinion ID   None

NWPPC Program number   10.5A.1

Short description
Life history, distribution and habitat use of bull trout populations in western Oregon, with emphasis on the Middle Fork Willamette and McKenzie Rivers.

Project start year   1994    End year   2000

Start of operation and/or maintenance   

Project development phase   Implementation

Section 2. Narrative

Related projects

Project history
Project initiated in 1994. To field season of collecting field data has been completed. Project has generated major commitments of time and funding from the U.S. Forest Service,Eugene Water and Electric Board, local and national angling groups, and others. Monitoring information is being used by the McKenzie Watershed Council, U.S. Forest Service, and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in land management decisions.

Biological results achieved
a- No bull trout have been located in the MF Willamette. b- 85 miles of stream surveyed for presence of bt. c- Redd surveys on Anderson Cr. expanded to cover the entire extent of spawning. d- Resting hole index established for adult bt in the McKenzie R. e- Redd surveys on Ollalie Cr started.

Annual reports and technical papers
Qtr report #1 recv'd 2/95.
Qtr report #2 sent 7/95.
Qtr report #3 sent 10/95.
Annual report #1 drafted.

Management implications
Knowledge gained from this project will aid us in mitigating the impacts of hydro development on bull trout in the upper Willamette basin. This knowledge will be useful for planning and lessening the impacts of projects such as retrofitting temperature control to Cougar Reservoir.

Specific measureable objectives
Quantifiable information on bull trout populations in the upper Willamette basin.

Testable hypothesis
1) Bull trout may no longer be present in the Middle Fork Willamette River; 2) Bull trout may be increasing in the Willamette system; 3) Habitat may be limiting bull trout populations in the upper Willamette basin.

Underlying assumptions or critical constraints
This project is studying basic life history, distribution, numbers, and habitat preferences. Variation in conditions over the years of the project will yield more representative data.

Methods
We will describe the range of bull trout in the McKenzie system by surveying tributaries by snorkeling or electrofishing. We will continue standard population indexes such as snorkeling transects in the McKenzie River, and downstream migrant traps in small tributary streams. Bull trout captured using a downstream migrant trap will be transferred to newly opened habitat in Sweetwater Creek. Spawning surveys will be conducted to identify spawning areas and estimate the number of spawners. We will evaluate the effectiveness of existing habitat improvement projects for bull trout within the basin. We will conduct a limiting factors analysis and develop a list of proposed actions to restore McKenzie bull trout populations to develop a list of proposed actions to restore McKenzie bull trout populations to healthy levels.

Brief schedule of activities
1996: Initiate radio tagging adult bull trout above Cougar Dam and track to spawning areas. Continue transferring bull trout from Anderson Creek to Sweetwater Creek. Continue redd trend surveys in Anderson and Ollalie creeks. Continue trend adult counts in standard pools on the McKenzie River. Continue to define the range of bull trout in the upper Willamette basin.
1998-2001: Project activities depend on what is discovered in 1996-1997.

Biological need
This project is being conducted under Section 9.3G (1) of the Northwest Power Planning Council's Resident Fish and Wildlife amendments which states the need to "fund bull trout population and habitat surveys in the Middle Fork Willamette and McKenzie River systems and habitat improvements identified in the surveys to benefit bull trout." The project is consistent with the ODFW McKenzie Subbasin Fish Management Plan. Bull trout have been classified as warrented but precluded under the ESA.

Critical uncertainties
None apparent. Data collected thus far is being used to make management decisions and alter existing fish management programs.

Summary of expected outcome
Restoration of bull trout to the ecosystems of the McKenzie and Middle Fork Willamette watersheds. These fish are the largest aquatic predator in the food web of these systems.

Dependencies/opportunities for cooperation
This project has the cooperation in both funds and personnel of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Willamette National Forest (WNF), Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB), Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), and the Federation of Flyfishers. Without these public and private efforts, this project would be considerably less cost effective.

Risks
None

Monitoring activity
The baseline surveys for population abundance established this year.

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   Resident Fish

Recommendation    Tier 1 - fund

Recommended funding level   $47,800

BPA 1997 authorized budget (approved start-of-year budget)   $47,800