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
Yakima River Fall Chinook Supplementation

BPA project number   9603301

Business name of agency, institution or organization requesting funding
Yakama Indian Nation

Sponsor type   WA-Tribe

Proposal contact person or principal investigator

BPA technical contact   ,

Biological opinion ID   

NWPPC Program number   7.3B

Short description
Supplement the populations of naturally spawning fall chinook in the Yakima River basin by trapping adult fall chinook at Prosser Dam and Marion Drain and utilizing the Prosser Hatchery for adult holding, spawning, egg incubation, and early rearing, then acclimating and releasing smolts at selected sites in Marion Drain and the lower Yakima River.

Project start year   1996    End year   

Start of operation and/or maintenance   0

Project development phase   Implementation

Section 2. Narrative

Related projects
YKFP

Project history

Biological results achieved

Annual reports and technical papers

Management implications
This project will adhere to the principles of adaptive management. Egg to smolt survival will be monitored in the hatchery and acclimation ponds. CWT marking will allow survival estimates from smolt (release site) to smolt (Prosser Juvenile Trap) and the McNary Dam; and smolt to adult (Prosser Dam Adult Counting Station) and Marion Drain adult ladder and trap at Highway 22. Natural production will be monitored through beach seining and spawning ground surveys.

Specific measureable objectives
Restore the numbers of returning fall chinook in the Yakima River to levels of abundance and productivity sufficient to support sustainable annual harvests by tribal and other fishers within a decade.
This natural stock supplementation project will be scientifically supported through an evaluation program. The goal of the supplementation program is the rehabilitation of two weak wild and natural spawning populations.

Testable hypothesis

Underlying assumptions or critical constraints

Methods
The project is located in Yakima and Benton counties, Washington State. Two depressed fall chinook sub-stocks have been identified as genetically unique in the Yakima River basin. Supplementation will occur by trapping adults returning to Marion Drain at an existing ladder and the lower Yakima River sub-stock at the Prosser Dam adult trap, spawning those adults separately, and acclimating/releasing the smolts at sites on the Drain and on the lower Yakima River. Prosser Hatchery will be used for egg incubation, early rearing, adult holding and spawning. A phased approach is proposed to fully test all facilities and methods while the sub-stocks are being supplemented. Facilities will be designed to ultimately produce 300,000 Marion Drain smolts per year and 700,000 lower Yakima River smolts per year.

Brief schedule of activities

Biological need
The Marion Drain sub-stock has been discussed in most all production forums (PAC especially) as unique yet badly depressed. Both sub-stocks (Marion Drain and Yakima River) have been identified by YKFP scientific and policy managers as in need of supplementation. Marion Drain has averaged 36 fall chinook redds since 1991. The total number of adult fall chinook returning to the Yakima River has averaged about 1,150 fish since 1991. The Yakama Nation has identified a goal for the Yakima River of 4,700 returning fall chinook adults.

Critical uncertainties
This project will follow the principles of supplementation as discussed in Cuenco et al (1993), �The use of Supplementation to aid in Natural Stock Restoration�. Data on Yakima River spring chinook suggest egg-to-smolt survival rates for wild fish of 2.5% compared to the expected 75% survival in this proposed hatchery supplementation program.

Summary of expected outcome
The Prosser Hatchery is cooperatively operated and maintained by the Yakama Indian Nation and Bureau of Reclamation. Both entities have contributed to construction and operation of the facility. NMFS�s Mitchell Act funds have been the main funding source for acclimation of 1.7 million fall chinook at the facility from a lower river hatchery. Benefits should be visible with the first adult returning generations from supplemented fish.

Dependencies/opportunities for cooperation
The project is consistent with the rebuilding directives in the Northwest Power Act (Measure 7.3B), U.S. versus Oregon Management Agreement (Section III.D.4 of the Columbia River Fish Management Plan), and the Yakima River Sub-basin Plan. It has been coordinated with the YKFP for consistency of goals and has full support of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Risks

Monitoring activity
A marking program will allow evaluation at the Prosser juvenile trap. Adult ladders (video monitoring) and traps at Prosser and Marion Drain will allow evaluation of adult returns. Spawning ground surveys will be another tool to measure the success of the program.

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 1 - fund

Recommended funding level   $660,800

BPA 1997 authorized budget (approved start-of-year budget)   $660,800