BPA Fish and Wildlife FY 1998 Proposal

Section 1. Summary
Section 2. Goals
Section 3. Background
Section 4. Purpose and methods
Section 5. Planned activities
Section 6. Outcomes, monitoring and evaluation
Section 7. Relationships
Section 8. Costs and FTE

see CBFWA and BPA funding recommendations

Section 1. Summary

Title of project
Columbia Basin Pit-Tag Information System

BPA project number   9008000

Short description
Develop, operate, maintain, and enhance a long-term Columbia River Basin database on PIT Tag information and provide operations and maintenance support for the collection of PIT tag information at PIT tag interrogation sites.

Business name of agency, institution or organization requesting funding
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission

Proposal contact person or principal investigator

Section 2. Goals

General
Monitoring

Section 3. Background

Stream area affected

Hydro project   None for this project.
Project is an office site only   X
Habitat types   None for this project.

History
Responsibility for the operations and maintenance of PIT tag equipment, and maintenance of the PTAGIS database were transfered from a BPA contract with NMFS to a BPA contract with PSMFC in 1990. The program has grow significantly in the last 5 years. It is expected to grow even more in the next five years as the Mid Columbia PUDs increase the use of PIT tags, as the Lower Columbia River projects come on-line, and as adult detection and other smolt monitoring (trawl nets, flat plates, etc) are integrated into the system.

Biological results achieved
Project has and will continue to provide critical information on survival and travel time of salmonids. These data and information are used by BPA, the Corps, and NMFS to assess the operational and construction effects of the Federal hydropower system on salmonids and by resource agencies and tribes to generate essential life history data and information on various populations of fish.

Project reports and papers
Quarterly and Annual reports addressing tagging and data entry protocol, data source input specification document, Maintenance and Operations Standard Operating Procedures, monthly PTAGIS News Letter, and Workshop reports as required.

Adaptive management implications
The data and information generated by this program are an essential and critical database for the regions fishery managers and researchers and water managers and developers to use in the development and refinement of management plans and strategies for salmonids and water management in the Columbia River Basin.

Section 4. Purpose and methods

Specific measureable objectives
To continue to provide high quality PIT tag data and information. This means 99.5% database and interrogation system up-time availability as measured at the peak of the out-migration season. In addition, we monitor interrogation system coils to provide at least 95% cumulative detection efficiency over the out-migration season.

Critical uncertainties
The ability to collect PIT tag interrogation information is dependent upon the ability of the US Army Corps of Engineers to operate the juvenile fish bypass systems. When electrical power is disrupted, PIT tag interrogation equipment cannot operate. When telecommunication is disrupted, data transmission is delayed. The operations and maintenance capability is being designed to allow near-real-time problem detection and resolution.

Biological need
This is a technical database and electronic system monitoring project - biological impacts should be directed to biologists involved in PIT tag marking projects (see Related BPA Projects, above).

Hypothesis to be tested
This is a monitoring and data collection project.

Alternative approaches
This is a monitoring and data collection project.

Justification for planning
This is a monitoring and data collection project.

Methods
There are three main components to this project. 1) Database and data system support; 2) Interrogation system operations and maintenance; 3) coordination. The database and data system support activities are either automated production or software systems development. The data are made available to all parties, on a daily basis, via the internet, world wide web (WWW) interface or through a 'dial-up' application program. The interrogation system operations and maintenance functions are seasonal and described in the PIT Tag Interrogation System Standard Operating Procedures document. The project serves as a focal point for the communication of technical and PIT tag system related information. In addition, this project coordinates an annual forecast of PIT Tag requirements for related projects.

Section 5. Planned activities

Constraints or factors that may cause schedule or budget changes
Policy decisions determine the relative importance of any of the activities described above. This plan is also assuming that Bonneville Power Administration will continue to be the primary contractor for the development of system components and deployments required for the change to the New ISO FDX-B based PIT tag interrogation system, rather than this project.

Section 6. Outcomes, monitoring and evaluation

SUMMARY OF EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Expected performance of target population or quality change in land area affected
This question is not applicable. This is a technical monitoring and data collection project.

Present utilization and convservation potential of target population or area
This question is not applicable. This is a technical monitoring and data collection project.

Assumed historic status of utilization and conservation potential
This question is not applicable. This is a technical monitoring and data collection project.

Long term expected utilization and conservation potential for target population or habitat
This question is not applicable. This is a technical monitoring and data collection project.

Contribution toward long-term goal
This question is not applicable. This is a technical monitoring and data collection project.

Indirect biological or environmental changes
This question is not applicable. This is a technical monitoring and data collection project.

Physical products
This question is not applicable. This is a technical monitoring and data collection project.

Environmental attributes affected by the project
This question is not applicable. This is a technical monitoring and data collection project.

Changes assumed or expected for affected environmental attributes
This question is not applicable. This is a technical monitoring and data collection project.

Measure of attribute changes
This question is not applicable. This is a technical monitoring and data collection project.

Assessment of effects on project outcomes of critical uncertainty
If collection of PIT tag information at a facility cannot be performed, the project will focus its resources on the collection of PIT tag information at other projects.

Information products
Various tagging, release, recapture, mortality and interrogation data are available from the PTAGIS database via the internet or World Wide Web or from the dial in user interface. In addition, various user manuals, system codes, specifications documents and newsletters are published and distributed to system users upon request.

Coordination outcomes
This project is an information/data management and equipment installation, maintenance and operations project. These products are for the next (and typical) fiscal year: 1. Fully functional detection facilities at selected Corps and Bureau of Reclamation dams. 2. Collection and validation of PIT Tag observation data (from Lower Granite juvenile, experimental and adult facilities, Little Goose , Lower Monumental, McNary, Chandler Canal, John Day and Bonneville Dams on a daily basis throughout the juvenile out-migration season. 3. Collection and validation of PIT Tag tagging data, recapture data, volitional release data, mortality data and remote site interrogation data on a daily basis throughout the juvenile out-migration season. 4. Maintainance of detection equipment at specific Dams throughout the juvenile out-migration season. 5. Maximum eight hour problem resolution turn-around time throughout the juvenile out-migration season. 6. Timely and low cost procurement and distribution of PIT Tags to research organizations. 7. Deployment of interrogation data collection platform to provide foundation for more near real-time collection and distribution of observation data. 8. Effecting the necessary technology transfers developed under reserch contracts (New Fish Tag) to an operational action. 9. Affecting the the necessary coordination actions among users to ensure effective administration of contract objectives.

MONITORING APPROACH
This question is not applicable. This is a technical monitoring and data collection project.

Provisions to monitor population status or habitat quality
This question is not applicable. This is a technical monitoring and data collection project.

Data analysis and evaluation
Data collected by the PTAGIS project is made available to any organization. The project assumes that PIT tag marking projects will use the PTAGIS data in the analysis and evaluation of their marking projects.

Information feed back to management decisions
Detailed PIT tag data is download from PTAGIS to various research organizations. These organizations have their own management decision making processes.

Critical uncertainties affecting project's outcomes
Communication between related project entities will minimize the impact of critical uncertainties. The PIT Tag Steering Committee is an excellent forum to facilitate these policy level communications from the States and Tribes. Continued communications between PTAGIS and the National Marine Fisheries Service and US Army Corps of Engineers Planning and Operations groups is also necessary.

Evaluation
1) Data provided are of the highest quality and integrity; 2) Data are made available near-real time; 3) Data is well documented and in the format required by the research community.

Incorporating new information regarding uncertainties
Communication between related project entities will minimize the impact of critical uncertainties. The PIT Tag Steering Committee is an excellent forum to facilitate these policy level communications from the States and Tribes. Continued communications between PTAGIS and the National Marine Fisheries Service and US Army Corps of Engineers Planning and Operations groups is also necessary. The community will provide direction for the PTAGIS project depending upon the uncertainties identifed.

Increasing public awareness of F&W activities
If the research community determines that the PTAGIS project should become involved in a public awareness effort, then plans and budgets can be made available to package this highly technical information into a format that is more easily understood by the public. Ideas may be development of educational video tapes, or real time display of PIT tags marking and interrogation data at juvenile fish bypass facility visitor centers.

Section 7. Relationships

Opportunities for cooperation
PSMFC / PTAGIS project people currently work in cooperation with US Army Corps of Engineers, National Marine Fisheries Service, Bonneville Power Administration, Smolt Monitoring, State Agencies, Indian Tribes, Public Utility Districts, private research organizations, the Columbia River Basin PIT Tag Steering Committee and others on a daily and as-needed basis.

Section 8. Costs and FTE

1997 Planned  $1,387,000

Other non-financial supporters
Idaho Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, National Marine Fisheries Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Columbia River Inter Tribal Fish Commission, Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority, Fish Passage Center, Chelan County PUD, Portland General Electric, University of Washington, Oregon State University, Washington State University, University of Idaho, Biomark, Inc. Destron / Fearing, Inc. Chapman and Associates, Datamars S/A, Allflex USA, RF Engineering, Battelle, Pacific Northwest National Labs, PNUC, Direct Service Industries, Columbia Basin PIT Tag Steering Committee and others.

How does percentage apply to direct costs
Overhead is 15% on Salaries, General Operating and Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses exclusive of capital items.