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
Klickitat Passage/Habitat Preliminary Design

BPA project number   9506800

Short description
Conduct an integrated watershed analysis of the Klickitat Basin using fisheries, population, habitat, and engineering surveys to develop a preliminary design of the passage and habitat improvements that will directly benefit salmonids and provide information to be used for patient/template style analysis and future supplementation activities.

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

Proposal contact person or principal investigator

Section 2. Goals

General
Supports a healthy Columbia basin; maintains biological diversity; maintains genetic integrity; increases run sizes or populations; provides needed habitat protection; adaptive management (research or M&E); program coordination or planning; passage for Klickitat River anadromous fish stocks

Section 3. Background

Stream area affected

Stream name   Klickitat River and tributaries
Stream miles affected   250
Subbasin   Klickitat River
Land ownership   Tribal, State, Private, Federal

History
The Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project has been included in the Council=s Fish and Wildlife Program. The Council=s 1987 Fish and Wildlife Program presented measures specifically for the Klickitat River. This Project initiates the preliminary design work needed to complete a Preliminary Design Report for the Klickitat Subbasin (KRS). The approach used is an integrated watershed analysis that will produce specifics for implementing the habitat and passage improvements needed in the KRS, as listed in the Yakima/Klickitat Production Project Design Report (BPA 1989) , Appendix A and Appendix B.
Tasks undertaken in 1995-96
A. Began adult and juvenile surveys of salmon and steelhead, and resident fish.
B. Began monitoring populations of anadromous fish at two juvenile fish traps
C. Began habitat inventory for carrying capacity assessment of anadromous fish habitat.
D. Began evaluation of passage problems at Lyle and Castile Falls.
E. Began coordinating data collection with the Coordinated Information System.

Biological results achieved
The biological results achieved to date are presented in the 1995 draft final report submitted to BPA. The results are presented in the form of baseline information on the anadromous fish stocks in the Klickitat basin. Species presence/absence studies and population estimates information is being collected. This information will be incorporated into a patient template analysis to direct habitat and passage improvement projects.

Project reports and papers
Preliminary Design of Passage and Habitat improvement in the Klickitat River 1995, draft final report.

Adult Passage Improvements for Klickitat River at Lyle and Castile Falls 1996, prepared by Summit Technology.

Fast, D.E et al. 1989. Yakima/Klickitat Natural Production and Enhancement Program. Prepared for Bonneville Power Administration. Project No. 88-120 Grant DE-A179-88BP93203.

Hubble, J.D. et al. 1990. Yakima/Klickitat Natural Production and Enhancement Program. Prepared for Bonneville Power Administration. Project No. 88-120 Grant DE-A179-88BP93203.

Hubble, J.D. et al. 1991. Yakima/Klickitat Natural Production and Enhancement Program. Prepared for Bonneville Power Administration. Project No. 88-120 Grant DE-A179-88BP93203.

Hubble, J.D. et al. 1992. Yakima/Klickitat Natural Production and Enhancement Program. Prepared for Bonneville Power Administration. Project No. 88-120 Grant DE-A179-88BP93203.

Hubble, J.D. et al. 1993. Yakima/Klickitat Natural Production and Enhancement Program. Prepared for Bonneville Power Administration. Project No. 88-120 Grant DE-A179-88BP93203.

Adaptive management implications
The YKFP has formally adopted adaptive management through the Policy Group. It has been stated that adaptive management is essential as the principals of supplementation are tested and explored. Information collected from tasks in this project will allow the managers to utilize adaptive management in the design process used to determine priorities of subsequent habitat/ passage and supplementation projects in the Klickitat basin.

Section 4. Purpose and methods

Specific measureable objectives
To test the assumption that habitat/passage improvement techniques and supplementation activities can be used in the Klickitat Basin to increase natural production and to improve harvest opportunities, while maintaining the log-term genetic fitness of the native salmonids population and keeping adverse ecological interactions within acceptable limits.

To provide knowledge about the use of habitat/passage improvement projects and supplementation, so that it may be used to enhance anadromous fisheries throughout the Columbia River Basin.

The specific objectives of the Klickitat project are to:

1) Characterize the physical attributes of each stream and tributary surveyed.
2) Determine the summer distribution and abundance of juvenile fish by species in the mainstem and selected tributaries.
3) Conduct salmon spawner ground surveys in the Klickitat Basin.
4) Evaluate the effectiveness of the current monitoring sites in terms of logistics and to meet YKFP monitoring needs.
5) Collect life history data from both wild and hatchery salmonid outmigrants
6) Collect historical information that will be beneficial to model the template for future patient-template analysis for the Klickitat River.
7) Develop specifics from Phase I engineering investigations into the primary passage problems (Lyle and Castile Falls ) on the Klickitat River.

Critical uncertainties
An uncertainty associated with this project is whether the flow to entrainment relationship for the rotary screw traps ( population monitoring) can be developed with a high degree of statistical certainty.

Biological need
The underlying need for the project is to provide baseline information from fisheries surveys, population monitoring, habitat inventories and engineering surveys of passage barriers to develop a Preliminary Design Report for the Klickitat River subbasin.

Hypothesis to be tested
NA

Alternative approaches
All methods of field data collection were reviewed. Based on knowledge of existing in-basin conditions and biological data for YKFP, particular standardized methods were selected.

Justification for planning
Assessment. This study is needed to provide baseline information to direct future efforts for habitat and passage improvement projects and supplementation activities.

Methods
Conduct standardized fisheries and habitat inventories to direct future habitat/passage improvements and potential supplementation activities that have the greatest chance for success. Specific techniques include; Electrofishing, snorkeling, spawner surveys, rotary screw trap operation, Timber, Fish and Wildlife (TFW) Ambient Monitoring Stream habitat inventory, and EPA Rapid Bioassesment .

Section 5. Planned activities

Constraints or factors that may cause schedule or budget changes
NEPA analysis and permitting requirements for habitat passage improvement projects. Coordination and consent between county, federal, state, and private landowners.

Section 6. Outcomes, monitoring and evaluation

SUMMARY OF EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Expected performance of target population or quality change in land area affected
Detailed information from fisheries surveys, population monitoring , habitat inventory and engineering surveys will produce specifics measures and tasks for implementing the passage and habitat improvements. Information will used by patient-template modelers to guide future supplementation in the Klickitat River subbasin.

Present utilization and convservation potential of target population or area
Anadromous fish from the Klickitat River are caught in commercial , sport, and tribal subsistence/ceremonial fisheries in the ocean, Columbia River and Klickitat River. Conservation potential for all Klickitat River stocks is good due to the relatively intact nature of the Klickitat basin.

Assumed historic status of utilization and conservation potential
Tribal subsistence and ceremonial fisheries. Assumed conservation potential was very high.

Long term expected utilization and conservation potential for target population or habitat
Naturally reproducing stocks of anadromous fish, to meet escapement goals, sport and commercial harvests, and tribal subsistence and ceremonial purposes.

Contribution toward long-term goal
Increase the number of returning adults and naturally reproducing adults to the target population. Increase the information on the feasibility of using supplementation to rebuild natural populations of salmonids. Baseline life history information on Klickitat River spring and summer/fall chinook, coho, and summer and winter steelhead.

Indirect biological or environmental changes
Expanding use of anadromous stocks to newly accessible areas opened up through passage improvement projects. Increased natural production and resultant carcasses will add nutrients to the entire subbasin.

Physical products
Detailed design drawing of proposed improvements to the Lyle Falls #5 fishway has been developed. Preliminary design drawing of potential improvements to the Castile Falls complex have been developed. Physical products such as passage and habitat improvement projects will be developed as part of this study.

Environmental attributes affected by the project
NA

Changes assumed or expected for affected environmental attributes
NA

Measure of attribute changes
NA

Assessment of effects on project outcomes of critical uncertainty
Use standard fisheries inventories for monitoring short and long range goals of this project. Fisheries and habitat survey data will be used to resolve critical uncertainties which developed.

Information products
Characterization of the physical attributes for mainstem and selected tributaries. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adults in the mainstem and tributaries. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the current monitoring sites in terms of logistics and to meet YKFP monitoring needs. Collection of life history data of salmonids species present in the Klickitat basin.

Coordination outcomes
Coordination activities to date include; Genetic Stock Identification (GSI) of Klickitat spring, summer/fall chinook, and steelhead with WDFW. Coordination with WDFW Hatchery personnel on fish releases and marking methods. Coordination with WDFW habitat engineers for evaluation and maintenance of passage facilities on the mainstem Klickitat River. Coordination and contract development with Summit Technology Consulting Engineers to begin detailed evaluation of the passage facilities. Coordination and contract development with International Statistical Training and Technical Services to conduct flow to entrainment relationship for population monitoring.

MONITORING APPROACH
Monitor an increase in natural production of salmonids stocks associated with particular habitat/passage improvements or supplementation activities.

Provisions to monitor population status or habitat quality
Conduct standardized fisheries surveys to determine if habitat and passage improvement projects result in increased natural production. Monitoring of riparian habitat projects will be conducting using photo documentation.

Data analysis and evaluation
Use YKFP patient-template analysis to direct habitat and passage improvements as well as any future supplementation activities.

Information feed back to management decisions
Through YKFP/BPA scheduled reports, uncertainty resolution plans, meetings, and Project Annual Review (PAR).

Critical uncertainties affecting project's outcomes
None are anticipated at this point.

Evaluation
Increased numbers, and available population of naturally reproducing stocks. Increase fish use into areas previously devoid or under utilized by anadromous fish.

Incorporating new information regarding uncertainties
As part of an adaptive management approach.

Increasing public awareness of F&W activities
Through tribal news letters, local television interviews, and newspaper articles. Personal communications with concerned citizens at our high profile juvenile monitoring stations on the lower Klickitat River.

Section 7. Relationships

Opportunities for cooperation
Cooperation between the Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Yakama Indian Nation Fisheries Program (YINFP) as co-managers in the YKFP is ongoing. Additional opportunities for cooperation between YINFP and the WDFW Habitat Division are underway. YIN and WDFW will identify areas for habitat improvement projects, as well as, information sharing and coordinated data collection in the future. The Americorps Volunteer Program has used on related projects in the Klickitat basin and will be used to assist with future habitat improvement projects. Information coordination with WDFW on the spatial distribution of Klickitat River Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus will continue.

Section 8. Costs and FTE

1997 Planned  $776,500

Other non-financial supporters
US Fish and Wildlife Service, Lower Snake River Compensation Plan, USDA Forest Service, Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho Department of Fish and Game

Continued implementation

How does percentage apply to direct costs
Portion of direct costs: personnel and fringe benefits