Evaluate potential to enhance spawning of summer/fall chinook salmon in the tailrace of Chief Joseph Dam, Columbia River, WA proposal 200719300

FY07-09 proposal 200719300

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal title	Evaluate potential to enhance spawning of summer/fall chinook salmon in the tailrace of Chief Joseph Dam, Columbia River, WA
Proposal ID	200719300
Organization	Colville Confederated Tribes
Short description	This project will map potential spawning habitat in the tailrace of Chief Joseph Dam. We will estimate the number of summer/fall chinook redds that could be supported and evaluate the feasibility to increase production by altering hydrosystem operation.
Information transfer	The primary information transfer will be through project progress reports and a final technical report. The work will also be published in a journal article in an appropriate journal. The information will be used by Action Agencies and stake holders to manage and potentially increase summer/fall Chinook salmon spawning in the tailrace of Chief Joseph Dam.
Proposal contact person or principal investigator

Contacts

Contact	Organization	Email
Form submitter
Bob Johnson	Pacific Northwest National Laboratory	[email protected]
All assigned contacts
Christopher Fisher	Colville Confederated Tribes	[email protected]
Christopher Fisher	Colville Confederated Tribes	[email protected]
David Geist	Pacific Northwest National Laboratory	[email protected]
David Geist	Pacific Northwest National Laboratory	[email protected]
Bob Johnson	Pacific Northwest National Laboratory	[email protected]
Bob Johnson	Pacific Northwest National Laboratory	[email protected]
Bob Johnson	Pacific Northwest National Laboratory	[email protected]

Section 2. Locations

Province / subbasin: Columbia Cascade / Columbia Upper Middle

Latitude	Longitude	Waterbody	Description
48.0114	-119.6689	Columbia River	Columbia River from Chief Joseph Dam downstream to the confluence of the Okanogan River.

Section 3. Focal species

primary: Chinook Upper Columbia River Summer/Fall ESU
secondary: All Anadromous Fish

Section 4. Past accomplishments

Year	Accomplishments

Section 5. Relationships to other projects

Funding source	Related ID	Related title	Relationship
BPA	199102900	Post-Release Survival of Fall	Share data on flow relationships and model development and habitat use
BPA	199406900	Spawning Habitat Model - Snake	Share habitat model development and habitat use
BPA	199801003	M&E Yearling Snake R. Fall Ch	Monitors the spawning habitat of chinook salmon and source of additional fall chinook habitat data
BPA	199900301	Salmon Spawning Below Lower Co	Share data on flow relationships and model development and data for Columbia River fall chinook salmon habitat use

Section 6. Biological objectives

Biological objectives	Full description	Associated subbasin plan	Strategy
Determine number of summer/fall chinook redds	Determine the number of summer/fall chinook redds in the tailrace of Chief Joseph Dam from the dam downstream to the confluence of the Okanogan River.	None	Identify and protect habitat areas and ecological functions that are relatively productive for spawning, resting, rearing, and migrating salmon and steelhead (Mainstem Amendments)
Quantify spawning habitat below Chief Joseph Dam	Quantify the quality and availability of summer/fall Chinook salmon spawning habitat in the tailrace of Chief Joseph Dam.	None	Through system operations and investments in mainstem habitats, increase the extent, diversity, complexity, and productivity of mainstem habitat by protecting, enhancing, and connecting mainstem spawning, rearing, and resting areas. (Mainstem Amendments)

Section 7. Work elements (coming back to this)

Work element name	Work element title	Description	Start date	End date	Est budget
Other	Work Element 1C: Prepare annual progress report	No work element listing for this task. An annual progress reports will be provided to BPA which describes the numbers of redds located, redd specific habitat features, and any other anecdotal information of interest.	9/1/2007	9/30/2008	$105,356
Biological objectives Determine number of summer/fall chinook redds Quantify spawning habitat below Chief Joseph Dam			Metrics
Produce Plan	Work Element 1A: Project Planning and Study Site Selection	The purpose of this task is to select the specific survey area where we will conduct searches for summer/fall Chinook redds. We anticipate that surveys will be conducted in the tailrace area and downstream 10 miles to the mouth of the Okanogan River. However, we will review existing data including bathymetric maps, substrate, hydraulics, fish harvest information, historical spawning, etc. in order to refine the search area to increase the probability of finding redds. In addition we will apply a hydraulic flow model to estimate depths and velocities under existing typical flow conditions for the October through November time period (e.g., 10%, 50%, and 90% exceedence flow intervals during that period). Surveys will be restricted to those areas that contain average cross-sectional velocities that are greater than or equal to the minimum velocities required for successful summer/fall Chinook salmon spawning. Other information such as sites of groundwater upwelling will be considered in choosing survey locations. Once a survey area is selected, we will stratify it based on channel gradient and geomorphic features (bathymetry, channel planform, and geologic features of the shoreline). The source of this information will be existing USGS topographic/resource maps, or other data we can gather from local, state, or federal agencies (e.g., USACE). Areas identified as potential spawning habitat based on the geomorphic and hydraulic analyses will be searched for summer/fall Chinook salmon redds. Surveys will be conducted either on transects or in a grid pattern. If necessary, we will randomly select transects and/or grid cells in order to extrapolate our findings to the entire survey area. A survey design report will be prepared which will include selected survey locations. Selected locations will be input to our on-board GIS which will guide the field crews to the sampling locations.	10/1/2006	9/30/2008	$102,023
Biological objectives Determine number of summer/fall chinook redds Quantify spawning habitat below Chief Joseph Dam			Metrics
Produce/Submit Scientific Findings Report	Work Element 2E: Prepare final project report on habitat available under current and revised operations.	The purpose of this task is the make recommendations to the fishery managers on the quality of summer/fall Chinook salmon spawning habitat in the tailrace of Chief Joseph Dam, and the feasibility of increasing production under revised operations during the spawning period (e.g., 4-6 weeks in the fall). Based on the extent of the discovered spawning habitat we will also provide recommendations regarding risk assessment associated with the interaction of proposed hatchery production in close proximity to the spawning area. The methods and results from the project will be documented and made available in several forms. A final report will be prepared and made available in a PDF file format. In addition to the report, individual GIS data layers (ArcView shape files) and text files of model input conditions and simulation results will also be made available for download over the web. A digital summary of the project will be provided in the form of an ArcView project. The project results will also be documented in the form of one or more papers submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed archival journal. We also plan to present our work at a regional and national conference.	10/1/2008	9/30/2009	$150,264
Biological objectives Determine number of summer/fall chinook redds Quantify spawning habitat below Chief Joseph Dam			Metrics
Analyze/Interpret Data	Work Element 2B: Predict depths and velocities within the Chief Joseph tailrace over a range of river velocities and tailrace elevations.	The purpose of this task is to predict depth and velocities over a range of river discharges. To simulate the spatial distribution of water depth and velocity under difference project operating conditions, it is proposed that a two-dimensional depth-averaged hydrodynamic and water quality models be applied to Chief Joseph Dam tailrace. We proposed to use the existing two-dimensional MASS2 (Richmond, et al 2000) model. In this project we will update the bathymetry, computational grid, and perform additional validation simulations using velocity and stage data collected for this project.	10/1/2007	9/30/2008	$52,322
Biological objectives Quantify spawning habitat below Chief Joseph Dam			Metrics Primary R, M, and E Type: Action Effectiveness Research Focal Area: Systemwide
Analyze/Interpret Data	Work Element 2C: Predict suitable habitat over a range of river discharges.	The purpose of this task is to determine how much suitable spawning habitat is available within the Chief Joseph tailrace over a range of river discharges. Once available habitat is predicted for a range of discharges (Tasks 2A and 2B), the suitability of that habitat for summer/fall Chinook salmon spawning will be assessed by comparing suitability criteria to available habitat. Variables used in the habitat suitability model will include depth, substrate size, water velocity (mean water column), and lateral slope. Velocities and depths will be predicted using a hydraulic simulation model (see Task 2B). Substrate will be included from empirical data collected above (see Task 2A). Suitability criteria will be based on measurements of depth, substrate, and velocity taken from redds under Objective 1. If sufficient numbers of redds are not found, and as a quality check, suitability criteria will be compared to existing criteria from other locations (e.g., Hanford Reach, Snake River). Suitability criteria may also be determined based on analysis of the habitat within redd clusters (see Geist et al. 2000 for details).	10/1/2007	9/30/2009	$63,903
Biological objectives Quantify spawning habitat below Chief Joseph Dam			Metrics Primary R, M, and E Type: Action Effectiveness Research Focal Area: Systemwide
Analyze/Interpret Data	Work Element 2D: Estimate redd capacity of summer/fall Chinook salmon in the Chief Joseph tailrace.	The purpose of this task is to predict the potential number of summer/fall Chinook salmon redds the Chief Joseph tailrace could support under existing and revised operations. Redd capacity is defined as the total number of redds required to fill a given area of suitable spawning habitat. Two different methods will be used to estimate redd capacity. The first method will use the average size of a summer/fall Chinook redd divided into the amount of suitable spawning habitat. Average redd sizes will be based on data from the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River, and included 17 m2 (n=262, Chapman et al. 1986), 21 m2 (n=1500, 1994 data in Visser 2000) and 23 m2 (n=1500, 1995 data in Visser 2000). This method of calculating redd capacity results in estimates on the upper end of the range, as it does not account for inter-redd spacing. The second method for estimating redd capacity will be based on the average area used by a redd, including inter-redd spacing, divided into the amount of suitable spawning habitat. Values for inter-redd spacing will be taken from studies in the Hanford Reach, and include 3.4 m (Geist et al. 1997) and 2.8 m (Visser 2000). These values will be applied to the average redd sizes, resulting in average area used ranging from 83 – 117 m2. Both methods of estimating redd capacity will be applied to all the discharge scenarios. Where appropriate, evaluations of other adjustment factors will be considered.	10/1/2008	9/30/2009	$25,620
Biological objectives Quantify spawning habitat below Chief Joseph Dam			Metrics Primary R, M, and E Type: Action Effectiveness Research Focal Area: Systemwide
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data	Work Element 1B: Conduct redd search	The purpose of this work element is to locate summer/fall Chinook spawning areas. A minimum of three surveys of the survey area will be conducted using an underwater video system during or immediately after the peak spawning interval (i.e., mid-November to mid-December). The video system consists of a high-resolution monochrome camera with wide-angle lens connected to an 8-mm camera recorder located on the boat. The camera is placed inside a waterproof housing and mounted on a weighted platform containing two downward-pointing lasers, providing reference scale within each video image. Located redds will be marked with paint-coded rebar and flagging to facilitate their relocation and to track timing. Depth of the camera relative to the bottom substrate, the number of transects, and distance covered during each transect will be recorded at each site so the total bottom area covered during each surveys can be estimated. Selected surveys will include the use of an infrared light source to enhance visibility in deep water areas and to reduce the potential for disturbance to adult salmon. The locations of any redds will be determined using a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver. The total area used for spawning will be delineated, mapped using Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques, and compared between years. Specific habitat variables to be collected for each redd include near-bed velocity, depth, and dominant substrate size. Velocity data will be collected using a Marsh McBirney Flo-Mate Model 2000-21 flowmeter attached to the camera sled. Depth will be based on camera depth. The individual substrate images will be processed with image analysis software. The grains are digitized by the computer operator, and then measured by the software, resulting in an estimate of the length of the apparent long (a) and intermediate (b) axes for each grain. Additional data to be collected during each survey will include water temperature, turbidity, and project discharge.	10/1/2008	3/31/2009	$159,992
Biological objectives Determine number of summer/fall chinook redds			Metrics Primary R, M, and E Type: Action Effectiveness Research Focal Area: Systemwide
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data	Work Element 2A: Assess available spawning habitat under existing operations	The purpose of this task is to determine the quality and quantity of available summer/fall Chinook spawning habitat based on physical characteristics under current conditions. Within the survey area, we will assess spawning habitat based on depth, velocities, lateral slope, and substrate. Within the primary summer/fall Chinook salmon survey area, transects will be established at densities appropriate to site conditions (e.g., 100 to 400 m). Empirical data will be collected at least twice during the October-November time period. The results will provide refined estimates of spawning habitat quantity and location based on physical characteristics.	10/1/2006	9/30/2008	$134,917
Biological objectives Quantify spawning habitat below Chief Joseph Dam			Metrics Primary R, M, and E Type: Action Effectiveness Research Focal Area: Systemwide

Section 8. Budgets

Itemized estimated budget

Item	Note	FY07	FY08	FY09
Personnel	Colville Tribe - 28%: PNNL - Research Scientist/Eng FY07 .98, FY08 .79, FY09 .90; Administrative FY07-FY09 .01	$91,175	$74,610	$90,128
Fringe Benefits	Colville Tribe - 25%: PNNL remainder	$30,517	$24,275	$28,488
Supplies	PNNL - Cell Phone, Maps, Loggers, Fathometer Rental, Sonar Rental, Misc office and field supplies	$16,726	$12,648	$15,920
Travel	PNNL - Trips to Coulee City and Brewster	$10,844	$13,285	$12,194
Overhead	Colville Tribe - 37.73%: PNNL - PDM, G&A, Org Overhead, Service Assessment	$128,624	$108,344	$125,465
Other	PNNL - GSA Truck/Fuel, Surveyor	$6,491	$1,600	$3,063
Totals		$284,377	$234,762	$275,258

Total estimated FY 2007-2009 budgets

Total itemized budget:	$794,397
Total work element budget:	$794,397

Cost sharing

Funding source/org	Item or service provided	FY 07 est value ($)	FY 08 est value ($)	FY 09 est value ($)	Cash or in-kind?	Status
Totals		$0	$0	$0

Section 9. Project future

FY 2010 estimated budget: $50,000
FY 2011 estimated budget: $50,000

Comments: Information transfer

Future O&M costs:

Termination date: 9/30/2009
Comments:

Final deliverables: All data including raw and summarized data from redd surveys and hydrographic surveys, GIS maps, and statistical analysis. The complete study will be captured in the Final technical report.

Section 10. Narrative and other documents

Reviews and recommendations

FY07 budget	FY08 budget	FY09 budget	Total budget	Type	Category	Recommendation
NPCC FINAL FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Oct 23, 2006) [full Council recs]
$0	$0	$0	$0	Expense	ProvinceExpense	Do Not Fund
NPCC DRAFT FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Sep 15, 2006) [full Council recs]
$0	$0	$0	$0		ProvinceExpense

ISRP PRELIMINARY REVIEW (Jun 2, 2006)

Recommendation: Fundable

NPCC comments: This is a well-designed but expensive project. The connection of this project to others being undertaken in the vicinity of Chief Joseph Dam was not fully described and the significance of this project to regional and subbasin plans may have been a bit optimistic. However, the technical aspects of this proposal were very well done, and this effort should provide valuable information regarding the effects of hydropower operation on spawning habitat for summer/fall Chinook salmon. Nonetheless, the ISRP has suggestions for the sponsors. The background information provides a clear picture of the historical and current distribution of summer/fall Chinook in the Columbia above the Okanogan River. The nature of the problem this proposal intends to address is well described. They intend to apply techniques developed over the past ten years doing habitat characterization and underwater video surveys of fall Chinook salmon redds elsewhere. They could have done a better job of explaining the results of previous similar work, and summarizing the citations that they cite. There is nothing specific described about the habitat of the Chief Joseph tailrace area that relates it to the authors’ previous studies in the Snake, Hanford, Wanapum, etc. There must have been some reconnaissance that indicated potential for good habitat. It is not clear why this proposal advances the CCT proposals to get Chinook above Chief Joseph Dam. The rationale section makes the case that this project is relevant to issues raised in some regional plans. However, in some instances the significance of this project appears to be a bit overstated. For example, the claim is made that the project will deliver information important to subbasin and recovery planning. Yet the Mid Columbia Subbasin Plan does not specifically address spawning in the tailrace of Chief Joseph and the summer/fall Chinook in this part of the Columbia River are not ESA listed, so no recovery plan exists. Ties to some of the mainstem planning documents are more compelling. The proposal does a good job of describing the significance of this project in efforts to increase population levels of spawning salmon at this location. The project also may provide information relevant to identifying opportunities to enhance spawning habitat at other dams. In this regard, it seems time for the site-specific studies of tailraces by this group to be synthesized into some general principles that can be applied with minimal site-specific research. This project intends to utilize technology developed during previous spawning assessment projects on the Columbia, and these projects are briefly described. There is no mention of efforts ongoing at Chief Joseph Dam or upstream to evaluate the potential to reintroduce anadromous fishes to this stretch of the river. However, the introduction to this proposal implied that such work has been ongoing. If so, some discussion of this work would have strengthened this proposal. This proposal would be stronger if the proponents had demonstrated collaboration with the hatchery managers/dam operators (Corps) for whom their products are intended. The objectives are appropriate and fully described. This component of the proposal is very well done. Methods are clearly explained, and well documented with citations to the literature. The work elements are thoroughly described. There were a few minor points that deserve clarification or further elaboration. In describing the sampling scheme for characterizing the extent of available spawning habitats, transect spacing is stated as 100-400 m in one place and as 100 ft. in another. Also, calculating a redd capacity estimate that is based on the average redd area, not accounting for inter-redd spacing, does not seem to be worthwhile. What would this value represent? This is an expensive project. Is it possible that the proponents could select some alternative methods that would still provide results sufficient to evaluate the potential of the study area for salmon spawning? The first work element is to develop a plan and select a study site. It's not clear why this will take two years. Work element B (conduct a redd search) gives the start date of 1 October 2008, but the deliverables indicate 2007 and 2008. Which is correct? The proponents do not discuss their assumption that these two years will be representative of salmon runs to the study site. The facilities, equipment and the qualifications and responsibilities of all project personnel are fully described. The experienced staff has done this sort of work elsewhere. The information transfer mechanisms are appropriate for this type of project and very complete. This project has the potential to be very beneficial to the population of the focal species utilizing the section of the Columbia River that will be studied. This assumes that appropriate operational measures are taken at the dam and that the fish actually use the habitat that is “suitable.” However, the significance of the population spawning below Chief Joseph Dam to the entire population of summer/fall Chinook in the upper Columbia is not clear. Some of the information developed by the project may be transferable to other hydropower facilities, increasing the potential value to this species when general principles are further developed.

ISRP FINAL REVIEW (Aug 31, 2006)

Recommendation: Fundable