FY 2002 Columbia Plateau proposal 200202700

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal titleNumerically Simulating the Hydrodynamic and Water Quality Environment for Migrating Salmon in the Lower Snake River
Proposal ID200202700
OrganizationPacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
NameChristopher Cook
Mailing addressP.O. Box 999 Richland, WA 99352
Phone / email5093756878 / [email protected]
Manager authorizing this project
Review cycleColumbia Plateau
Province / SubbasinColumbia Plateau / Mainstem Snake
Short descriptionThe objective of this work is to apply state-of-the-art computer models that can describe the complex hydrodynamic and water quality environment in the lower Snake River, and to relate that information to migrating salmon.
Target speciesMigrating salmonids: juveniles and adults
Project location
LatitudeLongitudeDescription
46.659 -117.4304 Lower Granite Dam
46.5852 -118.0272 Little Goose Dam
46.5614 -118.5351 Lower Monumental Dam
46.2501 -118.8783 Ice Harbor Dam
Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)

Sponsor-reported:

RPA

Relevant RPAs based on NMFS/BPA review:

Reviewing agencyAction #BiOp AgencyDescription
NMFS Action 141 NMFS The Action Agencies shall evaluate juvenile fish condition due to disease in relation to high temperature impacts during critical migration periods. This evaluation should include monitoring summer migrants at lower Columbia and lower Snake river dams to clarify the possible link between temperature and fish disease and mortality. This information will be used to assess the long-term impacts of water temperature on juvenile fish survival.
NMFS Action 143 NMFS By June 30, 2001, the Action Agencies shall develop and coordinate with NMFS and EPA on a plan to model the water temperature effects of alternative Snake River operations. The modeling plan shall include a temperature data collection strategy developed in consultation with EPA, NMFS, and state and Tribal water quality agencies. The data collection strategy shall be sufficient to develop and operate the model and to document the effects of project operations.
NMFS/BPA Action 143 NMFS By June 30, 2001, the Action Agencies shall develop and coordinate with NMFS and EPA on a plan to model the water temperature effects of alternative Snake River operations. The modeling plan shall include a temperature data collection strategy developed in consultation with EPA, NMFS, and state and Tribal water quality agencies. The data collection strategy shall be sufficient to develop and operate the model and to document the effects of project operations.

Section 2. Past accomplishments

YearAccomplishment
2000 Fish Individual-Based Numerical Simulator (FINS) Model applied in Main Stem Columbia to simulate outmigrating juveniles (Walla Walla District, USACE)
2000 2-D Numerical Model of Lower Snake and Columbia Mainstem for water temperature and dissolved gas abatement (DGAS), (Walla Walla District, USACE)
1999 1-D Long term simulations of Lower Snake River for Current and Unimpounded (without dams) Condidions, (Walla Walla District, USACE)
1999 2-D Numerical Model of the Lower Snake River. Emphasized water velocity, temperature, and sediment transport with and without dams the four lower Snake River dams (Walla Walla District, USACE).

Section 3. Relationships to other projects

Project IDTitleDescription
9102900 Life history and survival of fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River Basin Numerical models applied in this proposal will augment this ongoproject by providing information on the physical river environment, under existing and proposed flow strategies, that is not possible by monitoring alone.
9302900 Survival estimates for the passage of juvenile salmonids through Snake and Columbia River dams and reservoirs. Numerical models applied in this project will examine physical environment experienced by the PIT tagged fish, plus predict river conditions under agumented or reduced flow conditions.

Section 4. Budget for Planning and Design phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
1. Data Collection and Assembly a. GIS maps of PIT tags 1 $11,770
b. Assemble bathymetry of system 0.1 $3,300
c/d/e Gather ADCP/Temp/Met data 0.2 $65,582
c/d/e Process ADCP/Temp/Met data 2 $26,410
f. Process new TDG, Update MASS2 3 $11,605
2. Model Development a. Verify MASS2 to new PIT period 1 $9,834
b. Calculate exposure history for new PIT tracks 1 $6,138
c. Adapt EFDC to LGR 3 $14,275
d. Calibrate and verify EFDC 3 $27,188
e. Simulate 3-D exposure history for juveniles 3 $6,138
3. Reporting a. Prepare and present at conference 3 $16,444
b. Prepare and present at BPA meetings 3 $8,676
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
2. Model Development 2003 2003 $110,675
3. Reporting 2003 2003 $72,647
2. Model Development 2004 2004 $50,639
3. Reporting 2004 2004 $57,278
Outyear budgets for Planning and Design phase
FY 2003FY 2004
$183,322$107,917

Section 5. Budget for Construction and Implementation phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Outyear budgets for Construction and Implementation phase

Section 6. Budget for Operations and Maintenance phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase

Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget
ItemNoteFY 2002 cost
Personnel FTE: 0.77 $49,342
Fringe $17,426
Supplies $34,575
Travel $8,521
Indirect $86,253
Capital $0
NEPA $0
PIT tags $0
Subcontractor $11,243
Other $0
Personnel FTE: 0.77 $49,342
Fringe $17,426
Supplies $34,575
Travel $8,521
Indirect $86,253
Capital $0
NEPA $0
PIT tags $0
Subcontractor $11,243
Other $0
$414,720
Total estimated budget
Total FY 2002 cost$414,720
Amount anticipated from previously committed BPA funds$0
Total FY 2002 budget request$414,720
FY 2002 forecast from 2001$0
% change from forecast0.0%
Cost sharing
OrganizationItem or service providedAmountCash or in-kind

Reviews and recommendations

This information was not provided on the original proposals, but was generated during the review process.

Recommendation:
Fundable - no response required
Date:
Jun 15, 2001

Comment:

Fundable. This is a technically excellent proposal by a well-qualified staff to conduct physical modeling and associated data collection for estimating the environmental conditions and cumulative exposures experienced by migrating salmon in the lower Snake River. The proposal is well written. Project personnel are highly qualified to conduct the work. The work is responsive to a need for better understanding of conditions, especially thermal, in the Snake River as they influence migratory salmonids. The work should yield potential strategies for management of water during migration and bases for useful hypotheses for improving survival of migrating salmonids.

Some specific comments are provided by the reviewers for the authors (but do not need a formal response). The species affected are not listed by the proposal. Such a listing is needed for automated searches of the proposal database (could be supplied to BPA at the contract stage). Also, because different species have different habitat usage, hydrodynamics may need to be tailored to particular species. This proposal appears to focus on fall chinook. The "objectives" in Part 1 are not objectives but categories of work (objectives should be desired outcomes). Budgets are not categorized correctly (everything is placed in planning rather than most of the work being in implementation). With no monitoring and evaluation identified either in Part 1 or Part 2, it appears that there will be no evaluation of the validity of the models. There is no cost sharing identified, although the abundant use of data from other sources could have been claimed as a valuable in-kind contribution. There is an excellent background that identifies objectives better than the stated objectives. The regional rationale is supported by specific action items from the NMFS BiOp, Subbasin Summary, and 2000 FWP. The two principal fall chinook salmon studies funded by BPA are identified as having relationships to this proposal, but other on-going work (e.g., by the Corps) is not identified but is clearly relevant as shown by the reference list. The objectives in the narrative are better than those in Part 1. The modeling scale should be identified (e.g., whether velocity is scaled to the size of a 10-cm fish or larger). The objective of calculating integrated exposures of fish to temperature, gas, etc. that was highlighted in the background should appear as a separate objective in the narrative (this seems to be one of the main desired outcomes of the work). There are excellent task descriptions. It is not clear, however, whether the models with their input parameters will be publicly available for others to do confirmatory runs. The facilities are fine, based on both the paragraph of the proposal and the past work cited in the excellent reference list. It would have been useful to note where the agency reports cited are available (web or by request of the agency?). The staff is well qualified to do the proposed work. This modeling approach by a well-qualified lab continues to improve and will be useful in the future. There is potential for stronger coordination with several other projects in this reach of river (e.g., juvenile fall chinook salmon tagging #199102900 and #25064). There may also be useful coordination with the infrared imagery proposal for temperature measurement (FLIR; project #25065).


Recommendation:
High Priority
Date:
Aug 3, 2001

Comment:

Addresses NMFS RPA 141 and 143 and is linked directly to flow augmentation from Snake River reservoirs.
Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Aug 10, 2001

Comment:

Fundable. This is a technically excellent proposal by a well-qualified staff to conduct physical modeling and associated data collection for estimating the environmental conditions and cumulative exposures experienced by migrating salmon in the lower Snake River. The proposal is well written. Project personnel are highly qualified to conduct the work. The work is responsive to a need for better understanding of conditions, especially thermal, in the Snake River as they influence migratory salmonids. The work should yield potential strategies for management of water during migration and bases for useful hypotheses for improving survival of migrating salmonids.

Some specific comments are provided by the reviewers for the authors (but do not need a formal response). The species affected are not listed by the proposal. Such a listing is needed for automated searches of the proposal database (could be supplied to BPA at the contract stage). Also, because different species have different habitat usage, hydrodynamics may need to be tailored to particular species. This proposal appears to focus on fall chinook. The "objectives" in Part 1 are not objectives but categories of work (objectives should be desired outcomes). Budgets are not categorized correctly (everything is placed in planning rather than most of the work being in implementation). With no monitoring and evaluation identified either in Part 1 or Part 2, it appears that there will be no evaluation of the validity of the models. There is no cost sharing identified, although the abundant use of data from other sources could have been claimed as a valuable in-kind contribution. There is an excellent background that identifies objectives better than the stated objectives. The regional rationale is supported by specific action items from the NMFS BiOp, Subbasin Summary, and 2000 FWP. The two principal fall chinook salmon studies funded by BPA are identified as having relationships to this proposal, but other on-going work (e.g., by the Corps) is not identified but is clearly relevant as shown by the reference list. The objectives in the narrative are better than those in Part 1. The modeling scale should be identified (e.g., whether velocity is scaled to the size of a 10-cm fish or larger). The objective of calculating integrated exposures of fish to temperature, gas, etc. that was highlighted in the background should appear as a separate objective in the narrative (this seems to be one of the main desired outcomes of the work). There are excellent task descriptions. It is not clear, however, whether the models with their input parameters will be publicly available for others to do confirmatory runs. The facilities are fine, based on both the paragraph of the proposal and the past work cited in the excellent reference list. It would have been useful to note where the agency reports cited are available (web or by request of the agency?). The staff is well qualified to do the proposed work. This modeling approach by a well-qualified lab continues to improve and will be useful in the future. There is potential for stronger coordination with several other projects in this reach of river (e.g., juvenile fall chinook salmon tagging #199102900 and #25064). There may also be useful coordination with the infrared imagery proposal for temperature measurement (FLIR; project #25065).


Recommendation:
Date:
Oct 1, 2001

Comment:

Statement of Potential Biological Benefit to ESU
Potential to improve reservoir operations for migrating juveniles - Potentially Snake River ESU's

Comments
Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of water temp in the LGR pool and the effects of reservoir operations on listed stocks has been a concern in the region and discussed by the WQT. "MULTIPLE" refers to 4 SR ESUs.

Already ESA Req? no

Biop? yes


Recommendation:
Rank A
Date:
Oct 16, 2001

Comment:

This is a good proposal for addressing Snake River ESA-listed fish, both adult and juvenile fall chinook, and adult steelhead.
Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Jan 3, 2002

Comment:


Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Mar 6, 2002

Comment:

BPA intends to fund; this is a good proposal for addressing Snake River ESA-listed fish, both adult and juvenile fall chinook, and adult steelhead. Meets RPA - 141 and 143.
Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Sep 20, 2003

Comment:

Project was not recommended, but Bi-op BPA project. Check status later.
Recommendation:
Date:
Sep 20, 2003

Comment:


REVIEW:
NW Power and Conservation Council's FY 2006 Project Funding Review
Funding category:
expense
Date:
May 2005
FY05 NPCC start of year:FY06 NPCC staff preliminary:FY06 NPCC July draft start of year:
$200,000 $200,000 $200,000

Sponsor comments: See comment at Council's website