| Year | Accomplishment |
|---|
| 1992 |
White sturgeon spawning in gravel cobble substrate found to be very minimal, main body of adult spawners are found much further downstream. |
| 1993 |
Sturgeon abandon spawning reach when flows are dropped by the USACE. |
| 1993 |
Burbot are found in Idaho reach of Kootenai River, previously though to be extirpated. |
| 1994 |
Burbot densities are higher in the BC reach of the Kootenai River than Idaho but telemetry indicates they are transboundary. |
| 1994 |
Trophic structure of Kootenai River now comprised primarily of omnivores, previous studies in 70's indicated there was a nearly equal representation of insectivores and omnivores. |
| 1994 |
White sturgeon are found spawning in slow velocity water over sand substrate further downstream (rkm 228) than anticipated. |
| 1994 |
Abundance of rainbow trout in tributaries of the Kootenai River are similar to those of the late 70's but trout numbers in the river are lower. |
| 1994 |
Burbot in Idaho are concentrated at Ambush Rock, rkm 244.5, and are concentrated in the thalweg. |
| 1995 |
Creel survey indicates rainbow trout are the most sought after fish in the Kootenai River but whitefish are most important in the harvest. |
| 1995 |
The only know spawning location of burbot in the Kootenai River system below Kootenai Falls is found to be in the Goat River, a tributary in BC. |
| 1995 |
Hypothesis developed inferring river flow impairs burbot spawning migrations and fitness. |
| 1995 |
Population estimate of sturgeon indicates about 1,555 adult white sturgeon but juveniles are estimated at 87. |
| 1996 |
Growth and condition of Kootenai River white sturgeon is lower than for the mean of other white sturgeon in the Columbia Basin. |
| 1996 |
Kootenai River white sturgeon are spawning over sand substrate in low velocity water and in habitat thought to be unusual for white sturgeon. |
| 1997 |
The capture of several juvenile sturgeon from flow test years and a larval sturgeon are the first measure of success recorded for mitigated flows for sturgeon spawning. |
| 1997 |
Burbot in Kootenai River and Kootenay Lake genetically distinct from burbot above Kootenai Falls in Montana. |
| 1997 |
Substantial evidence to indicate many burbot are reproductively disfunctional. |
| 1998 |
Burbot spawning migrations are impaired by high flows during winter. |
| 1998 |
Acoustic Doppler Current Profiling indicated velocities in the white sturgeon spawning reach are about 0.80 m/s and slightly faster than a location in which sturgeon were expected to spawn. |
| 1998 |
Acoustic subbottom profiling indicated white sturgeon are spawning over sand substrate which is a minimum of 4 m in depth and there does not appear to be any possibility that gravel and cobble was present prior to Libby Dam. |
| 1998 |
Rainbow trout appear to be a intergrade of coastal rainbow and other strains. |
| 1998 |
Kootenai River white sturgeon spawning migration can be predicted with a logistic model. |
| 1998 |
Deep Creek is the primary location of spawning in the Kootenai drainage in Idaho, west side tributaries provide few recruits. |
| 1998 |
Burbot can travel up to 4.2 km/day under flow conditions of 170 cubic m/s. |
| 1998 |
Rainbow trout spawners in Deep Creek (major tributary to Kootenai River) are adfluvial stock and juveniles seed lower river and Kootenai Lake. |
| 1999 |
Most bull trout appear to be spawning in tributaries in Montana. |
| 1999 |
Analysis of mtDNA of burbot from Duncan Lake indicates they are similar to Kootenai River stock. |
| 1999 |
Analysis of Queens Bay elevations suggests white sturgeon spawning location is governed by the elevation of Kootenay Lake. |
| 1999 |
Estimates of recruits to Kootenai River and Kootenay Lake from the Deep Creek tributaries is about 45,000 to 55,000/year. |
| 1999 |
Most rainbow trout above Bonners Ferry appear to be spawning in tributaries in Montana. |
| 2000 |
The capture of eight unspawned burbot beyond the spawning season in Idaho (in addition to five females resorbing eggs and several unspent males) adds further evidence to the hypothesis the burbot population is reproductively disfunctional. |
| 2000 |
Telemetry suggests Duncan Lake burbot have a similar adfluvial spawning history as Kootenai River burbot. |
| Objective | Task | Duration in FYs | Estimated 2001 cost | Subcontractor |
|---|
| Objective 1. Evaluate the response of adult white sturgeon to mitigated flow and temperature condition and determine the magnitude and timing necessary to provide successful spawning and rearing habitat in the Kootenai River. |
a.Sample 50 adult white sturgeon.
b.Calculate condition of adults & juv.
c.Monitor movement and behavior.
d.Measure and quantify physical river data.
e.Measure egg dep., larval, and juv fish.
f.Determine location of spawning.
g.Monitor Surv of Hat fry.
|
18 |
$368,036 |
|
|
h.Calculate growth of adults, hatchery and wild juveniles. |
18 |
$6,000 |
Yes |
|
i.Test various gear to develop systematic sampling scheme for juv. sturgeon.
j.Quantify abundance of juvenile sturgeon- hatchery and wild.
k.Quantify habitat for early rearing life stages of sturgeon.
|
18 |
$0 |
|
|
l.Kootenay Lake white sturgeon larval sampling, juvenile sampling, and adult and juvenile telemetry.
|
18 |
$20,000 |
Yes |
| Objective 2: Determine the effects of high winter flows on burbot migration rate (km/d) and spawning in Idaho, test null hypothesis flows do not affect burbot travel rate or distance, and null hypothesis high flows do not impair reproductive fitness. |
a.Capture burbot in Kootenai R. and measure and weigh.
b.Attach transmitters to a minimum of 12 and monitor behavior.
c.Monitor behavior and migration of burbot during a five week 6,000 cfs period.
d.Chi-sq. stat. to study control and test differences.
|
12 |
$69,690 |
|
|
e.Collect blood samples from KR burbot and measure testosterone, estradiol, serum chloride.
f.Collect blood samples from control burbot (Columbia L.) and measure testosterone, estradiol, serum chloride.
|
3 |
$10,000 |
Yes |
|
g.Biopsy post-spawn burbot to determine the %spawners and evidence of disfunctional reproduction.
|
12 |
$0 |
|
|
h.Deploy continuous recording thermographs in potential spawning tributaries.
i.Deploy hoopnets in Smith and Boundary creeks to monitor adult spawning.
|
12 |
$0 |
|
|
j.Sample burbot in Koot. and Duncan L. and collect genetic samples and compare behavior similarities to burbot in Idaho.
|
12 |
$20,000 |
Yes |
|
k.Mitochondrial DNA analysis of burbot in Duncan Lake for comparison to Kootenai River. |
2 |
$8,000 |
Yes |
| Objective 3:Estimate the number of burbot in the Kootenai River from the South Arm of Kootenay Lake to Bonners Ferry. |
a.Enter all burbot captured and recaptured from 1993-2001 into a Seber-Jolly computer model to determine number, survival, and recruitment.
|
1 |
$4,000 |
Yes |
| Objective 4: Identify methods to effectively sample larval burbot. |
a.Sample larval burbot with various gear.
b.Preserve samples and note length, location, and temperature.
|
12 |
$12,948 |
|
| Objective 5: Conduct a sportfishery survey on the Kootenai River from Deep Creek to the Montana Border to determine catch and harvest rates and as part of the Large Scale sampling to compare to changes after recovery of productivity (fertilization). |
a.Interview anglers.
b.Measure and weigh fish.
c.Conduct instantaneous angler counts.
d.Note fin-clips and collect tags from trout.
e.Estimate harvest and catch rates.
.
|
1 |
$32,371 |
|
| Objective 6: Determine source of rainbow trout recruitment in the Idaho reach of the Kootenai River. |
a.Trap outmigrating rainbow trout in Boulder Creek.
b.Collect 20 rainbow trout in the Kootenai River and implant radio transmitters.
c.Use aerial telemetry to monitor movement of rainbow spawners.
d.Reward tag rainbow.
e.Do mark and recapture of ra
|
3 |
$41,345 |
|
| Objective 7: Determine source of bull trout recruitment in the Idaho reach of the Kootenai River downstream of Bonners Ferry. |
a.Collect 10 bull trout in the Kootenai River below Bonners Ferry and implant radio transmitters.
b.Use aerial telemetry to monitor movement of bull trout spawners below Bonners Ferry.
.
|
3 |
$9,711 |
|
| Objective 8: Test the use of spawning cribs for rainbow trout to determine the potential for the construction of spawning channels to improve recruitment in the Kootenai River. |
a.Do a literature search.
b.Evaluate which tributaries in Idaho would be best prospects to test spawning cribs for rainbow trout.
c.Evaluate which locations in the Kootenai River would be best prospects to test spawning cribs for rainbow trout
|
5 |
$35,608 |
|
|
d.Devise an experimental design to test location (depth, current, etc.), river or tributary, survival, and recruitment.
e.Monitor and evaluate spawning activity and recruitment or survival of eggs and fry.
|
5 |
$0 |
|
| Objective 9: Large scale sampling to determine the (pre-fertilization) status of the fish community trophic structure, densities, standing stocks, and the growth and cond of salmonids. |
a.Sample fish populations with electrofishing gear at two reaches of the Kootenai River.
b.Identify, measure, weigh, and fin clip all fish, and collect scales from all salmonids.
c.Estimate trophic structure of the fish community (based on food habits).
|
1 |
$9,711 |
|
|
d.Age all salmonid scales and back calculate growth.
e.Calculate relative weights and condition for all salmonids.
f.Calculate population estimates of all fish species and estimate standing stocks and densities/km and /ha. |
1 |
$0 |
|
| Item | Note | FY 2001 cost |
|---|
| Personnel |
FTE: 8.8 (4 - Permanent, 4.8 Temp.) |
$221,300 |
| Fringe |
35% for Perm. and 30% for Temp. |
$75,000 |
| Supplies |
Sampling supplies, nets, hardware vehicle rent, fuel, repairs, hip boots, rain gear, etc. |
$75,130 |
| Travel |
Per diem for local travel, workshops, inhouse training, AFS meetings |
$15,300 |
| Indirect |
About 28% |
$161,690 |
| Capital |
2 Computers
1 Boat, motor, and trailer
1 Back-pack electroshocker |
$35,000 |
| Subcontractor |
University of Wisconsin - burbot blood sample analysis. |
$10,000 |
| Subcontractor |
University of Idaho - burbot population estimate, mtDNA analysis, and fin ray analysis. |
$14,000 |
| Subcontractor |
Canadian studies of burbot and sturgeon in Kootenai R. and Duncan Lake. |
$40,000 |
| $647,420 |
Analysis of the results of Adaptive Ecosystem Assessment modeling and reviews of previous river fertilization studies indicates fertilizing the Kootenai River may provide benefits to a variety of fisheries particularly rainbow trout and mountain whitefish. It will be important to establish baseline information on the status of the post-Libby Dam fish community and growth and condition of salmonids in order to make a final determination during the actual fertilization studies if an improvement in the densities and conditions of important fish has occurred and if sport fishery harvest has improved (post-fertilization.
Early results of behavior and mtDNA study of burbot from Duncan L. indicates they are similar to burbot in the Kootenai River. If the Duncan Lake burbot are to be used in the recovery of burbot in the Kootenai River, after flows are reduced to a level suitable for spawning migration, then a larger sample size will be required to confirm the early results.
This information was not provided on the original proposals, but was generated during the review process.