Download or read book An Analysis of Differential Delayed Mortality Experienced by Stream type Chinook Salmon of the Snake River written by and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 49 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book An Analysis of Differential Delayed Mortality Experienced by Stream Type Chinook Salmon of the Snake River written by Nick Bouwes and published by Createspace Independent Pub. This book was released on 2012-08-23 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mass transportation of juvenile fish in the lower Snake River was initiated in the late 1970's in an effort to reduce mortality of salmon and steelhead during downstream migration. Fish are transported in barges and trucks to below BON, thereby circumventing direct mortality due to passage through the hydroelectric projects and reservoirs. Measurement of the efficacy of smolt transportation has taken the form of studies of “T/C” (transport/control) ratios. These mark recapture studies measured the smolt-to-adult return rates (SARs) of test fish, which were transported, and control fish which were returned to the river. These studies estimated the relative effectiveness of transportation to improve survival rates of fish from the site where they were collected as juveniles back to (usually) the same site when they returned as adults. Included in this T/C ratio is any differential mortality from the collection point to the end of the hydrosystem (to BON tailrace), as well as any differential mortality from below BON to the adult recapture site(s). Although fish generally appear to survive reasonably well while in the trucks and barges, it is harder to gauge how well transported fish survive below BON, after they are released and continue their life cycle in the estuary and ocean. NMFS suggests there may be partial support for delaying a decision to breach the lower Snake River hydroelectric dams because 'D' estimates, using “improved methods provided by PIT-tag technology”, appears to be high for the recent past (A-Fish). Based on these estimates, NMFS further suggest that “ongoing experiments by NMFS are likely to resolve the uncertainty regarding differential delayed transportation mortality in 5 to 10 years.” Alternatively, the Plan for Analyzing and Testing Hypotheses (PATH) analyses include a larger set of T/C studies and stock recruitment data that suggests 'D' is low, which lends support to breaching of the four Snake River dams as the most robust hydro action for recovery of Snake River salmon and steelhead (Marmorek et al. 1998). In this paper, we evaluate the NMFS conclusion that 'D' is now much higher than previously thought (A-Fish), demonstrate the sensitivity of estimates of 'D' to the numerous assumptions required to make an estimate of 'D', clarify and discuss the evidence for and against various interpretations of these assumptions, and discuss the possibility of improving estimates of 'D' in the future. We note that 'D' is not a measurement. Instead, it is an indirect estimate from data and requires numerous assumptions, with many different possible interpretations. In our analysis we evaluate the effect of these different assumptions on 'D' estimates: 1) including and excluding different control and transport groups; 2) using different techniques to expand reach survival rate estimates from a shorter experimental reach to the entire migration corridor; 3) using different approaches to weight cohort reach survival rate estimates to produce seasonal estimates; 4) using different approaches to summarize experimental groups on a daily or on a weekly basis for wild fish only or wild and hatchery fish combined; and finally 5) using different approaches of pooling or averaging estimates across years. In addition, the effects of using alternative tools (passage models) to estimate reach survival rates on 'D' value estimates were evaluated.

Download or read book Columbia River Power System written by United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Environment and Public Works. Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences written by and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 674 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon Life History Investigations Annual Report 2007 written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 90 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2007, we used radio and acoustic telemetry to evaluate the migratory behavior, survival, mortality, and delay of subyearling fall Chinook salmon in the Clearwater River and Lower Granite Reservoir. Monthly releases of radio-tagged fish ((almost equal to)95/month) were made from May through October and releases of 122-149/month acoustic-tagged fish per month were made from August through October. We compared the size at release of our tagged fish to that which could have been obtained at the same time from in-river, beach seine collections made by the Nez Perce Tribe. Had we relied on in-river collections to obtain our fish, we would have obtained very few in June from the free-flowing river but by late July and August over 90% of collected fish in the transition zone were large enough for tagging. Detection probabilities of radio-tagged subyearlings were generally high ranging from 0.60 (SE=0.22) to 1.0 (SE=0) in the different study reaches and months. Lower detection probabilities were observed in the confluence and upper reservoir reaches where fewer fish were detected. Detection probabilities of acoustic-tagged subyearlings were also high and ranged from 0.86 (SE=0.09) to 1.0 (SE=0) in the confluence and upper reservoir reaches during August through October. Estimates of the joint probability of migration and survival generally declined in a downstream direction for fish released from June through August. Estimates were lowest in the transition zone (the lower 7 km of the Clearwater River) for the June release and lowest in the confluence area for July and August releases. The joint probability of migration and survival in these reaches was higher for the September and October releases, and were similar to those of fish released in May. Both fish weight and length at tagging were significantly correlated with the joint probability of migrating and surviving for both radio-tagged and acoustic-tagged fish. For both tag types, fish that were heavier at tagging had a higher probability of successfully passing through the confluence (P=0.0050 for radio-tagged fish; P=0.0038 for acoustic-tagged fish). Radio-tagged fish with greater weight at tagging also had a higher probability of migrating and surviving through both the lower free-flowing reach (P=0.0497) and the transition zone (P=0.0007). Downstream movement rates of radio-tagged subyearlings were highest in free-flowing reaches in every month and decreased considerably with impoundment. Movement rates were slowest in the transition zone for the June and August release groups, and in the confluence reach for the July release group. For acoustic-tagged subyearlings, the slowest movement rates through the confluence and upper reservoir reaches were observed for the September release group. Radio-tagged fish released in August showed the greatest delay in the transition zone, while acoustic-tagged fish released in September showed the greatest delay in the transition zone and confluence reaches. Across the monthly release groups from July through September, the probability of delaying in the transition zone and surviving there declined throughout the study. All monthly release groups of radio-tagged subyearlings showed evidence of mortality within the transition zone, with final estimates (across the full 45-d detection period) ranging from 0.12 (SE not available) for the May release group to 0.58 (SE = 0.06) for the June release group. The May and September release groups tended to have lower mortality in the transition zone than the June, July, and August release groups. Live fish were primarily detected away from shore in the channel, whereas all dead fish were located along shorelines with most being located in the vicinity of the Memorial Bridge and immediately upstream. During the May detection period, before the implementation of summer flow augmentation, temperatures in the Clearwater River and Snake River arms of Lower Granite Reservoir and the downstream boundary of the confluence ranged from 8 to 17 C. During the June-August detection periods, however, temperatures in the Clearwater River arm ranged from 10-16 C down to 7 m and the Snake River arm was above 20 C down to a depth of 9 m. Incomplete mixing between the two water sources resulted in significant vertical temperature variation at the downstream boundary of the confluence during a large portion of the June-August detection periods. This variation diminished during the September and October detection periods when temperatures once again fell to 17 C and lower and eventually became uniformly distributed throughout the water column in the confluence.

Download or read book Effects of the Ocean and River Environments on the Survival of Snake River Stream type Chinook Salmon written by Richard A. Hinrichsen and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 107 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: " ... provides an analysis of adult returns for spring/summer chinook tagged and transported from Lower Granite Dam during 1983 through 1990. A generalized linear model (GLM) analysis is performed using 18 physical and biological variables to determine the best predictors of adult returns."--Letter from Bonneville Power Administration Environment, Fish and Wildlife, dated Apr 15 1997, requesting comments on draft report.

Download or read book Monitoring the Migrations of Wild Snake River Spring written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report provides results from an ongoing project to monitor the migration behavior and survival of wild juvenile spring/summer Chinook salmon in the Snake River Basin. Data reported is from detections of PIT tagged fish during late summer 2007 through mid-2008. Fish were tagged in summer 2007 by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in Idaho and by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) in Oregon. Our analyses include migration behavior and estimated survival of fish at instream PIT-tag monitors and arrival timing and estimated survival to Lower Granite Dam. Principal results from tagging and interrogation during 2007-2008 are: (1) In July and August 2007, we PIT tagged and released 7,390 wild Chinook salmon parr in 12 Idaho streams or sample areas. (2) Overall observed mortality from collection, handling, tagging, and after a 24-hour holding period was 1.4%. (3) Of the 2,524 Chinook salmon parr PIT tagged and released in Valley Creek in summer 2007, 218 (8.6%) were detected at two instream PIT-tag monitoring systems in lower Valley Creek from late summer 2007 to the following spring 2008. Of these, 71.6% were detected in late summer/fall, 11.9% in winter, and 16.5% in spring. Estimated parr-to-smolt survival to Lower Granite Dam was 15.5% for the late summer/fall group, 48.0% for the winter group, and 58.5% for the spring group. Based on detections at downstream dams, the overall efficiency of VC1 (upper) or VC2 (lower) Valley Creek monitors for detecting these fish was 21.1%. Using this VC1 or VC2 efficiency, an estimated 40.8% of all summer-tagged parr survived to move out of Valley Creek, and their estimated survival from that point to Lower Granite Dam was 26.5%. Overall estimated parr-to-smolt survival for all summer-tagged parr from this stream at the dam was 12.1%. Development and improvement of instream PIT-tag monitoring systems continued throughout 2007 and 2008. (4) Testing of PIT-tag antennas in lower Big Creek during 2007-2008 showed these antennas (and anchoring method) are not adequate to withstand high spring flows in this drainage. Future plans involve removing these antennas before high spring flows. (5) At Little Goose Dam in 2008, length and/or weight were taken on 505 recaptured fish from 12 Idaho stream populations. Fish had grown an average of 40.1 mm in length and 10.6 g in weight over an average of 288 d. Their mean condition factor declined from 1.25 at release (parr) to 1.05 at recapture (smolt). (6) Mean release lengths for detected fish were significantly larger than for fish not detected the following spring and summer (P

Download or read book Mortality of Yearling Chinook Salmon Prior to Arrival at Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River written by and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Efforts have been initiated to develop a research plan that will provide insight into causes of, and ultimately solutions to, the apparent excessive mortality of juvenile chinook upstream from Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River. In the context of the proposed salmon stock listings under the Endangered Species Act, issues that potentially affect wild stocks of spring chinook salmon probably warrant immediate consideration and resolution. Mark-recapture data at Lower Granite Dam indicate that few yearling chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) smolts survive to that site after release from various hatcheries. Upriver stocks of yearling spring and summer chinook exhibit pronounced losses en route to the dam. In 1989 and 1990, only about 8 to 18% of PIT-tagged representatives from McCall or Sawtooth hatchery were detected at the dam. General survival indices for these stocks indicate that perhaps only 15 to 35% of the yearlings survived to that site. This suggests these stocks may sustain as much mortality traversing this unobstructed reach of river as the general population would passing through the entire hydroelectric complex.

Download or read book Migration and Survival of Juvenile Spring Chinook Salmon and Sockeye Salmon Determined by a Large scale Telemetry Array written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This thesis documents the use a large-scale acoustic telemetry array to track hatchery-reared salmon smolts during their seaward migration, presents estimates of early marine survival, and describes migration behaviour in the ocean of two species of Pacific salmon from the Columbia and Fraser River basins. In the Columbia River basin, it is hypothesized that seaward migrating Snake River spring Chinook salmon suffer from "delayed mortality" due to passage through eight hydropower dams or "differential delayed mortality" from transportation via barge around the dams. I tested these hypotheses by comparing survival of in-river migrating smolts from the Snake River basin to 1) a Yakima River population that migrated past only four dams and 2) a Snake River group that was transported around all dams. Early marine survival estimates of non-transported Snake and Yakima smolts from the mouth of the Columbia River to Vancouver Island (a 485 km, one month journey) was equal in both 2006 and 2008 (2007 estimates were not available), which contradicts the delayed mortality theory. Early marine survival for the transported groups was slightly higher than for the in-river migrants, again contradicting the differential delayed mortality theory. These measurements form the first direct experimental test of key theories concerning juvenile fish survival in the coastal ocean. Cultus Lake sockeye salmon are a genetically unique population from the Fraser River basin and are now endangered due to the very low return of adults in recent years. Mean survivorship of smolts (2004-7) from release to the northern Strait of Georgia ranged from 10-50%, while survivorship to the final sub-array in Queen Charlotte Strait ranged from 7-28%. Cultus Lake smolts displayed four migratory behaviours: northward migration to enter the Pacific Ocean via Queen Charlotte Strait; westward migration through the Strait of Juan de Fuca; migration into Howe Sound before continued the migration north; and migra.

Download or read book Pacific Salmon written by and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 2 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Comparative Survival Study CSS of Hatchery PIT tagged Spring Summer Chinook Migration Years 1997 2002 Mark Recapture Activities and Bootstrap Analysis 2003 2004 Biennial Report written by Thomas J. Berggren and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 133 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Comparative Survival Study (CSS) was initiated in 1996 as a multi-year program of the fishery agencies and tribes to estimate survival rates over different life stages for spring and summer Chinook (hereafter, Chinook) produced in major hatcheries in the Snake River basin and from selected hatcheries in the lower Columbia River. Much of the information evaluated in the CSS is derived from fish tagged with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags. A comparison of survival rates of Chinook marked in two different regions (which differ in the number of dams Chinook have to migrate through) provides insight into the effects of the Snake/Columbia hydroelectric system (hydrosystem). The CSS also compares the smolt-to-adult survival rates (SARs) for Snake River Chinook that were transported versus those that migrated in-river to below Bonneville Dam. Additional comparisons can be made within in-river experiences as well as comparison between the different collector projects from which smolts are transported. CSS also compares survival rates for wild Snake River spring and summer Chinook. These comparisons generate information regarding the relative effects of the current management actions used to recover this listed species. Scientists and managers have recently emphasized the importance of delayed hydrosystem mortality to long-term management decisions. Delayed hydrosystem mortality may be related to the smolts experience in the Federal Columbia River Power System, and could occur for both smolts that migrate in-river and smolts that are transported. The CSS PIT tag information on in-river survival rates and smolt-to-adult survival rates (SARs) of transported and in-river fish are relevant to estimation of ''D'', which partially describes delayed hydrosystem mortality. The parameter D is the differential survival rate of transported fish relative to fish that migrate in-river, as measured from below Bonneville Dam to adults returning to Lower Granite Dam. When D = 1, there is no difference in survival rate after hydrosystem passage. When D

Download or read book Comparative Survival Study CSS of Hatchery PIT tagged Spring Summer Chinook Migration Years 1997 2000 Mark Recapture Activities and Bootstrap Analysis 2002 Annual Report written by Larry R. Basham and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 101 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Comparative Survival Study (CSS) was initiated in 1996 as a multi-year program of the fishery agencies and tribes to estimate survival rates over different life stages for spring and summer chinook (hereafter, chinook) produced in major hatcheries in the Snake River basin and from selected hatcheries in the lower Columbia River. Much of the information evaluated in the CSS is derived from fish tagged with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags. A comparison of survival rates of chinook marked in two different regions (which differ in the number of dams chinook have to migrate through) provides insight into the effects of the Snake/Columbia hydroelectric system (hydrosystem). The CSS also compares the smolt-to-adult survival rates (SARs) for Snake River chinook that were transported versus those that migrated in-river to below Bonneville Dam. Additional comparisons can be made within in-river experiences as well comparison between the different collector projects from which smolts are transported. CSS also compares these survival rates for wild Snake River spring and summer chinook. These comparisons generate information regarding the relative effects of the current management actions used to recover this listed species. Scientists and managers have recently emphasized the importance of delayed hydrosystem mortality to long-term management decisions. Delayed hydrosystem mortality may be related to the smolts experience in the Federal Columbia River Power System, and could occur for both smolts that migrate in-river and smolts that are transported. The CSS PIT tag information on in-river survival rates and smolt-to-adult survival rates (SARs) of transported and in-river fish are relevant to estimation of ''D'', which partially describes delayed hydrosystem mortality. The parameter D is the differential survival rate of transported fish relative to fish that migrate in-river, as measured from below Bonneville Dam to adults returning to Lower Granite Dam. When D = 1, there is no difference in survival rate after hydrosystem passage. When D

Download or read book Research Plan to Determine Timing Location Magnitude and Cause of Mortality for Wild and Hatchery Spring Summer Chinook Salmon Smolts Above Lower Granite Dam Final Report written by and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From 1966 to 1968, Raymond estimated an average survival rate of 89% for yearling chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) migrating from trap sites on the Salmon River to Ice Harbor Dam, which was then the uppermost dam on the Snake River. During the 1970s, the estimated survival rate declined as the proportion of hatchery fish increased and additional dams were constructed. Recent survival indices for yearling chinook salmon smolts in the Snake River Basin indicate that substantial mortalities are occurring en route to Lower Granite Dam, now the uppermost dam on the Snake River. Detection rates for wild and hatchery PIT-tagged smolts at Lower Granite Dam have been much lower than expected. However, for wild fish, there is considerable uncertainty whether overwinter mortality or smolt loss during migration is the primary cause for low survival. Efforts to rebuild these populations will have a better chance of success after the causes of mortality are identified and addressed. Information on the migrational characteristics and survival of wild fish are especially needed. The goal of this initial planning phase is to develop a research plan to outline potential investigations that will determine the timing, location, magnitude, and cause of smolt mortality above Lower Granite Dam.

Download or read book Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon Life History Investigations Annual Report 2008 written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 55 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study was initiated to provide empirical data and analyses on the dam passage timing, travel rate, survival, and life history variation of fall Chinook salmon that are produced in the Clearwater River. The area of interest for this study focuses on the lower four miles of the Clearwater River and its confluence with the Snake River because this is an area where many fish delay their seaward migration. The goal of the project is to increase our understanding of the environmental and biological factors that affect juvenile life history of fall Chinook salmon in the Clearwater River. The following summaries are provided for each of the individual chapters in this report.

Download or read book Effects of Hyporheic Exchange Flows on Egg Pocket Water Temperature in Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon Spawning Areas 2002 2003 Final Report written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The development of the Snake River hydroelectric system has affected fall Chinook salmon smolts by shifting their migration timing to a period (mid- to late-summer) when downstream reservoir conditions are unfavorable for survival. Subsequent to the Snake River Chinook salmon fall-run Evolutionary Significant Unit being listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act, recovery planning has included changes in hydrosystem operations (e.g., summer flow augmentation) to improve water temperature and flow conditions during the juvenile Chinook salmon summer migration period. In light of the limited water supplies from the Dworshak reservoir for summer flow augmentation, and the associated uncertainties regarding benefits to migrating fall Chinook salmon smolts, additional approaches for improved smolt survival need to be evaluated. This report describes research conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) that evaluated relationships among river discharge, hyporheic zone characteristics, and egg pocket water temperature in Snake River fall Chinook salmon spawning areas. This was a pilot-scale study to evaluate these relationships under existing operations of Hells Canyon Dam (i.e., without any prescribed manipulations of river discharge) during the 2002-2003 water year. The project was initiated in the context of examining the potential for improving juvenile Snake River fall Chinook salmon survival by modifying the discharge operations of Hells Canyon Dam. The potential for improved survival would be gained by increasing the rate at which early life history events proceed (i.e., incubation and emergence), thereby allowing smolts to migrate through downstream reservoirs during early- to mid-summer when river conditions are more favorable for survival. PNNL implemented this research project at index sites throughout 160 km of the Hells Canyon Reach (HCR) of the Snake River. The HCR extends from Hells Canyon Dam (river kilometer [rkm] 399) downstream to the upper end of Lower Granite Reservoir near rkm 240. We randomly selected 14 fall Chinook salmon spawning locations as study sites, which represents 25% of the most used spawning areas throughout the HCR. Interactions between river water and pore water within the riverbed (i.e., hyporheic zone) at each site were quantified through the use of self-contained temperature and water level data loggers suspended inside of piezometers. Surrounding the piezometer cluster at each site were 3 artificial egg pockets. In mid-November 2002, early-eyed stage fall Chinook salmon eggs were placed inside of perforated polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubes, along with a temperature data logger, and buried within the egg pockets. Fall Chinook salmon eggs were also incubated in the laboratory for the purpose of developing growth curves that could be used as indicators of emergence timing. The effects of discharge on vertical hydrologic exchange between the river and riverbed were inferred from measured temperature gradients between the river and riverbed, and the application of a numerical model. The hydrologic regime during the 2002-2003 sampling period exhibited one of the lowest, most stable daily discharge patterns of any of the previous 12 water years. The vertical hydraulic gradients (VHG) between the river and the riverbed suggested the potential for predominantly small magnitude vertical exchange. The VHG also showed little relationship to changes in river discharge at most sites. Despite the relatively small vertical hydraulic gradients at most sites, results from the numerical modeling of riverbed pore water velocity and hyporheic zone temperatures suggested that there was significant vertical hydrologic exchange during all time periods. The combined results of temperature monitoring and numerical modeling indicate that only 2 of 14 sites were significantly affected by short-term (hourly to daily) large magnitude changes in discharge. Although the two sites exhibited acute flux reversals between river water and hyporheic water resulting from short-term large magnitude changes in discharge, these flux reversals had minimal effect on emergence timing estimates. Indeed, the emergence timing estimates at all sites were largely unaffected by the changes in river stage resulting from hydropower operations at Hells Canyon Dam. Our results indicate that the range of emergence timing estimates due to differences among the eggs from different females can be as large as or larger than the emergence timing estimates due to site differences (i.e., bed temperatures among sites). We conclude that during the 2002-2003 fall Chinook salmon incubation period, hydropower operations of Hells Canyon Dam had an insignificant effect on fry emergence timing at the study sites.

Download or read book Grande Ronde Basin Spring Chinook Salmon Captive Broodstock Program 1995 2002 Summary Report written by and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Grande Ronde Basin once supported large runs of chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and estimated peak escapements in excess of 10,000 occurred as recently as the late 1950's (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 1975). Natural escapement declines in the Grande Ronde Basin have been severe and parallel those of other Snake River populations. Reduced productivity has primarily been attributed to increased mortality associated with downstream and upstream migration past eight dams and reservoirs in the Snake and Columbia rivers. Reduced spawner numbers, combined with human manipulation of previously important spawning and rearing habitat in the Grande Ronde Basin, have resulted in decreased spawning distribution and population fragmentation of chinook salmon in the Grande Ronde Basin (Figure 1; Table 1). Escapement of spring/summer chinook salmon in the Snake River basin included 1,799 adults in 1995, less than half of the previous record low of 3,913 adults in 1994. Catherine Creek, Grande Ronde River and Lostine River were historically three of the most productive populations in the Grande Ronde Basin (Carmichael and Boyce 1986). However, productivity of these populations has been poor for recent brood years. Escapement (based on total redd counts) in Catherine Creek and Grande Ronde and Lostine rivers dropped to alarmingly low levels in 1994 and 1995. A total of 11, 3 and 16 redds were observed in 1994 in Catherine Creek, upper Grande Ronde River and Lostine River, respectively, and 14, 6 and 11 redds were observed in those same streams in 1995. In contrast, the maximum number of redds observed in the past was 505 in Catherine Creek (1971), 304 in the Grande Ronde River (1968) and 261 in 1956 in the Lostine River (Tranquilli et al 2003). Redd counts for index count areas (a standardized portion of the total stream) have also decreased dramatically for most Grande Ronde Basin streams from 1964-2002, dropping to as low as 37 redds in the 119.5 km in the index survey areas in 1995 from as high as 1,205 redds in the same area in 1969 (Table 1). All streams reached low points (0-6 redds in the index areas) in the 1990's, except those in which no redds were found for several years and surveys were discontinued, such as Spring, Sheep and Indian creeks which had a total of 109 redds in 1969. The Minam and Wenaha rivers are tributaries of the Grande Ronde River located primarily in wilderness areas. Chinook salmon numbers in these two streams (based on redd counts) also decreased dramatically beginning in the early 1970's (Table 1). Since then there have been a few years of increasing numbers of redds but counts have generally been 25-40% of the number seen in the 1960's. No hatchery fish have been released into either of these streams and we monitor them during spawning ground surveys for the presence of hatchery strays. These populations will be used as a type of control for evaluating our supplementation efforts in Catherine Creek, upper Grande Ronde River and Lostine River. In this way, we can attempt to filter out the effects of downstream variables, over which we have no control, when we interpret the results of the captive broodstock program as the F1 and F2 generations spawn and complete their life cycles in the wild. The Grande Ronde Basin Captive Broodstock Program was initiated because these chinook salmon populations had reached critical levels where dramatic and unprecedented efforts were needed to prevent extinction and preserve any future options for use of endemic fish for artificial propagation programs for recovery and mitigation. This program was designed to quickly increase numbers of returning adults, while maintaining the genetic integrity of each endemic population.

Download or read book Monitoring and Evaluation of Supplemented Spring Chinook Salmon and Life Histories of Wild Summer Steelhead in the Grande Ronde Basin 2007 Annual Report written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 87 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the ninth annual report for a multi-year project designed to monitor and evaluate supplementation of endemic spring Chinook salmon in Catherine Creek and the upper Grande Ronde River. These two streams historically supported anadromous fish populations that provided significant tribal and non-tribal fisheries, but in recent years, have experienced severe declines in abundance. Conventional and captive broodstock supplementation methods are being used to restore these spring Chinook salmon populations. Spring Chinook salmon populations in Catherine Creek and the upper Grande Ronde River, and other streams in the Snake River Basin have experienced severe declines in abundance over the past two decades (Nehlsen et al. 1991). A supplementation program was initiated in Catherine Creek and the upper Grande Ronde River, incorporating the use of both captive and conventional broodstock methods, in order to prevent extinction in the short term and eventually rebuild populations. The captive broodstock component of the program (BPA Project 199801001) uses natural-origin parr collected by seining and reared to maturity at facilities near Seattle, Washington (Manchester Marine Laboratory) and Hood River, Oregon (Bonneville Hatchery). Spawning occurs at Bonneville Hatchery, and resulting progeny are reared in hatcheries. Shortly before outmigration in the spring, juveniles are transferred to acclimation facilities. After an acclimation period of about 2-4 weeks, volitional release begins. Any juveniles remaining after the volitional release period are forced out. The conventional broodstock component uses returning adults collected at traps near the spawning areas, transported to Lookingglass Hatchery near Elgin, Oregon, held, and later spawned. The resulting progeny are reared, acclimated, and released similar to the captive broodstock component. All progeny released receive one or more marks including a fin (adipose) clip, codedwire tag, PIT tag, or visual implant elastomer tag. The numbers of adults used for conventional broodstock are determined by an agreement among comanagers (Zimmerman and Patterson 2002). Activities for this project focus on two life stages of spring Chinook salmon: juveniles during the migration from freshwater to the ocean and adults during prespawning migration through the end of spawning. Life history, production, and genetics are monitored and used to evaluate program effectiveness.