PROJECT TITLE: Evaluate spawning of fall Chinook and chum salmon just below the four lowermost Columbia River mainstem dams.

PROJECT GOAL:  The continuing purpose of this on-going project is to assess the extent of spawning by ESA-listed chum and fall Chinook salmon in the mainstem Columbia River so that the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) can be managed to protect and enhance these important populations.  Our primary focus is to determine what conditions must exist to provide successful spawning and rearing below mainstem dams and what measures must be taken to protect those fish.

PROJECT COORDINATION:  This is a cooperative project implemented under 5 BPA contracts with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL).

PROJECT OBJECTIVES:  This project has four biological objectives (see below).   Objectives listed here correspond to the Biological Objectives presented in Section 6 of the proposal submitted under the Mainstem/Systemwide Province for funding in FY2007-2009.  All four objectives will be addressed simultaneously over the three year period covered by this proposal as a series of tasks conducted by ODFW, PSMFC, USFWS, USGS, and PNNL.  Continued implementation of this project will result in an improved understanding of the relationship between operation of the FCRPS and protection of mainstem spawning salmon populations.  Funding will allow continued in-season management of the hydrosystem, reducing harm to mainstem spawning and incubation.  We have developed a series of tasks designed to inform regional fish managers regarding status and trends of mainstem spawning populations of chum and fall Chinook salmon.  These tasks will allow us to collect and report on abundance and productivity metrics, spatial structure, and genetic diversity that are essential for describing population viability and trends in abundance.  They will further our understanding of the spawning habitat requirements for these fish, especially as they relate to hydrosystem operation.  

PROJECT OBJECTIVE 1 - Describe abundance, spatial and temporal distribution, and possible stock origins of chum and fall Chinook salmon spawning in the mainstem Columbia River.  (Responsible Agencies: ODFW, PSMFC, PNNL)

PROJECT OBJECTIVE 2 - Describe abundance, spatial and temporal distribution, and possible stock origins of chum and fall Chinook salmon spawning in Columbia River tributaries downstream from The Dalles Dam.  (Responsible Agency: PSMFC)

PROJECT OBJECTIVE 3 - Describe emergence timing, and size at and time of emigration from local rearing areas.  (Responsible Agencies: ODFW, PSMFC, PNNL)

PROJECT OBJECTIVE 4 - Describe physical habitat use and requirements for fall Chinook salmon in the Columbia River downstream from The Dalles, John Day, and McNary dams and for chum salmon downstream from Bonneville Dam.  (Responsible Agencies: USFWS, USGS, ODFW, PSMFC, PNNL)

There are 64 well defined tasks or subtasks under these 4 objectives listed in Section F of the proposal (with the responsible agency shown for each task).    Each agency takes the lead on specific tasks based on special skills and/or knowledge in those areas.  To summarize, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission leads the adult portion, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife leads the juvenile portion, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service leads the habitat portion, PNNL contributes to adult, juvenile and habitat work and USGS is responsible for the redd superimposition work.

PSMFC CONTRACT DESCRIPTION:

The following list of PSMFC Work Elements shows how each fits within the 4 project objectives.

OBJECTIVE 1 - Describe abundance, spatial and temporal distribution, and possible stock origins of chum and fall Chinook salmon spawning in the mainstem Columbia River.
Work Elements:

B. 157  Fall Chinook Salmon Spawning Ground Surveys
C. 162  Describe Spawning Population Characteristics for Fall Chinook Salmon
D. 162  Describe Stock Origins of Fall Chinook Salmon
G. 157  Chum Salmon Spawning Ground Surveys in the mainstem
H. 162  Describe Spawning Population Characteristics for Chum Salmon in the Mainstem Columbia

OBJECTIVE 2 - Describe abundance, spatial and temporal distribution, and possible stock origins of chum and fall Chinook salmon spawning in Columbia River tributaries downstream from The Dalles Dam.
Work Elements:

I. 157  Chum Salmon Spawning Ground Surveys in Washington Tributaries
J. 162  Describe Spawning Population Characteristics and Habitat for Chum Salmon in the Tributaries

OBJECTIVE 3 - Describe emergence timing, and size at and time of emigration from local rearing areas.
Work Elements:

K. 157 Juvenile Fall Chinook Salmon Population Sampling
L. 158  Fall Chinook Salmon Juvenile Tagging
M. 162  Characterize Relationships Between Fall Chinook Emergence Time and Environmental Variables
N. 162  Determine Emigration Time and Size for Nat. Produced Juv. Fall Chinook Below Bonneville
O. 162  Determine Emergence Timing of Juvenile Chum in the Mainstem Columbia Below Bonneville Dam
P. 157 Collect Data on Emigration Time and Size for Nat. Produced Juv. Chum Below Bonneville
Q. 162  Determine Emigration Time and Size for Juvenile Chum Rearing in the Mainstem Columbia
S. 70   Install traps to capture juvenile chum salmon
T. 162  Mark Juvenile Chum in Hamilton Creek to Profile Chum Production for the Ives/Pierce island area
U. 162  Estimate Chum Production in the Ives/Pierce Island Area

OBJECTIVE 4 - Describe physical habitat use and requirements for fall Chinook salmon in the Columbia River downstream from The Dalles, John Day, and McNary dams and for chum salmon downstream from Bonneville Dam.
Work Elements:

E. 158  Radio Tag Chum Salmon At the Bonneville Dam Trap
F. 157  Collect DNA samples to Determine Stock Origin of Chum Collected at Bonneville Dam Trap
R. 157  Deploy Egg Baskets to Estimate Egg to Fry Survival of Chum