Salmonid Productivity, Status, and Trend Monitoring
in the John Day River Basin
Statement of Work and Budget FY2013

BPA Project Number:  1998-016-00
Contract Number:  229099
Performance/Budget Period: 1 Feb. 2013 to 31 Jan. 2014
The John Day River subbasin supports one of the last remaining intact wild populations of spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead in the Columbia River Basin.  These populations, however, remain depressed relative to historic levels.  Numerous habitat protection and rehabilitation projects to improve salmonid freshwater production and survival have been implemented in the basin and are in need of effectiveness monitoring.  While our monitoring efforts outlined here will not specifically measure the effectiveness of any particular project, they will provide much needed background (status and trend) information for developing context for project-specific effectiveness monitoring efforts.  To meet the data needs as index stocks, to assess the long-term effectiveness of habitat projects, and to differentiate freshwater and ocean survival, sufficient annual estimates of spawner escapement, age structure, smolt-to-adult ratios (SAR), and egg-to-smolt survival are needed.  Additional sampling and analyses to meet these goals include an estimate of smolt abundance and SAR rates.  Columbia Basin managers have identified the John Day subbasin spring Chinook population as an index population for assessing the effects of alternative future management actions on salmon stocks in the Columbia Basin.

This work is integrated with the current RM&E effort for the John Day River basin.  Our efforts provide nearly all of the status and trend monitoring, and some of the effectiveness monitoring, for the RM&E projects.  Coordination occurs through periodic meetings.  Trap operations coincide with current research efforts and comanagers participate.


References:

Hart, P.J.B. and T.J. Pitcher. 1969. Field trials of fish marking using a jet inoculator. Journal of Fish Biology. 1:383-385.

Keefe, M.L., and five co-authors. 1998. Investigations into the early life history of naturally produced spring chinook salmon in the Grande Ronde River basin. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, OR. Annual Progress Report to Bonneville Power Administration. Project No. 92-026-04 (https://efw.bpa.gov/Environment/EW/EWP/DOCS/REPORTS/HABITAT/H33299-4.pdf).

Lindsay, R.B., and five co-authors. 1986. Study of wild spring chinook salmon in the John Day River System. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Portland, OR. Final Report to Bonneville Power Administration. Project No. 79-004-00.
https://efw.bpa.gov/Environment/EW/EWP/DOCS/REPORTS/HABITAT/H39796-1.pdf

Thedinga J.F., M.L. Murphy, S.W. Johnson, J.M. Lorenz, and K.V. Koski. 1994. Determination of salmonid smolt yield with rotary screw traps in the Situk River, Alaska, to predict effects of glacial flooding. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 14:837-851.

Wilson, W.A., J.R. Ruzycki, R.W. Carmichael, S. Onjukka, G. Claire, and J. Seals. 2001. John Day Spring Chinook Salmon Escapement and Productivity Monitoring. Annual Progress Report to Bonneville Power Administration. Project No. 98-016-00.