GOAL

The goal of this project is to facilitate activities of the estuary/ocean RME subgroup (EOS) as it coordinates implementation of the estuary RME plan in FY06 with the PNAMP estuary workgroup, the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority's Collaborative Systemwide Monitoring and Evaluation Program (CSMEP), the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's (NPCC) Fish and Wildlife Program, and the federal Updated Proposed Action (UPA) team.

BACKGROUND AND NEED

     Comprehensive research, monitoring, and evaluation (RME) were called for in the National Marine Fisheries Service's 2004 Remanded Biological Opinion (BiOp) on Operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System and are included in the Implementation Plan for the Updated Proposed Action (USACE et al. 2005 ).  The federal RME process includes a Technical/Policy Oversight Group and six subgroups: Status Monitoring, Effectiveness Research, Hydro, Hatchery, Data Management, and Estuary/Ocean (EOS).  In September 2002, BPA contracted with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to facilitate the EOS during FY03.  This work continued in FY04 and FY05, and is planned for FY06.  A major milestone for the EOS was completion of a draft RME plan  for the estuary and ocean.  The purpose of this scope of work is to continue estuary/ocean subgroup RME activities in FY06 as the estuary RME plan is implemented and coordinated.

     The federal RME efforts are currently being coordinated through the Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership (PNAMP), an assemblage of federal, state, and tribal agencies whose goal is "…to coordinate important scientific information at the appropriate scales needed to inform public policy and resource management decisions."   PNAMP's geographic scope includes the Columbia basin and its Columbia River estuary.  In FY05, the PNAMP formed an estuary workgroup.  Members of the EOS played a significant role in this expanding effort, which will continue into FY06.

     The role of the EOS is evolving as the RME effort in the estuary and the entire Columbia basin matures.  In FY06, there will be even wider coordination as the estuary RME plan the subgroup developed in August 2004 and updated in September 2005 is implemented.

CITATIONS

     U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Bureau of Reclamation and Bonneville Power Administration.  2005.  2005-2007 Implementation Plan for the Federal Columbia River Power System Endangered Species Act Updated Proposed Action.  Portland, OR, May 2005.

     Johnson, G., H. Diefenderfer, T. Berquam, B. Ebberts, C. Tortorici, and J. Wilcox.  2004.  Plan for Research Monitoring and Evaluation of Salmon in the Columbia River Estuary.  Final draft prepared by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory with funding from the Bonneville Power Administration.  Portland, Oregon.  August 10, 2004.

     Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership.  2004.  Recommendations for coordinating state, federal, and tribal watershed and salmon monitoring programs in the Pacific Northwest.  Draft. Portland, Oregon.  January 6, 2004.