Project No. 2005-002-00, Design and Construction of Lower Granite Dam Adult Trap Improvements, is an action committed to by the Action Agencies in the Final Updated Proposed Action published on November 24, 2004, and included in the NOAA Fisheries 2004 remand Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion published on November 30, 2004.  The Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, expects to complete the trap improvements, using a design/build subcontractor, by mid-March 2007, prior to the start of the 2007 fish collection season .

The adult trap at Lower Granite Dam was designed and constructed more than 25 years ago during a period when anadromous fish adult returns were at very low numbers.  Fall Chinook salmon returns, for example, were only 1,000 in 1975 compared to 16,000 in 2002.  The current trapping facilities do not have the capacity to meet the present requirements for hatchery broodstock collection, removal of non-ESU stray fall Chinook, and research activities.  The adult trapping and holding facilities will be modified to allow trapping and handling of up to approximately 6,000 adult fall Chinook salmon annually.  Anticipated modifications include increased working space, an additional anesthetic tank, improved water supply, and increased number of adult holding tanks.  

This action is expected to:  1. Reduce risks to the ESU by improving hatchery practices (i.e., being able to collect and use natural-origin fish for broodstock will improve the integration between natural-origin and hatchery-origin fall Chinook salmon).  2. Jumpstart production in underutilized areas of the Clearwater Basin by using natural-origin fish collected at the trap.  3. Reduce risks to the ESU from atypical straying of hatchery-origin fish from areas outside the Snake River Basin (i.e., increased trapping capability would facilitate the removal of greater numbers of stray fish). 4.  Improve data collection and understanding of ESU status (e.g., improved run-reconstruction).

Environmental Compliance was completed by BPA in Fiscal Year 2006.