This proposal proposes to continue the collection of brood stock for the Duncan Creek reintroduction project, direct-adult supplementation only, and activities related to the monitoring and evaluation plan designed to assess the viability of reintroduction strategies for reintroduction of chum salmon into other Columbia River tributaries.

A three-pronged approach has been used to produce a self-sustaining chum salmon population in Duncan Creek. This approach included modifying the dam (completed) , enhancing spawning habitat (completed), and using local brood stock to reintroduce chum salmon back into the basin (ongoing).

For FY 08, this project addresses the continued collection of brood stock for direct-adult supplementation and outlines a comprehensive plan for monitoring and evaluating the Duncan Creek chum salmon reintroduction.  Adults will be collected from volunteers to Duncan Creek and adjacent chum salmon stocks.  These adults will be placed in the rejuvenated channels to naturally spawn.  Otolith marks will be utilized to estimate fry-to-adult survival rates of both artificially and naturally produced fish from past years supplementation efforts.  Otolith marks and accurate population estimates will be used to estimate straying rates and percent contribution of Duncan Creek project origin adults to other Lower Gorge chum spawning locations.  The occurrence of non-marked adult chum salmon recovered in Duncan Creek will be used to estimate how quickly wild fish are re-colonizing the stream.  The physical conditions in the rejuvenated spawning channels will be monitored.

The newly established habitat, reintroduction efforts and evaluation of supplementation strategies will provide clear survival benefits to Columbia River chum salmon returning to the Bonneville area and demonstrate the effectiveness of these kinds of reintroduction efforts.  Methods employed and associated results can be used as a template for future reintroduction efforts for Columbia River chum salmon.

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) requested the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) generate a chum salmon "salvage" plan outlining potential options for emergency intervention.  A plan was developed (Chum Salmon Salvage Plan:  Fall 2001) with the goal of preserving genetic diversity within the population by ensuring adequate numbers of chum salmon survived to spawn successfully, either naturally or artificially.  The plan outlines options for expanding the Duncan Creek reintroduction brood stock collection protocol to encompass other areas determined to be at risk (Table 1).  The plan was submitted as an addendum to the Duncan Creek reintroduction project and was incorporated into the Hatchery Genetic Management Plan (HGMP) for Washougal Hatchery chum salmon.


Table 1.  Summary of strategies for Columbia River Chum Salmon salvage plan.

Case   ColumbiaRiver   Tributaries     SpawningArea                              Strategy
  1             low         low                   low        Juvenile supplementation in the mainstem Columbia River and  tributaries
  2             low         low            adequate        Adult supplementation in tributaries and juvenile supplementation in the mainstem Columbia River
  3         adequate        low                 low        Juvenile supplementation in tributaries, and no action in the mainstem Columbia River
  4             low adequate          adequate        Juvenile supplementation in the mainstem Columbia River, and no action in tributaries
  5         adequate adequate          adequate        No intervention, rely on natural production, and monitor