Lower Columbia River Ecosystem Monitoring Project
Statement of Work and Budget FY2009

BPA Project Number:  2003-007-00
Contract Request Number:  CR-116984
Performance/Budget Period: September 1, 2009– August 31, 2010

Technical Contact:  Jennifer Morace
Technical Projects Coordinator
USGS
2130 SW Fifth Ave.
Portland, OR 97201
Phone: 503-251-3229
jlmorace@usgs.gov

BPA Project Manager:  Tracey Yerxa
Bonneville Power Administration
905 NE 11th Avenue
Portland, Oregon  97208
Phone:  503.230.4738
Fax:  503.230.4564
tyerxa@bpa.gov

Date of Submission:  July 2009

Background
Our understanding of the relationships between salmonids and their habitat in the lower Columbia River and estuary (LCRE) is hindered by substantial data gaps and poor access to existing data. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is working closely with the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership (Estuary Partnership) to implement elements of the Estuary Partnership’s Ecosystem Monitoring Project in order to provide information on salmonids and their habitat in the LCRE.  

This statement of work describes the work elements, deliverables, and costs for work efforts that USGS will implement from September 1, 2009 to August 31, 2010 as part of the Estuary Partnership’s Ecosystem Monitoring Project.

Review of Prior Work
The USGS was a subcontractor under the Estuary Partnership’s BPA contract from September 1, 2003 to August 31, 2005. During this time, USGS collaborated with the University of Washington (UW) to create the LCRE Ecosystem Classification System (Ecosystem Classification) using LANDSAT TM imagery and bathymetry data. They, then, used the Ecosystem Classification to develop metrics for monitoring habitat in the LCRE. Additionally, USGS conducted monthly fixed station and high- and low-flow supplemental water quality monitoring and deployed semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) to characterize water quality conditions.

Starting September 1, 2005, USGS began contracting directly with BPA to conduct their work with the Estuary Partnership. From September 1, 2005 to August 31, 2006, USGS completed chemical analyses of the water samples and generated a data report detailing this information (http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/ds213).
During September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2007, USGS was using the Ecosystem Classification to develop a rotational panel sampling design for monitoring efforts during the subsequent three years (September 1, 2008 to August 31, 2011) of the Ecosystem Monitoring Project. Additionally, USGS collaborated with the Estuary Partnership and NOAA Fisheries to integrate the salmon, salmon prey, and water quality results into one report that is available on the Estuary Partnership’s website (http://www.lcrep.org/pdfs/WaterSalmonReport.pdf).

During September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2008, USGS deployed probes to monitor the water column for dissolved oxygen, temperature, water-surface elevation, and conductivity at 2 sites (1 in reach F and 1 in reach H) where Battelle/Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL) and NOAA Fisheries collected vegetation and salmon data, respectively. In lieu of the probabilistic sampling design, USGS collected sediment samples at vegetation and salmon sampling sites, and are outlining a strategy for future sampling efforts that relates number of sites with available financial resources.

During September 1, 2008 to August 31, 2009, USGS deployed probes to monitor the water column for dissolved oxygen, temperature, water-surface elevation, and conductivity at 2 sites (1 in reach F and 1 in reach C) where PNNL and NOAA Fisheries collected vegetation and salmon data, respectively. Additionally, USGS worked with UW to develop criteria based on river geomorphology and hydrology for delineating habitats at smaller spatial scales, which UW incorporated into the Ecosystem Classification. USGS also delineated floodplain Ecosystem Complexes and draft Geomorphic Catena for Reach F. USGS together with UW and the Estuary Partnership developed a draft (intended for a peer-reviewed scientific publication) that describes the Ecosystem Classification’s conceptual basis, methods used to develop datasets, preliminary results, and management applications.

Work Efforts for September 1, 2009 to August 31, 2010
USGS will continue to collaborate with the Estuary Partnership and UW to develop the Ecosystem Classification. Specifically, USGS will: (1) delineate floodplain Complexes and draft Catena for Reaches A-E and G-H in the LCRE; and (2) assist UW in merging the floodplain and bathymetric Complexes into a finalized GIS data layer and creating the associated metadata. Additionally, USGS along with the Estuary Partnership, NOAA Fisheries, and PNNL will synthesize datasets for a subset of sites in order to identify the statistical methods and procedures for integrated analyses of vegetation, salmonid, prey, and water quality datasets and ultimately support more in-depth data roll-ups for the Ecosystem Monitoring Project. This data synthesis task is critical for reporting on past monitoring efforts, linking habitat conditions with biological communities like salmonids, and refining the existing monitoring effort.

2009-2010 Objectives for USGS’s contribution to the Ecosystem Monitoring Project include:
1. Develop floodplain Level 4 (Ecosystem Complexes) for the Ecosystem Classification
2. Develop draft Level 5 (Geomorphic Catena) for the Ecosystem Classification
3. Provide a summary report describing the methods and datasets used to delineate the floodplain Complexes and draft Catena in coordination with UW
4. Identify statistical methods and procedures for integrated analyses of vegetation, salmonid, prey, and water quality datasets with the Estuary Partnership, NOAA Fisheries, and PNNL
5. Develop a joint report with the Estuary Partnership, NOAA Fisheries, PNNL summarizing results and providing recommendations for future integrated analyses of multi-year fish and prey, vegetation, and water quality datasets