The goal of the Status and Trend Annual Report project is to support mitigation described in the 2008 FCRPS Biological Opinion and the obligations of the NPCC Fish and Wildlife Program by annually reporting implementation and monitoring progress associated with salmon recovery efforts relevant to the Columbia Cascade Province.  This work will be in coordination with, and will support other local and regional efforts including but not limited to Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board, the State of Washington, Columbia River Inter- Tribal Fish Commission, BPA and the NPCC Fish and Wildlife Program.  

The Status and Trend Annual Report (STAR) is designed to complement the 2008 FCRPS BiOp in describing habitat improvements, using Primary Limiting Factors identified in the NPCC Subbasin Plans, in terms of improvements towards habitat functionality.  Improvements in habitat functionality correlate directly to assumed improvements to juvenile salmonid productivity. Within the next 2-4 years the Yakama Nation intends to continue to expand this effort to include all subbasins within the YN Ceded Lands, integrating and reporting progress for the other "H's", Hydro, Hatchery and Harvest.

During the initial stages of this effort (BPA contract:  Project # 2009-002-00; Contract # 42224) the Yakama Nation had unforeseen complications in hiring a STAR Coordinator and redirected funding for contract services.  Work completed under this contract focused on the Wenatchee Subbasin.  A template has been developed that specifically details 1) how habitat restoration projects funded by BPA, and other entities, are consolidated at the Watershed Scale - per the Subbasin Plans, 2) how these projects either have or will address identified Primary Limiting Factors, and 3) the logic and manner in which estimates associated with changed habitat functionality are derived, consistent with the methods outlined in the 2008 Fish Accords.  

Although the majority of the efforts focused at the Watershed scale, considerable development of the method in which local improvements would be “rolled up” to the population scale was also achieved.  This work was coordinated with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority staffs but also received input from the staffs of the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board.  

During this next contract period the work will expand in four key areas, 1) the Wenatchee template will continue to be developed beyond an annotated “Table of Contents” and a Draft 1.0 Wenatchee Subbasin Status and Trends Annual Report will be completed for local and regional review, 2) initial templates for the Methow and Entiat subbasins will be developed similar to the existing Wenatchee template, 3) a preliminary template will be developed addressing status and trend for the FCRPS hydroelectric system, relative to the Fish Accords and 2008 BiOp, and 4) increased coordination with BPA, CBFWA, NOAA-Fisheries and the Fish Passage Center to insure the STAR is consistent with and complimentary with other regional efforts.

Tasks associated with this contract period will be completed primarily through contracted services, but it is envisioned that a permanent, full time employee will be brought on staff to support and carry this work forward into future years.  The primary audience for this Status and Trend Annual Report is the Yakama Nation Tribal Council, the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board and the Bonneville Power Administration, although interests from other local, state and federal interests are recognized.