The general objective of the Yakama Nation’s Upper Columbia River, the Upper Columbia Action Effectiveness Monitoring project (AEM) is to document project scale and biological effectiveness of Yakama Nation sponsored habitat actions in tributaries to the Upper Columbia River.  The proposed methods and protocols for the AEM were reviewed in the 2019 NPCC Mainstem Category Review and met scientific review criteria (qualified).  The full proposal can be referenced as an attachment under 2017-003-00.  

This contract will cover the work associated with the second year of a pilot study in which we will apply the monitoring methodology developed for the AEM project to a single restoration action.  Under the 2023/2024 contract YN Fisheries/Habitat staff will:

1.    Identify and conduct pilot project scale physical and biological monitoring of a single habitat improvement site, Chewuch RM 4.6 Design 2017-176 (56662 REL: 2099-003-00), and its two control reaches in the 2023 summer and fall and 2024 winter/spring field seasons,
2.    Monitor and collect seasonal fish and habitat data throughout the 2023/2024 field seasons for a single floodplain reconnection/LWD project site Chewuch RM 4.6 and two control reaches,
3.    Summarize, analyze, and report on the preliminary data collected at the Chewuch RM 4.6 habitat action site and control reaches evaluated in the 2023/2024 field seasons,
4.    Participate in regional partner meetings to coordinate YN AEM activities with other habitat practitioners and strategies such as WA SRFB, WDFW, UC RTT, BPA AEM program and UC Biological Strategy, and
5.    Adaptively manage habitat and fish monitoring protocols/study design for YN AEM, and assure consistency of the AEM with other regional project scale effectiveness monitoring programs such as the WA SRFB PE program and BPA AEM program.