The Crystal Springs Planning and Operations/Maintenance Project is utilized to promote the development and construction of hatchery facilities to rear anadromous and resident fish to support the subsistence needs of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes.  As a result of the 2017 evaluation on the effects of water chemistry on anadromous fish, the Tribes and BPA determined that an appropriate measure to mitigate those adverse effects would be to bifurcate production into two facilities; with the planning process focused on developing production options for Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook for release in Yankee Fork and Panther Creek and the Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout hatchery to develop options for an existing hatchery site on the Fort Hall Reservation.  

During the 2022 contract year the Tribes will continue planning efforts at the Crystal Springs site in Southeastern Idaho that would be designed to rear Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon captive broodstock for the Panther Creek and Yankee Fork watersheds; those captive adults would be utilized to produce eyed-eggs for outplanting in egg incubators in both systems on an annual basis.  Further, the Tribes have developed a proposal to renovate an existing resident fish hatchery facility on the Fort Hall Reservation at the Papoose Springs site to rear native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout for release on the Fort Hall Reservation and adjacent Tribal lands to support harvest opportunities on this important food source.

This is a continuation of a multi-year planning effort that began in 2010, was approved to move into advanced design work and environmental compliance in 2012; and re-developed to accommodate significant environmental concerns in 2017.  While the project is adopting a new approach to developing a comprehensive program, the only significant changes are the production measures for developing the anadromous component of the Crystal Springs program, and the YCT hatchery facility will be re-located to an existing hatchery to save capital funds from the Fish Accord budget.  The Tribes will continue to work with BPA and technical staff from the USFWS, NOAA-Fisheries, and the USFS to complete the necessary approvals for the project in the coming contract years.  It is anticipated that the 2022 contract contains some work elements that may span multiple contract years depending on the length of time it will take to receive those approvals prior to constructing or renovating any component of the hatchery facilities.