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Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program
SOW Report
Contract 86283: 2007-170-00 EXP S. FORK SNAKE RVR YELLOWSTONE CUTHROAT TROUT
Project Number:
Title:
South Fork Snake River Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Recruitment and Survival Improvement
BPA PM:
Stage:
Implementation
Area:
Province Subbasin %
Upper Snake Snake Headwaters 100.00%
Contract Number:
86283
Contract Title:
2007-170-00 EXP S. FORK SNAKE RVR YELLOWSTONE CUTHROAT TROUT
Contract Continuation:
Previous: Next:
83517: 2007-170-00 EXP S. FORK SNAKE RVR YELLOWSTONE CUTHROAT TROUT
  • 88888: 2007-170-00 EXP S. FORK SNAKE RVR YELLOWSTONE CUTHROAT TROUT
Contract Status:
Closed
Contract Description:
The South Fork Snake River (SFSR) currently supports one of the few remaining functioning populations of fluvial Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri (YCT) within their native range, and is the strongest population in Idaho. Since 2004, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and collaborators have implemented an intensive YCT conservation management strategy in the SFSR drainage. This BPA contract assists IDFG management efforts on the SFSR. The SFSR, associated habitat, and fauna comprise an ecologically and economically significant resource. The quality fish and wildlife habitat is largely attributed to the cottonwood riparian gallery along the river corridor. The cottonwood riparian gallery and YCT population evolved with the dynamic flows of the SFSR, a snow-melt driven system with naturally high spring flows. The construction of Palisades Dam has altered river flows. Further impacts to the YCT population have resulted from the establishment of a self-sustaining, non-native, Rainbow Trout O. mykiss (RBT) population.

One of the management strategies is intensive weir management to protect tributaries from RBT invasion and the genetic integrity of the native YCT tributary spawning migrations. IDFG operates and maintains the modified fish weirs and traps on four tributaries through the spring spawning migrations. Pine, Rainey, and Palisades creeks have electrical barriers and Burns Creek incorporates both a waterfall and a velocity barrier. Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout are placed upstream of the barrier and RBT and Rainbow Trout × Cutthroat Trout hybrids are removed. Research has indicated that maintenance and operation of the weirs is a critical component in the suite of management strategies designed to conserve and ensure population viability of YCT in the SFSR. The IDFG is committed to protecting the genetic integrity of YCT in the four major spawning tributaries of the SFSR over the long-term, recognizing that this effort must continue annually and will induce periodic maintenance and repair costs.

Along with RBT removals, YCT are tagged with passive integrated transponders (PIT) in the SFSR drainage since 2008 and these tag data are providing substantial insights into YCT movement, spawning behavior patterns, survival rates, and effects of interactions with RBT. The results of this work are being used to focus current and future management efforts. We anticipate concluding investigations using PIT tags in 2030.

The remainder of the work associated with this contract focuses on improving YCT abundance, particularly in Rainey Creek, adult spawner abundance is severely depressed. Rainey Creek is the largest drainage of the four major spawning tributaries, but supports less than 1% of the cumulative YCT spawners in these tributaries. The spawning migration of fluvial YCT in Rainey Creek have been impacted by entrainment of fish by irrigation diversions, loss of quality habitat through grazing and agricultural practices along the lower reaches of Rainey Creek, and connectivity issues with low instream flows during dry years. Efforts to increase adult returns in Rainey Creek include stocking eyed-eggs of wild-origin, and improving degraded habitat through stream habitat restoration.
Account Type(s):
Expense
Contract Start Date:
10/01/2020
Contract End Date:
09/30/2021
Current Contract Value:
$194,613
Expenditures:
$194,613

* Expenditures data includes accruals and are based on data through 31-Mar-2024.

BPA CO:
BPA COR:
Env. Compliance Lead:
Work Order Task(s):
Contract Type:
Coop
Pricing Method:
Cost Reimbursement (CNF)
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Viewing of Work Statement Elements

Deliverable Title WSE Sort Letter, Number, Title Start End Complete
Provide BPA EC compliance group with all necessary EC documents B: 165. Complete all necessary EC 09/30/2021 09/27/2021
Annual Report C: 132. Submit Annual Report for the period October 2019 thru September 2020 07/30/2021 12/28/2020
Exclude spawning Rainbow Trout and hybrids from Burns Creek D: 186. Operate and maintain the Burns Creek fish trap 07/15/2021 07/15/2021
Exclude spawning Rainbow Trout and Rainbow x Cutthroat Trout hybrids from Pine Creek E: 186. Operate and maintain the Pine Creek fish trap 07/15/2021 06/29/2021
Exclude spawning Rainbow Trout and Rainbow X Cutthroat trout hybrids from Rainey Creek F: 186. Operate and maintain the Rainey Creek fish trap 07/15/2021 06/21/2021
Exclude spawning Rainbow Trout and Rainbow X Cutthroat trout hybrids from Palisades Creek G: 186. Operate and maintain the Palisades Creek fish trap 07/15/2021 07/30/2021
PIT tags placed in Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout from the river and tributaries H: 158. PIT tag Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout 09/30/2021 06/21/2021
Enhancement of the number of out-migrating juvenile Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout from Rainey Creek to the South Fork Snake River I: 28. Rainey Creek fluvial Cutthroat Trout rehabilitation 09/30/2021 09/27/2021
Repair and maintain PIT tag arrays J: 186. Maintain PIT tag antenna arrays on Burns, Pine, Rainey, and Palisades creeks. 09/30/2021 09/27/2021
Restore over-widened stream width to a more narrow channel K: 29. Implement Stream Restoration Project 09/30/2021 09/27/2021
Transplant locally-sourced native shrubs into the new stream bank L: 47. Plant riparian vegetation 09/30/2021 09/27/2021
Contract administration M: 119. Routine administration of contract 09/30/2021 09/27/2021

Viewing of Implementation Metrics
Viewing of Environmental Metrics Customize

Primary Focal Species Work Statement Elements
Cutthroat Trout, Yellowstone (O. c. bouvieri)
  • 1 instance of WE 28 Trap and Haul
  • 5 instances of WE 186 Operate and Maintain Habitat/Passage/Structure
  • 1 instance of WE 29 Increase Aquatic and/or Floodplain Complexity
  • 1 instance of WE 47 Plant Vegetation
  • 1 instance of WE 158 Mark/Tag Animals

Sort WE ID WE Title NEPA NOAA USFWS NHPA Has Provisions Inadvertent Discovery Completed
A 185 Periodic Status Reports for BPA
B 165 Complete all necessary EC
C 132 Submit Annual Report for the period October 2019 thru September 2020
D 186 Operate and maintain the Burns Creek fish trap 04/02/2021
E 186 Operate and maintain the Pine Creek fish trap 04/02/2021
F 186 Operate and maintain the Rainey Creek fish trap 04/02/2021
G 186 Operate and maintain the Palisades Creek fish trap 04/02/2021
H 158 PIT tag Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout 04/02/2021
I 28 Rainey Creek fluvial Cutthroat Trout rehabilitation 04/02/2021
J 186 Maintain PIT tag antenna arrays on Burns, Pine, Rainey, and Palisades creeks. 04/02/2021
K 29 Implement Stream Restoration Project
L 47 Plant riparian vegetation
M 119 Routine administration of contract