The sponsors have adequately responded to the ISRP's concerns about potential ecosystem effects and management options, and the project is now fundable. The ecosystem effects seen elsewhere warrant the tasks to determine distribution in the Columbia Gorge tributaries. The added tasks will quantitatively place the colonization of these tributaries by the New Zealand Mud Snail in an ecosystem context (both taxonomically and energetically). Much background information was presented on the species, and many useful data will be gathered during this study.

The sponsors addressed ISRP's concern about management actions although halting the spread of the New Zealand Mud Snail will be a major challenge even when better information is available. The data to be collected and the analyses seem to fit together quite well. The monitoring and surveillance proposed will assist control and mitigation planning for this invasive species.

The bioenergetic model proposed to evaluate the response by juvenile salmonids to high densities of the snail is a useful tool. However, the sponsors will need to consider the possibility that salmonids may not eat snails; they might shift to a diet dominated by other invertebrates. It will be important to directly observe what the fish are eating. Stable isotope analyses may not be sufficient. There are very few records in the literature of juvenile salmonids eating shelled gastropods.

The sponsors should make sure their project will not inadvertently lead to further spread of the mud snails in the Columbia River Basin via contaminated equipment, boats, etc.