This project operates fish passage facilities for downstream juvenile migrants and upstream adult migrants at five migration barriers (dams and irrigation diversions) on the Umatilla River and four on the Walla Walla River, to increase survival of salmon and steelhead. It also operates fish traps to trap-and-haul adults and collect broodstock for hatcheries, as well as coordinates flow enhancement during critical migration periods.

The ISRP appreciates the critical nature of these fish passage facilities and does not require a response to the proposal. However, the ISRP asks that the proponents carefully address several Conditions in future annual reports and proposals.

1. SMART objectives. The proponents should develop SMART objectives (see proposal instructions). Although the three main objectives are clear, they are not written as SMART objectives. An example of how Objective 1 might be written as a SMART objective is: 
   
   Objective 1: Fish passage facilities, including juvenile fish screens and bypasses and adult fish ladders, will be operated to meet NMFS (2011) fish passage criteria at five migration barriers on the Umatilla River and four on the Walla Walla River, through 2027. 
   
   
2. Fish passage criteria. Please present a table of the criteria defined in NMFS (2011) that these fish passage facilities must meet and a table of quantitative data showing how many days each facility was in compliance vs. out-of-compliance for these criteria during migration seasons each year. These data are critical for the ISRP and others to evaluate whether this project is meeting its objectives operationally and biologically. 
   
   
3. Measures of effectiveness. Please explain how the effectiveness of the juvenile bypass systems and adult fish ladders is measured, in terms of proportion of fish that were able to pass without delay and effects on their survival. If these metrics are collected or managed by another project(s), describe these linkages (see Condition 7), present a summary of what has been found to date, and reference reports. How is this information used to inform adaptive management of the project? 
   
   
4. Lamprey passage. The goal of Strategy 5 of the Umatilla Subbasin Plan is to “Improve fish passage conditions at all man-made passage impediments for resident and anadromous upstream and downstream migrants.” This includes upstream passage of Pacific lamprey, a species that is in decline. However, this species is typically unable to pass upstream through fish ladders designed for adult salmonids, and it is not clear whether lamprey can use juvenile bypass facilities when passing downstream. How will the proponents ensure protecting fish passage for lamprey, which are one of the First Foods for Native Americans in this region (Quaempts et al. 2018)? Adult lamprey migration is reported in Table 4, with regard to periods that flows are augmented for fish passage, but no information is given about whether facilities are effective for lamprey passage. 
   
   
5. Update to current Fish and Wildlife Program. The proponents report biological objectives listed in the 2000 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program, but the current version is from 2014/2020. As applicable, please update the reference to objectives in the most current plan amendments. 
   
   
6. Response to past ISRP request. The response to Point #1 of the past ISRP review was not adequate, concerning how data or observations of the effectiveness of the facilities in promoting fish passage with high survival are used to make adaptive changes to operations. For example, if it is found that the juvenile bypass systems are not passing a high proportion of juveniles with minimal mortality, what management actions result from that finding? Moreover, is there a threshold or range that defines a “high proportion”? 
   
   
7. M&E matrix – support. As habitat projects and monitoring projects are not presented as part of an integrated proposal or plan, the need for a crosswalk to identify the linkages between implementation and monitoring is extremely important for basins or geographic areas. The ISRP is requesting a response from the Umatilla Basin Natural Production Monitoring and Evaluation Project (199000501) to summarize the linkages between implementation and monitoring projects in the basin. We ask your project to assist them in creating the summary and provide information to them about what is being monitored for your implementation project and where and when the monitoring occurs. A map or maps of locations of monitoring actions would be helpful in this regard.