PROJECT SUMMARY

THE WALLA WALLA BASIN NATURAL PRODUCTION
MONITORING AND EVALUATION PROJECT


Prepared by:

Fisheries Program
Department of Natural Resources
Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation

79772 South Fork Walla Walla River Road
Milton-Freewater, Oregon 97862

Contract Period
January 1, 2006 to February 28, 2007


BPA Project Number 2000-039-00
Contract Number 20678

CTUIR ADMINISTRATIVE SUMMARY

Project Headquarters:
Department of Natural Resources
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
P.O. Box 638
Pendleton, OR  97801

Administrative Contacts:
Julie Burke, Fish and Wildlife Administrative Manager
Phone: 541 966-2372
E-mail: julieburke@ctuir.com
Fax: (541) 966-2397

Technical Contact:
Gary James, Fisheries Program Manager
Phone: 541 966-2371
E-mail: garyjames@ctuir.com
Fax: (541) 966-2397

Project Leader:
Brian D. Mahoney
WWBNPME Project Lead
Phone: (541) 938-5785
E-mail: bmahoney@oregontrail.net

Introduction
The Walla Walla Basin Natural Production Monitoring and Evaluation Project is funded by Bonneville Power Administration as directed by section 4(h) of the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 1980 (P. L. 96-501).  This project is one of two projects that monitor and evaluate natural production in the Walla Walla Subbasin as outlined in The Northwest Power Planning Council Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (measures 4.2A, 4.3C.1, 7.1A.2, 7.1C.3, 7.1C.4 and 7.1D.2; NWPPC 1994).  The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife project:  Assessment of Salmonids and Their Habitat Conditions in the Walla Walla River Basin within Washington (BPA project number 199802000) also monitors adult returns, juvenile abundance, and their habitat conditions in the subbasin.  

This project co-sponsors salmonid monitoring and evaluation activities across life-histories and taxa, in the Walla Walla River Subbasin.  CTUIR, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife share Walla Walla Subbasin fish and wildlife co-management responsibility with the Federal Caucus, regional authorities, and local governments.  Numerous flow, habitat and passage restoration projects, as well as artificial production actions, have been implemented in the system.  The expense of these activities and the need to guide or document progress have increased the importance of monitoring and evaluation information in the system.  Subbasin  managers, planners, and implementers demand status and trend information to support short-term adaptive processes.  At the same time, managers and funding agencies have asked for evaluation of project and program effectiveness.  

The purpose of the Walla Walla Basin Natural Production Monitoring and Evaluation Project is to provide status and trend information, to evaluate project and program effectiveness, and to provide technical support for adaptive planning and modeling.

Project goals are to 1) monitor and evaluate status and detect changes in status of salmonid abundance, productivity, spatial structure, and diversity, 2) determine if strategies are positively benefiting natural production, viability, and harvest in the Walla Walla Subbasin, and 3) provide technical support for salmonid planning and modeling.  


Project History

The early phase of this project ran from 1998 through 2001.  During this time, we collected information on water temperature, conducted flow monitoring, performed stream and riparian surveys, PIT-tagged smolts for survival and emigration estimates, and collected genetic samples of rainbow trout and summer steelhead to evaluate genetic structure and gene flow.  In 2002, full project implementation began under a new BPA project number 2000-039-00.  The project was expanded to include a radio telemetry study on adult migration, delay, and distribution of bull trout, summer steelhead and spring Chinook and included a more comprehensive study to evaluate outmigration and survival of juvenile summer steelhead and natural Chinook salmon emigrating from the headwaters of the Walla Walla River to the Columbia River and ocean using PIT tags.  

Project accomplishments to date include a draft Comprehensive Salmonid RM&E plan, and RM&E section of Walla Walla Subbasin Plan.  Databases describing spawners, carcasses, adult movement and passage, juvenile and resident salmonid populations, fish habitat, age and growth, outmigration, and survival.  The project has PIT-tagged more than 20K smolts, and radio-tagged and tracked 91 adult bull trout, 252 adult summer steelhead, and 26 spring Chinook in the Walla Walla Subbasin.  We regularly, submit outmigrant data to the PTAGIS system.  The project has developed, managed, and analyzed data describing spawners, carcasses, adult movement and passage, juvenile and resident salmonid populations, fish habitat, age and growth, outmigration, and survival.  

The project has provided this information to managers and researchers working to restore salmonids to the Walla Walla River Subbasin.  WWNPMEP has collected and analyzed extensive data sets describing juvenile fish community structure, resident fish population structure, spawner distributions and densities, passage and adult movements, habitat conditions, and age and growth.  Project staff have studied the presence and potential impacts of hatchery residuals on naturally producing anadromous and resident salmonids, and have advised on the release location and timing of hatchery projects.  Staff has assisted in the development and implementation of a variety of critical uncertainty research projects including the delineation of ESA-listed summer steelhead population structure, and the assessment of ESA-listed bull trout age and growth, movement, spawning, and survival.  Collectively these data have been utilized in a number of plans and management actions including limiting factors analysis, habitat plans, passage restoration, flow augmentation, harvest planning, and hatchery master planning.  Most recently, project staffs worked with regional scientists using CTUIR data to develop, run, and evaluate the Walla Walla Subbasin Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment model used in the Walla Walla Subbasin Plan and addendum.  The project used EDT to quantify the potential of the Walla Walla Subbasin to produce on average thousands of additional spawners via the restoration of specific habitat attributes in priority reaches.  We have drafted a comprehensive RM&E plan, and produced several progress reports.  During this same period, WWNPMEP has documented the status and trends in natural production of anadromous and resident fish. This information has been effectively communicated to managers, and a great deal of the information has been archived and made public via the internet. Past reports for this project are available on the BPA and CTUIR websites.  They can be found on the BPA website at: efw.bpa.gov/searchpublications/ or at http:// www.umatilla.nsn.us  (CTUIR website).

Location of Project
This project assesses the status and distribution of salmonids in the Walla Walla Basin.  CTUIR efforts are coordinated with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a number of other public and private groups.  To maximize coordination and efficiency, WDFW researchers centered in Dayton Washington conduct most of their research in the Touchet River, the Walla Walla River and other tributaries in the state of Washington.  CTUIR's efforts (this project) are located primarily in the Oregon portion of the Walla Walla River Basin.  CTUIR does conduct some M&E work in the lower Walla Walla and in the Touchet Basin occasionally.  The majority of this work is associated with Rainwater Ranch Property managed by CTUIR.  We also coordinate with the WWWC and the irrigators for monitoring and salvage operations associated with irrigation diversions.  Information we collect is establishing a baseline for trend data and aides managers planning restoration projects.  Staff biologists and technicians are stationed at a field office at the South Fork Walla Walla River near Milton-Freewater, Oregon.  Administrative support and oversight is received from the main Tribal Offices near Pendleton, Oregon.

BPA Furnished Property or Services
BPA has furnished 6000 PIT tags for use during the contract period

Project Work Elements (SOW WEs for the amended contract period January 1, 2006 through February 28, 2007)

A)  Spawner Surveys. Monitor the spawning activities of hatchery and natural adult spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead.
B)  Periodic Status Reports for BPA.
C)  Juvenile Fish and Habitat Surveys.  Estimate juvenile salmonid abundance and rearing densities.
D)  Outmigrant Monitoring.  Estimate abundance, timing and survival of juvenile salmon and steelhead migrating from Walla Walla River to the Columbia River.
E)  Age, Growth and Brood-year monitoring.  Determine age, growth and life history characteristics of salmon, steelhead and bull trout.
F)  Radio Telemetry.  Use radio telemetry to assess movement, distribution and passage delay to adult summer steelhead and spring Chinook.
G) Manage and Summarize Data and Databases.
H)  Analyze Data.
I)  Annual Reporting. Report on project progress and findings.
J)  Administrative Process.  Meet the required administrative governmental processes.
K)  Compliance.  Permits.
L)  Manage Walla Walla Basin M & E Program.