Spring Chinook salmon are an integral part of the cultural and spiritual identity of the people of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon (CTWSRO), and are an essential aspect of tribal nutritional health.  The majority of natural production of this species in the Deschutes River Basin occurs on two stream systems on CTWSRO lands: the Warm Springs River and Shitike Creek.

Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the Deschutes River basin are a part of the Middle Columbia River steelhead “distinct population segment” (DPS) that was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) on January 5, 2006 and further classified as an “evolutionarily significant unit” (ESU) (71 FR 834).  High stray rates of steelhead within the Deschutes River ESU have contributed to a decision by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to list Middle Columbia River steelhead as threatened.  

Both Chinook salmon and steelhead are culturally significant to the people of the CTWSRO but are also of high economic and recreational value to non-Indians.  This project addresses objectives of the Middle Columbia River Steelhead Recovery Plan, The Deschutes River Subbasin Plan, and the 2000 Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program.

The proposed project will focus on the monitoring of populations of wild steelhead and spring Chinook salmon within the Lower Westside Deschutes Assessment Unit, as well as cooperative management and monitoring of hatchery-origin spring Chinook salmon from the Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery (WSNFH).  Project activities will take place in the Warm Springs River (and its tributaries) and Shitike Creek.  All streams are located on the tribal lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon.  

Key objectives for this contract will focus on monitoring the distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult spring Chinook and steelhead in reservation streams, investigating methods of increasing production, and determining the genetic characteristics of Oncorhynchus mykiss (resident Rainbow trout and anadromous steelhead) in the Warm Springs River Basin, and beginning a PIT tagging program.  

Methods that will be used to meet the monitoring objectives include the use of rotary screw traps for outmigrating juveniles, spawning ground surveys, and snorkeling surveys.    

Genetic samples will be collected from adult and juvenile O. mykiss in the Warm Springs River Basin at two locations:  at the outmigrant screw trap near the mouth of the river, at the Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery.  

Outmigrating juveniles of both Chinook and steelhead (O. mykiss) will be tagged with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags at the outmigrant traps.