The purpose of the Idaho Steelhead Monitoring & Evaluation Studies (ISMES) is to monitor and evaluate of the status and trends of wild steelhead populations in Idaho. We propose to retain most of the objectives from the last proposal (2007-2009) but they have been expanded to incorporate the mandate from the Idaho Fish Accord to assess the status of wild steelhead in Idaho. The objectives are re-framed to be consistent with the Snake River monitoring and evaluation goals developed by the RPA Workgroup, with the strategies put forth by the Snake River basin fish managers, and with the guidance from NOAA Fisheries (Crawford and Rumsey 2009).

We will assess abundance, productivity, spatial structure, and diversity at the population and major population group scales. We will also assess abundance, productivity, and diversity for the Snake River Distinct Population Segment based on samples from Lower Granite Dam. This element will include both adult and smolt samples. To provide DPS-level monitoring, ISMES will continue to sample adult steelhead at Lower Granite Dam, expand activities to collect smolt samples in coordination with Project 198712700, but the genetic elements have been transferred to a new project (201002600). We will collaborate with this project to break aggregate abundance estimates and age composition into major population groups and, in some cases, populations. Over time, productivity will be assessed. Intensive monitoring efforts will continue (at Fish Creek, Rapid River and Big Creek) as will recent expansions in regards to coordination and support of other intensive steelhead monitoring work in Idaho. We will estimate adult abundance, length distribution, sex ratio, and age composition; smolt abundance, length structure, and age composition; survival of juveniles from spawning stream to Lower Granite and smolt-to-adult return rate. Current extensive monitoring elements are retained (dispersed parr surveys to assess spatial structure and stream water temperature monitoring), as are the population-level genetic work. Genetic elements will emphasize maintenance of the genetic baseline used by project 201002600 as well as genetic diversity.

This statement of work will be organized in accordance with the 2010 proposal. There are 5 objectives:
Objective 1: Monitor status and trends of wild steelhead at Lower Granite Dam. This effort is funded by Idaho Fish Accord monies.
Objective 2:  Conduct intensive, high-precision (fish in, fish out) monitoring of steelhead in Fish Creek (Lochsa population), Rapid River (Little Salmon population), and Big Creek (Lower Middle Fork Salmon population).
Objective 3:  Support and coordinate intensive, high-precision (fish in, fish out) monitoring of wild steelhead at other locations in Idaho. ISMES is the central repository of information for wild steelhead in Idaho. The goal of this work is to collect information where wild steelhead are being passed above hatchery weirs.
Objective 4:  Conduct extensive monitoring in selected streams (snorkel surveys and temperature monitoring).
Objective 5: Monitor temporal and spatial genetic patterns of steelhead populations in Idaho.