The effects of summer flow augmentation on the migratory behavior and survival of juvenileSnake River fall Chinook salmon
Statement of Work and Budget FY2005

BPA Project Number:  1991-029-00
BPA Project Title: Effects of summer flow augmentation on Snake River fall Chinook salmon
Contract Number:    5233
Contract Title:  The effects of summer flow augmentation on the migratory behavior and survival of juvenileSnake River fall Chinook salmon
Performance/Budget Period: June 1, 2005 - May 31, 2006

William P. Connor
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4147 Ahsahka Rd.
Ahsahka, ID 83520
Phone: (208) 476-2242; Fax: (208) 476-7228
william_connor@fws.gov

Diane Praest
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4147 Ahsahka Rd.
Ahsahka, ID 83520
Phone: (208) 476-2222; Fax: (208) 476-7228
diane_praest@fws.gov

Contract Background Section:

... BACKGROUND

Dams reduce the survival of Chinook salmon smolts during early seaward migration.  Summer flow augmentation is implemented annually to mitigate for Snake River fall Chinook smolt mortality caused by the four dams in the lower Snake River by increasing downstream migration rate and survival.  There are two philosophies regarding summer flow augmentation within the resource management community of the Columbia River basin.  One philosophy embraces summer flow augmentation based on studies that show flow augmentation increases the migration rate and survival of fall Chinook salmon smolts.  The other questions the existing migration rate and survival studies, and advocates the use of limited reservoir water for other fishery and economic purposes.  For the present and near future, summer flow augmentation will be implemented annually as one measure to recover Snake River fall Chinook salmon listed for protection under the Endangered Species Act.  Fishery managers will require pre-augmentation data to develop annual water management plans, and post-augmentation data for evaluation.  Fishery managers also need new and more detailed information on how summer flow augmentation affects water temperature, water velocity, juvenile fall Chinook salmon migratory behavior, and survival in Lower Granite Reservoir.


COORDINATION

Coordination with the agencies and tribes is necessary to avoid duplicating work and to make efficient use of existing resources and personnel.  Since 1991, personnel of this project have effectively coordinated its juvenile fall Chinook salmon research with the Bonneville Power Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Fish Passage Center, Idaho Fish and Game, Idaho Power Company, National Marine Fisheries Service, Nez Perce Tribe, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U. S. Geological Survey, University of Idaho, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.   Our personnel will continue to seek coordination into the year 2006.


GOAL

Our research goal is to provide fishery managers with an understanding of the migratory behavior and survival of juvenile fall Chinook salmon in the Snake River, so that maximum recovery benefits of summer flow augmentation can be realized.

OBJECTIVES AND RATIONALE

Objective 1: Provide information to fishery managers to maximize the effectiveness of summer flow augmentation.

Wild subyearling fall Chinook salmon are implanted with passive integrated transponders from March to July.  The PIT-tag data are provided weekly each year via the PIT-tag Information System, where in turn, it is downloaded, analyzed, and posted in real time on Internet services to track and predict passage at Lower Granite, Little Goose, Lower Monumental, and McNary dams.  Project staff use these data to brief the Fish Passage Advisory Committee and the Technical Management Team during planning and implementations of summer flow augmentation.  Project staff also use published methods to conduct a post-season analysis on the PIT-tag data to determine if summer flow augmentation increased survival of wild subyearling fall Chinook salmon.  The results of this post-season analysis are presented at the TMT year end review.


Objective 2: Understand how summer flow augmentation affects water temperature, water velocity, juvenile fall Chinook salmon migratory behavior, and juvenile fall Chinook survival salmon in Lower Granite Reservoir.

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