For the 2015 Upper Columbia Spring Chinook and Steelhead Acclimation Project (formerly known as the Expanded & Multispecies Acclimation (EMSA) project) contracting period, YN will focus on continued development of key release locations that fit within the context of project objectives (release fish further away from know hatchery, single point releases and integrate hatchery fish with natural origin fish they are suppose to be supplementing) and continue spring Chinook releases from Mid-Valley Pond.  Due to site restrictions within the Mid-Columbia Coho Reintroduction Program (MCCRP), Rohlfing's site will continue to only be available for the rearing of coho as part of the MC Coho Reintroduction Project.  A Nason Creek steelhead acclimation site is still in development and being incorporated into a FWIP EA, expected to be completed in summer of 2015.  The Methow will continue to release spring Chinook, as a part of GCPUD mitigation for Methow spring Chinook at the Mid-Valley Pond site, located approximately 5 miles upstream from the Methow FH.  This will be the fourth year of use and intended to distribute spring Chinook production further upstream to alleviate spawner densities issues currently documented within this program.  While there is question within the agencies if this site is far enough upstream to accomplish these goals, releases have continued until adult data has been analyzed as part of Douglas/Grant PUD's annual reporting.  This adult data will shape the future use of this site for spring Chinook at Mid-Valley Pond.  The intent here is to continue to gain valuable information regarding potential benefits, both biologically and from a cost perspective, of maximizing limited rearing space within the Upper Columbia (UC) region.  The treatment group will have comparable controlled release from Methow SFH.  Some of the performance metrics identified as part of YN's evaluation would be in-pond survival, release-to-McNary survival, and overall release timing/condition for each species.  New to 2015, and as part of Chelan PUDs mitigation, YN will acclimate up to 61,000 spring Chinook at Chewuch Acclimation Facility (AF); over-wintered at Carlton Pond on the mainstem Methow.  This is a variation of what had historically occurred with this release location in that fish had been over-wintered at Methow SFH and moved in the spring to the Chewuch AF.  A large amount of straying occurred as a result of this with approximately 40% of the adult returns form the Chewuch AF releases returning to the hatchery.  With the over-wintering occurring downstream of the Chewuch, straying may still occur but not compromise spawning composition in the vicinity of the state and federal hatcheries located in Winthrop. Acclimation would occur from mid-March through the end of April.

In addition to the on-the-ground activities, YN will be pursuing multiple site developments in both the Wenatchee and Methow for long-term implementation once the data has been summarized and accepted within the co-managers.  Initial reporting of results have been positive and this long-term implementation for both spring Chinook and steelhead would be consistent with future HGMPs as well as long-term implementation of recalculated release/production goals through mitigation discussions. Sites include Powerline in the Nason Creek drainage, Trinity (spring Chinook) in the Chiwawa River basin, and a possible upper Methow site near Early Winters Creek (currently being identified as Early Winters 2).  Other sites in the queue for future consideration to be vetted out for 2016 could include Gold Creek Ponds for steelhead originating from Winthrop NFH and are in discussions with USFWS on the logistics for this to occur.