Project Title:  Characterize the Migratory Patterns, Structure, Abundance, and Status of Bull Trout Populations from Sub-Basins in the Columbia Plateau

Old Contract Number:  00006212

Project Contractor:  Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation, Oregon

Project Leaders:   Christopher V. Brun and Rebekah D. Burchell
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation, Oregon
6030 Dee Hwy., Parkdale, Oregon, 97041
(541) 352-3548, (541) 352-9365  (fax)
Email: cbrun@hrecn.net
rdodson@wstribes.org

Contract Administrator:  Adrian White
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation, Oregon
Finance Branch
P.O. Box C, Warm Springs, Oregon, 97761
(541) 553-3219, (541) 553-3256 (fax)
Email: awhite@wstribes.org

This statement of work describes the portion of project 199405400 that will be implemented in the Deschutes sub-basin by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation, Oregon, Department of Natural Resources (CTWSRO). This includes Objectives 6, 7, 8, and 9 in the combined Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW)-CTWSRO 2002-2006 proposal for continued funding of Project # 199405400 "Bull Trout Genetics, Habitat Needs, Life History In Central and N.E. Oregon."

Project Goal:

The goal of this project is to determine and implement accurate and cost effective methods to monitor bull trout abundance in the lower Deschutes sub-basin.  The methods utilized in this study are being evaluated throughout the range of bull trout to establish standardized monitoring techniques. Methods for monitoring juvenile and adult abundance and spawning escapement will be evaluated during implementation of this project.  Juvenile abundance will be monitored in the Warm Springs River and Shitike Creek by assessing the utility of night snorkeling "index" reaches to determine trends in relative abundance.  Juvenile abundance monitoring began during 1999 and will continue through 2006 in order to establish an adequate time series from which to evaluate the technique. Trends in adult bull trout abundance in the lower Deschutes sub-basin will be monitored by conducting multiple pass redd surveys in Warm Springs R. and Shitike Cr.  Annual temporal and spatial variation in bull trout spawning will be identified to determine if index reaches within the available spawning habitat can be used to monitor trends in adult bull trout spawning abundance. Redd surveys began during 1998 and are ongoing. Escapement of adult fluvial bull trout to the spawning grounds in Warm Springs R. and Shitike Cr. will be estimated using fish weirs. Weirs will be placed in Warm Springs R. and Shitike Cr. during 2003-2006 to enumerate fluvial bull trout bound for the spawning grounds. A weir with a live box has been successfully used to capture adult migrants in Shitike Cr. since 2000. Funds from this project were used to purchase a picket fence weir and underwater videography equipment to record adults entering the spawning grounds in the Warm Springs R. during 2002. Adult immigrants enumerated at the weirs and total redd counts by stream will be used to formulate an adult per redd ratio. The ratio will be used to estimate the numbers of spawners per redd.  Thermographs will be placed throughout the Warm Springs River and Shitike Creek to monitor water temperatures in the migration, holding and spawning corridors.

Bull trout research conducted by CTWSRO in the lower Deschutes subbasin began during 1998 as part of BPA funded project # 199405400 "Bull Trout Genetics, Habitat Needs, Life History In Central and N.E. Oregon." This project has been coordinated with the ODFW Native Trout Program and USFWS Deschutes Recovery Unit Chapter. Information obtained from the project will be used by the CTWSRO to monitor the status of bull trout inhabiting the lower Deschutes R. to determine if the Tribal Intergrated Resource Management Plan is adequately protecting this species.  The USFWS continues to use findings from this project to finalize bull trout recovery plans in the Deschutes sub-basin and to determine its effectiveness in recovery. The USFWS will also use data from this project to assist with standardization of abundance monitoring protocols that will be used range-wide to assess recovery of bull trout.  Results from this project will be presented to the Salvelinus Confluentus Curiosity Society (SCCS) at its annual meeting during the summer 2005. The society is composed of bull trout researchers in the U.S. and Canada.  Projects are critqued and information is exchanged at annual meetings in order to coordinate and strengthen ongoing bull trout research.

Project results will be presented at the annual Oregon Chapter AFS meeting held during February, 2006, and in an annual report issued to the BPA during March, 2006.  Quarterly progress reports will be provided to BPA during the contract period.

Background:

Bull trout were listed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) during 1998 (63 FR 31647). Two Reservation streams and their tributaries (Warm Springs R. and Shitike Cr.) support the entire lower Deschutes R. (Rkm 0 - 161) meta-population. Bull trout are present in low numbers in the Warm Springs R. and moderate numbers in the Shitike Cr. (Brun 1999). Both populations are considered to have a moderate risk of extinction due to the presence of brook trout (Buchanan et al. 1997).  The fluvial life history pattern is dominant in the lower Deschutes sub-basin. However, resident bull trout are also present (Brun 1998).

Bull trout abundance is difficult to monitor due to their complex habitat requirements (Pratt 1984; Goetz 1994) and variation in life histories (Rieman and McIntyre 1993; Fraley and Shepard 1989; Goetz 1991).  Juvenile abundance surveys are commonly conducted using night snorkeling in the Pacific Northwest. Bull trout are nocturnal and readily observable at night (Goetz 1991; Shepard and Graham 1983; Bonneau et al. 1995).

Bull trout redd counts within index reaches have been widely used to monitor trends in adult abundance (Shepard et al. 1982; Shepard and Graham 1983; Brown 1992; Rieman and McIntyre 1996). However, variation in temporal and spatial distribution of spawning activity within streams as well as observer error have led researchers to question the accuracy of index redd counts (Dunham and Reiman 2001).  By continuing basin-wide redd surveys, we will be able to determine if surveying selected stream reaches will provide an accurate index of bull trout spawning abundance in the Warm Springs R. and Shitike Cr.

Total redd counts and estimated numbers of spawning bull trout have been strongly correlated (Dunham and Reiman 2001). Fish weirs have been successfully used to enumerate spawning bull trout throughout their range (Ratliff et al. 1996; Westover and Conroy 1997; Chirico and Westover 1998; Clayton 1998). We propose to evaluate the use of combined redd and weir counts to determine adult bull trout spawner escapement and estimate the number of fish per redd in the Warm Springs R. and Shitike Cr.

Bull trout require cold water temperatures for spawning and juvenile rearing.  Temperature tolerances of adult bull trout in the lower Deschutes sub-basin during migration and pre-spawning are not known (Buchanan and Gregory 1997).  We will continue to monitor water temperatures in key locations within the Warm Springs R. and Shitike Cr. to determine the range of water temperatures that adult bull trout encounter as they enter, migrate through and spawn in these tributaries (Brun and Dodson 2002).

Location of Project:

The project is located entirely within the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation. The reservation covers 240,000 hectares. It is located on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains in central Oregon. The Reservation boundaries run from the crest of the Cascades to the north and west, the Deschutes River to the east and the Metolius River to the south.  The Warm Springs River and Shitike Creek, major tributaries to the lower Deschutes River, are located within the Reservation.  The lower Deschutes River flows below an impassable hydroelectric complex at river kilometer (Rkm) 161.  The Pelton - Round Butte complex has isolated bull trout populations in the Metolius River from those in the lower Deschutes River since the 1960's.

The project will be conducted in two Reservation watersheds: Warm Springs and Shitike. The Warm Springs River (44 51 29.79 lat. 121 04 0.62 lon.) is the largest river system within the Reservation.  The river flows for 85 kilometers and drains 54,394 hectares.  Major tributaries include Beaver Creek and Mill Creek.  It is the largest tributary to the lower Deschutes River. It enters the Deschutes at Rkm 135. Shitike Creek (44 45 43.61 lat. 121 13 40.87 lon.) is the third largest tributary to the lower Deschutes River.  It flows for 48 km and drains 36,000 hectares.  Shitike Creek enters the Deschutes River at Rkm 151. The project is located in Wasco and Jefferson Counties, Oregon, Hydrological Unit 17070303.

BPA Furnished Property:

None required. No capital expenditures will be incurred during this contract period.  ESA requirements have been met through the issuance of USFWS Federal Fish and Wildlife "Take" permit #TE037151-1.  The permit is valid through 2005.

References:

Bonar, S.A., M. Divens, and B. Bolding. 1997. Methods for sampling the distribution and abundance of bull trout/ dolly varden. Research Report RAD97-05. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, Washington.

Bonneau, J.L., R.F. Thurow, D.L. Scarnecchia. 1995. Capture, marking and enumeration of juvenile bull trout and cutthroat trout in small, low-conductivity streams. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 15:563-568.

Brown, L.G. 1992. Draft management guide for the bull trout Salvelinus Confluentus on the Wenatchee National Forest. Washington Department of Wildlife Technical Report. 104 pp.

Brun, C.V  1999 and 2000. Bull trout distribution and abundance in the waters on and bordering the Warm Springs Reservation, 1998 and 1999 Annual Reports. Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, Oregon.

Brun, C.V and R.D. Dodson. 2001. Bull trout distribution and abundance in the waters on and bordering the Warm Springs Reservation, 2000 Annual Report. Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, Oregon.

Brun, C.V. and R.D. Dodson. 2003.  Bull trout distribution and abundance in the waters on and bordering the Warm Springs Reservation, 2002 Annual Report.  Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, Oregon.

Buchanan, D.V. and S.V. Gregory. 1997. Development of water temperature standards to protect and restore habitat for bull trout and other cold water species in Oregon. Pages 119-126 in Mackay, W.C., M.K. Brewin, and M. Monita, editors. Friends of the bull trout conference proceedings.  Bull Trout Task Force (Alberta), c/o Trout Unlimited Canada, Calgary.

Buchanan, D.V., M.L. Hanson and R.M. Hooton. 1997. Status of Oregon's Bull Trout. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Portland.

Chirico, A. and W. T. Westover. 1998. Wigwam River bull trout-habitat conservation trust fund progress report for 1997.  Fisheries Project Report KO 53.  Ministry of Lands and Parks, Fisheries Branch, Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada.

Clayton, T. B. 1998.  1996 and 1997 bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) investigations in the Belly River drainages in Alberta.  Alberta Conservation Association, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

Dunham, J. and B. Reiman. 2001. Sources and magnitude of sampling error in redd counts for bull trout Salvelinus confluentus. North American Journal of Fisheries Management (in press).
Fraley, J.J., and B.B. Shepard. 1989. Life history, ecology and population status of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the Flathead Lake and River system, Montana. Northwest Science 63:133-143.

Goetz, F. 1991. Bull trout life history and habitat study. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Deschutes National Forest, Bend, Oregon.

Goetz, F. A. 1994. Distribution and juvenile ecology of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the Cascade Mountains. Master's Thesis, Oregon State University. Corvallis.

Nelson, L. and various contributors 2001.  Deschutes River Subbasin Summary prepared for the Northwest Power Planning Council, Portland, Oregon.

Pratt, K. L. 1984. Habitat selection and species interactions of juvenile westslope cutthroat trout (Salmo clarki lewisi) and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the upper Flathead River basin. Master's Thesis, University of Idaho, Moscow.

Ratliff, D.E., S.L. Thiesfeld, W.G. Weber, A.M. Stuart, M.D. Riehle and D.V. Buchanan. 1996.  Distribution, life history, abundance, harvest, habitat and limiting factors of bull trout in the Metolius River and Lake Billy Chinook, Oregon, 1983-1994. Information Report, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Portland.

Reiman, B.E, and J.D. McIntyre. 1993. Demographic and habitat requirements for conservation of bull trout.  General Technical Report INT-302. U. S. Forest Service. Intermountain Research Station, Boise, Idaho.

Reiser, D.W. and T.C. Bjornn. 1979. Habitat requirements of anadromous salmonids. U.S. Forest Service, General Technical Report DNW-96. Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. Portland, Oregon.

Rieman, B. E. and J. D. McIntyre.  1996.  Spatial and temporal variability in bull trout redd counts.  North American Journal of Fisheries Management 16: 132-141.

Seber, G.A.F. and E.D. LeCren. 1967. Estimating population parameters from catches relative to the population. Journal of Animal Ecology 36:631-643.

Sanborn, B., P. Callahan, G. Decker, C.F. Frissell, G. Watson and T. Weaver.  1998.  The relationship between land management activities and habitat requirements of bull trout.  Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.  Helena, Montana.

Shepard, B., T. Weaver, J. Fraley and P. Graham. 1982. Flathead River fishery study. Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Kalispell, Montana.

Shepard, B., K. Pratt and P. Graham. 1984. Life histories of westslope cutthroat and bull trout in the upper Flathead River Basin, Montana. Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Kalispell.

Thurow, R.F. 1994. Underwater methods for study of salmonids in the intermountain west. General Technical Report INT-GTR-307. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station.

Westover, W. T., and D. Conroy. 1997. Wigwam River bull trout-habitat conservation trust fund progress report for 1996/7.  Fisheries Project Report KO 51.  Ministry of Lands and Parks, Fisheries Branch, Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada.