Activity:
This is a project for the Administration and System Operation of the Columbia River Basin PIT Tag Information System (PTAGIS).  A comprehensive overview of the project is described online at http://www.ptagis.org/learn.

Agency:
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC).

Goal:
The goal of this project is to operate and maintain the Columbia River Basin-wide database for PIT Tagged fish and to operate and maintain the established interrogation systems. The data collected by this system is accessible to the general public from the PTAGIS web portal.
The measurable goal for the system is to collect 100% valid data and provide that data  in 'near-real' time with downtime of any system component of not more than one percent as measured during the period of peak out-migration.

Background:
In 1984, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) entered into an agreement with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to research and develop a passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag for use in the Columbia River Basin (CRB) Fish and Wildlife Program (FWP). The PIT tag system enables large amounts of data to be produced using relatively few tags, compared to traditional tagging and marking systems.

In 1988 and 1989, NMFS contracted with PSMFC to develop and operate a prototype database system to help NMFS meet, in a timely manner, its contractual and verbal agreements involving PIT tag data.  The database was designed to meet immediate needs as well as provide a framework for a formalized database system for the Columbia River Basin PIT tag program.

In April 1989, NMFS announced its intention to phase out of the operation, maintenance and management of the PIT tag systems in the Columbia River Basin. Subsequently, BPA contracted with PSMFC because it was the only agency experienced in data management with no vested interest in the interpretation of data generated from PIT tags, while being independent of water or fish and wildlife management responsibilities.

The actions that PSMFC was directed to implement under the PTAGIS contract include:
1.            Management of a long term Columbia River Basin-wide database system accessible to all entities;
2.            Maintenance and documentation of fish tagging and interrogation software;
3.            Operation and maintenance of equipment at the remote sites;
4.            Provision of technical support for the software and hardware;
5.            Provision of training to users; and
6.            Distribution of PIT tags and associated equipment.

Locations:
The PSMFC office in Portland, OR houses the PTAGIS systems utilizing PSMFC data facilities.

The field office in Kennewick WA is primarily responsible for operations and equipment maintenance of 25 key PIT Tag interrogation sites:
                                                                                                      
Code   Site Name                                                       # Antennas
B2J     Bonneville Dam PH2 Juvenile Bypass and Sampling Facility       19
BCC     Bonneville Dam 2nd Powerhouse Corner Collector Outfall Channel 1
BO1     Bradford Island Adult Fishway at Bonneville Dam                 36
BO2     Cascades Island Adult Fishway at Bonneville Dam                 16
BO3     Washington Shore Adult Fishway and AFF at Bonneville Dam       32
BO4     Washington Shore Fishway Vertical Slots at Bonneville Dam       4
CFF     Castile Falls Fishway                                           3
CFJ     Clark Flat Acclimation Pond Outfall                             4
ESJ     Easton Acclimation Pond Outfall                                 4
GOJ     Little Goose Dam Juvenile Fish Bypass/Transportation Facility & Full Flow Bypass 32
GRA     Lower Granite Adult Fishway and Fish Trap                       16
GRJ     Lower Granite Dam Juvenile Fish Bypass/Transportation Facility 26
ICH     Ice Harbor Dam Adult Fishways (both) and Full Flow Bypass       20
JCJ     Jack Creek Acclimation Pond Outfall                             4
JDJ     John Day Dam Juvenile Fish Bypass and Sampling Facility         30
LFF     Lyle Falls Fishway                                             15
LMJ     Lower Monumental Dam Juvenile Fish Bypass/Transportation Fac.   35
MC1     Oregon Shore Adult Fishway at McNary Dam                       18
MC2     Washington Shore Adult Fishway at McNary Dam                   19
MCJ     McNary Dam Juvenile Fish Bypass/Transportation Facility         48
PRO     Prosser Dam Adult Fishways and Juvenile Bypass/Sampling Fac.   11
ROZ     Roza Diversion Dam Spillway and Adult Fishway detectors         5
RPJ     Rapid River Hatchery Outfall                                   8
TD1 The Dalles East Fish Ladder 2
TD2 The Dalles North Fish Ladder 2

TOTAL Antennas Operated and Maintained by PTAGIS: 410

PSMFC provides operations and maintenance (O&M) support for the electronic data collection portion of the PIT tag interrogation systems at the Corps operated facilities, under a 'Memorandum of Agreement' between BPA and the Corps. PSMFC maintains PIT Tag actuated separation (diversion) gates at various fish facilities. PSMFC also installs and maintains the programmable logic controllers (PLC’s) used by smolt monitoring and facility personnel to collect daily sub-samples. Information related to the sub-sample is incorporated into the PIT tag interrogation files.

PTAGIS also provides a repository for automated detection data collected at 190 (and growing) interrogation sites operated by other entities throughout the Columbia Basin:

Organization Number of Sites
Chelan County Public Utility District 4
Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission 1
Colville Confederated Tribes 8
Confed. Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reser. 4
Confed. Tribes of the Warm Springs Reser. 1
Grant County Public Utility District 1
Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game 14
Nez Perce Tribe 2
NOAA Fisheries 11
Okanagan Nation Alliance 1
Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife 7
Portland General Electric 2
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes 2
Snake River Salmon Recovery Board 4
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 49
U.S. Geological Survey 12
Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife 49
Yakama Nation 18

TOTAL Non-PTAGIS Maintained Sites 190