The Crystal Springs Chinook hatchery program is designed to focus Tribal Chinook harvests in Panther Creek and to continue elements of the Yankee Fork Spring Chinook Supplementation Strategy (YFCSS) that was initiated in 2006 to provide additional subsistence and ceremonial harvest of Chinook salmon.  These two harvest locations and populations were identified by the Interior Columbia Technical Review Team (ICTRT), the HSRG, NOAA Fisheries, and fishery co-managers as lower priority than other populations in the Upper Salmon River Major Population Group (MPG) for recovery and sustainability of the Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook ESU.  With other populations being the focus of species recovery, Yankee Fork and Panther Creek become good locations to establish populations that can support treaty-reserved Tribal harvests by properly using artificial propagation.  While self-sustaining natural production is not expected in the foreseeable future, the program will also contribute to the Tribal cultural goal of providing opportunities to see Chinook spawn naturally by increasing the abundance of adults on the spawning grounds.  In addition, the hatchery will serve as a rearing facility for Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout for release in the Fort Hall Bottoms.  These program goals will be achieved through the construction and operation of a new hatchery, establishment of new acclimation ponds, and collection of local broodstock.  In addition, a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation program will facilitate adaptive management of the program.

This program is currently undergoing a combined Step 2/Step 3 review process under the Council’s Major Project Review requirements for all new hatchery programs.  The planning process involves addressing all Step 2 and Step 3 requirements, including refined monitoring and evaluation plans and preliminary and near-final project designs and updated cost information in all areas. The programs described in the pertinent planning documents reflect the vision of the Tribes to help restore and provide harvest opportunities for two native fish species of cultural and economic significance to the Tribes: Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha) in the Yankee Fork and Panther Creek, and Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki bouvieri) in the vicinity of the Fort Hall Reservation.  The Tribe is actively engaged in habitat restoration measures in the Yankee Fork and Fort Hall areas and is seeking to partner with other interests in restoring the aquatic ecosystem of Panther Creek.  Such habitat efforts have progressed sufficiently to warrant more aggressive population enhancement measures in each of these watersheds.

The Crystal Springs Fish Hatchery Master Plan (Step 1 Document) was submitted to the Council in April, 2011 (SBT 2011).  At the Council’s request, the ISRP reviewed the Master Plan, found that additional information was needed on key issues prior to meeting all science review criteria, and provided comments to SBT in June 2011 (ISRP 2011-17).  On April 12, 2012 the SBT provided their response intended to address the information needs, issues and concerns that the ISRP raised in their review.  The SBT not only responded to the key issues outlined in their comments, but also addressed all of the comments made by the ISRP in their preliminary review.  On June 14, 2012, the ISRP provided their review of SBT responses (ISRP 2012-8).  Based on their review, the ISRP found that the project Meets Scientific Review Criteria (Qualified). The Step 1 Master Plan was approved through the Council’s Fish and Wildlife Committee in July 2012 and the full Council in August 2012.

The Tribes worked diligently with our Subcontractor to develop a draft combined Step 2/3 document intended to fulfill the Council’s Major Project Review requirements for the proposed hatchery program (NPCC 2006).  Consistent with Step 2 requirements, the document addresses the specific concerns and comments expressed by the ISRP in their review of the Step 1 document and responds to the ISRP’s qualified approval (ISRP 2012-8).  The Tribes have also addressed all other Step 2 and Step 3 requirements that were able to proceed forward at this time, including refined monitoring and evaluation plans and preliminary and near-final project designs and updated cost information in all areas.  Environmental compliance tasks, including National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), compliance, Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation, cultural resources clearance, and permitting under sections 401 and 404 of the Clean Water Act, were initiated in the 2014 contract year.

During the 2015 contract year, SBT staff and BPA environmental compliance staff will continue developing the Environmental Impact Statement required under the National Environmental Policy Act.  In addition, efforts to initiate consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act and Endangered Species Act will be undertaken by BPA environmental compliance staff; supported by SBT staff throughout the process.  Public outreach and document drafting will be the primary focus of the 2015 contract year efforts to complete the required environmental review under Step 2 of the three-step process.  Efforts to confirm cost-share inputs from third parties will continue through 2015 until the actual construction for hatchery facilities.  This ongoing project has met a great number of significant milestones across contract years, so the SBT expect 2015 will build on those outcomes to finish the planning phase and implement a successful hatchery construction effort in 2016.