Pacific Lamprey Research and Restoration Project

GOAL

The goal of this project is to recover Pacific Lamprey to self-sustaining, and harvestable levels and to provide essential information from the implementation of recovery actions for Pacific Lamprey in the CTUIR ceded area streams. To date, our studies have provided critical and valuable information on the biology and ecology of Pacific Lamprey throughout the Columbia River Basin. The objectives outlined below will provide information that will be useful for restoration efforts elsewhere in the Columbia River Basin where lamprey may be declining or extirpated, such as the Grande Ronde, Walla Walla and Tucannon basins as we have planned here.


UMATILLA BASIN
Since its inception in 1995, the Pacific Lamprey Research and Restoration Project has focused on two major components: 1) restoration activities involving translocating broodstock from the mainstem Columbia to increase larval lamprey abundance in the upper Umatilla River;  2) understanding the biology and ecology of Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus).  In the coming year we propose to expand both of these efforts to bring us closer to the ultimate goal of the project: restoring the natural production of Pacific lampreys in the Umatilla River rivers to self-sustaining and harvestable levels.  

The CTUIR project has been instrumental in developing a restoration plan for Pacific Lamprey in the mid-Columbia drainage by collecting information on: past and current lamprey abundance; factors limiting production; habitat requirements for each life phase; donor stock availability; population genetics; disease; migratory pheromones; migratory timing; and homing information. In addition, research conducted by CTUIR staff has provided valuable information on the biology and ecology of Pacific Lamprey within the basin.

The project began in 1995 to explore why the once-abundant Pacific Lamprey populations were declining in mid-upper Columbia and Snake River tributaries (Close et al. 1995). As a valuable food and cultural resource for Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest, the declining populations of lamprey impacted treaty-secured fishing opportunities by forcing the four Columbia River treaty tribes to gather this traditional food fish in lower Columbia River locations (Close et al. 1995).

The Umatilla River basin was chosen by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) as the initial pilot restoration project for these reasons: 1) the Umatilla River historically produced a fishable population of lampreys, 2) restoration efforts for salmonids in the basin may help with overall Pacific Lamprey restoration, and 3) current population level of Pacific lampreys in the Umatilla River were extremely low. In 1998, CTUIR began developing a restoration plan. Historical abundance and distribution data were summarized from tribal and ODFW interviews, and larval abundance and distribution surveys were completed in the John Day, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Tucannon, and Grand Ronde rivers. In cooperation with NPCC, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission (CRITFC), U.S. Geological Survey (Columbia River Research Laboratory, (CRRL)), USFWS, and ODFW, CTUIR staff developed the restoration plan for the basin. Knowledge on historical abundance, lamprey handling, transport, spawning, and outplanting of larvae were collected, and experiments conducted to maximize the potential for the restoration of lampreys in the Umatilla River.

In 2000, CTUIR implemented a pilot project in the Umatilla River. Translocation of adult Pacific lampreys in the Umatilla River began in May 2000, and the monitoring of several metrics of lamprey (larval densities, number of upmigrating adults and outmigrating larvae) has continued annually. Now in its twentieth year, the pilot project continues to translocate sexually mature adult lamprey in an effort to increase larval densities in the upper basin.

We will work to refine lamprey passage structures at Three Mile Falls Dam, Maxwell, and Feed diversion dams.  These structures have been in place for 10 years.  We are employing new techniques and strategies to insure these systems are working effectively and efficiently.

In 2023, we will continue efforts to broaden the research and restoration priorities of Pacific Lamprey by refining techniques to VIE mark and/or PIT tag juvenile Pacific lampreys.  We plan to trap/collect and full duplex tag ~5000-7000 juvenile lamprey and release into the Umatilla River to evaluate migration, survival and passage routes at irrigation diversions on the Umatilla River Basin.  This work will help us understand the impact these projects have on outmigrating juveniles.  Collaboration and cost-share among CTUIR, and USBR will occur for this work element.  

The project has the following objectives for 2023 in the Umatilla River:
1.  Increase larval abundance in the Umatilla River by translocating/trap and hauling adult lampreys.
2.  Estimate lamprey abundance at index sites in the Umatilla River, and Meacham Creek.
3. Estimate the number of adult upmigrants entering the Umatilla River.
4. Estimate the number of outmigrating lamprey (larvae and metamorphosed) from the Umatilla River and continue juvenile PIT tag evaluations.
5. Monitor migration to spawning behavior and passage routes over low-head irrigation diversions of Pacific Lamprey using radio telemetry.
6.  Refine adult lamprey passage structures at irrigation diversions on the Umatilla River.
7.  Report results to the funding agency.
8.  Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals and attend professional conferences.
9. Complete monitoringresources.org protocols for related work elements.

CEDED AREA LARVAL SURVEYS
Beginning in 2019, ceded area larval surveys were commenced in the ceded area rivers of the CTUIR with efforts focused to understand the current status of juvenile lamprey in the Grande Ronde, Tucannon, Walla Walla, and John Day river basins. This work will allow us to effectively compare other supplementation strategies (art.prop/translocation/control) underway in other basins.  These actions are called for within the Supplementation master plan document the tribes finalized in 2018.

In 2023, we have the following objectives for the ceded area surveys:
1. Continue to re-establish juvenile index sites (incorporating those from our 1999 surveys) in the Tucannon, Walla, Walla, John Day, and Grande Ronde basins.
2. Conduct larval electrofishing surveys at the index sites
3. Collect eDNA samples from tributaries within the ceded area.  This data will help provide presence/absence and distribution information.  


MASTER SUPPLEMENTATION PLAN

From 2012-2018, CTUIR, YN and CRITFC developed a Lamprey Master Supplementation Plan for the mid-upper Columbia River basin.  This plan is the driving force for supplementation efforts in the region.  The plans uses a phased approach with  laboratory, applied field experiments, analysis of results, and eventual production level implementation with adaptive management. This plan was approved by the ISRP and the NPCC in mid-2018. In 2019, The EA was completed and the BA was commenced through BPA EC.

For 2023, CTUIR will continue collaboration with Dr. Mary Moser to continue the refinement of methodology and criteria needed to implement Phase 1 of the Master Supplementation Plan for Lamprey.  Phase 1 work will continue at the Walla Walla Community College Water Environmental Center.  We will use a collaborative approach with Yakama Nation Fisheries, Mr. Ralph Lampman and Ann Gannam of the USFWS to advance this regional objective.  After EC clearance, in May 2021, we implemented Phase 2 applied field experiments with the first release of artificially produced lamprey in the Tucannon River.  For 2023, we will continue with releases of artificially propagated pro-larvae in the Tucannon River and begin upgrades to the repurposed SFWW ozone building for lamprey rearing.  

The project has the following objectives for 2023 for Master Plan related work:
1. Continue to advance (laboratory only) work related to artificial propagation research.
2. Spawn, incubate and rear up to 1,000,000 pro-larvae for release in the Tucannon River and monitor survival
3. Establish and estimate lamprey (pre and post re-introduction) abundance at index sites in the Walla Walla and Tucannon basins with genetic tissue samples collected from any larvae for future analysis.
4. Coordinate with agencies that are operating outmigration screw traps and conducting salmonid spawning surveys to properly identify, and collect biological data for individuals sampled. Provide support as needed.
5. Coordinate with local, state, tribal, and federal agencies for any necessary permits.