This research, monitoring and evaluation project was established in 2007 as a collaborative accord between the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).  In January 2007, BPA requested of this project an amended collaborative proposal; one that emphasized salmonid status and trend monitoring.  Tribal and state partners agreed to collaborate on the project proposal, budget, statement of work and annual report; but, retained their individual contracts with BPA.  Prior to this collaboration, the CTUIR and WDFW conducted separate studies under BPA project numbers 200003900 & 199802000; see http://data.umatilla.nsn.us/, http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/, and https://www.bpa.gov/efw/FishWildlife/Pages/default.aspx.

The Walla Walla subbasin supports ESA listed populations of steelhead and bull trout, and a reintroduced population of spring Chinook. These populations are depressed relative to historic levels.  Spring Chinook were extirpated from the Walla Walla in the early 20th century.  For the past 25 years the CTUIR and others have implemented numerous passage, flow, and habitat  to improve salmonid  production in the Subbasin.  

The Tribes Walla Walla Spring Chinook program began in 2000 with the outplanting of hatchery adults collected from the Ringold Hatchery, Carson National Fish Hatchery, and the Umatilla River at Three Mile Falls Dam.  Direct stream release of hatchery reared juveniles began in 2005 using Carson stock from the Carson National Fish Hatchery. Monitoring & Evaluation of the Spring Chinook Program began in 2000.  The work included assessment of spring Chinook and steelhead natural production, and evaluation of fish passage based on adult steelhead and bull trout.  In 2007 CTUIR, WDFW, and BPA developed a collaborative M & E program in the Subbasin based on salmonid VSP Parameters of abundance, productivity, diversity, and spatial structure.  The expanded project was designed to provide high level indicators of fish population status and trends for spring Chinook, steelhead, and bull trout.  This information is used to inform the CTUIR first foods management, and to address BPA fish and wildlife program strategies.  

The purpose of this M & E project is to address the adaptive management requirements of the Spring Chinook Program, and to maintain the baseline monitoring needed by the existing management system. This effort includes an ecosystem-based scientific framework for adaptive management and performance evaluation based on measurements of success and monitors of risk to other species and populations.  The techniques and designs used for implementation and detailed methodology can be found online at www.monitoringmethods.org.  This collaborative effort is funded by the Columbia River Fish Accords.  Our M & E objectives were developed based on the requirements of the Walla Walla Spring Chinook Hatchery Master Plan (HMP), BPA’s Fish Management Sub-strategies, the Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPA’s) of the Columbia Power System Biological Opinion, and the existing comprehensive fish restoration program.  Existing plans for the Umatilla River, Grande Ronde River, Johnson Creek, and the Okanogan River were reviewed to develop the structure and content requirements for the objectives and technical methodology.    


Project work emphasizes Mill Creek, Walla Walla and Touchet rivers, and is coordinated with local stakeholders whenever possible (e.g., ODFW, USFWS, USACE, USFS, the Walla Walla Subbasin Watershed Council, Snake River Salmon Recovery Board (SRSRB),  local irrigation districts and other public and private groups).  

CTUIR project offices are located at the William A. Grant Water and Science Center at Walla Walla Community College, while the WDFW South East Washington District Offices are located in Dayton, Washington. Previously, CTUIR and WDFW conducted separate studies and reported to BPA in separate annual reports, under project numbers 199802000 and 200003900.  Previous project reports, data and metadata are found at the CTUIR website www.data.umatilla.nsn.us/fisheries/index.aspx, or WDFW website at www.wdfw.wa.gov, or the BPA website (https://www.bpa.gov/efw/FishWildlife/Pages/default.aspx).