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Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program
SOW Report
Contract 74313 REL 74: 1998-016-00 EXP ESCAPEMENT/PRODUCTIVITY SPR. CHINOOK/STEELHD
Project Number:
Title:
Escapement and Productivity of Spring Chinook and Steelhead
BPA PM:
Stage:
Closed
Area:
Province Subbasin %
Columbia Plateau John Day 100.00%
Contract Number:
74313 REL 74
Contract Title:
1998-016-00 EXP ESCAPEMENT/PRODUCTIVITY SPR. CHINOOK/STEELHD
Contract Continuation:
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74313 REL 49: 1998-016-00 EXP ESCAPEMENT/PRODUCTIVITY SPR. CHINOOK/STEELHD
  • 74313 REL 94: 1998-016-00 EXP ESCAPEMENT/PRODUCTIVITY SPR. CHINOOK/STEELHD
Contract Status:
Closed
Contract Description:
Salmonid Productivity, Status, and Trend Monitoring in the John Day River Basin

The John Day River subbasin supports some of the last remaining wild populations of spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead in the Columbia River Basin.  These populations, however, remain depressed relative to historic levels.  In consideration of these two factors, NOAA Fisheries has specifically identified the John Day as a priority subbasin for habitat and species recovery in the Mid-Columbia steelhead distinct population segment (DPS).  The John Day River, together with its anadromous fish populations is also an important reference subbasin for comparisons to other anadromous stocks in more highly impacted subbasins of the Columbia River.  Mid-Columbia spring Chinook are not a federally listed DPS.  However, because the John Day River populations are not supplemented with hatchery releases and pass only three...  dams on the Columbia River, they are relied upon as a reference for comparisons to listed stocks and for assessing the effects of alternative future management actions on salmon stocks in the Columbia Basin.

Numerous habitat protection and rehabilitation projects to improve salmonid freshwater production and survival have been implemented in the basin.  A coordinated approach to the monitoring and evaluation of status and trends in anadromous and resident salmonid populations and their habitats is needed to support restoration efforts in the Columbia River basin.  This project extends the structure and methods employed by the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds Monitoring Program to the John Day River subbasin of the Columbia Plateau Province.  

To meet data needs as reference stocks, assess the long-term effectiveness of habitat projects, and to differentiate freshwater and ocean survival, annual estimates of spawner escapement, age structure, smolt-to-adult ratios (SAR), and egg-to-smolt survival are needed.  Additional sampling and analyses to meet these goals include an estimate of smolt abundance and SAR rates.  Hence, this project focuses on estimating adult abundance (via a GRTS design for redd surveys), estimating juvenile abundance (at a subset of sites sampled for redds), estimating smolt abundance (via rotary screw traps), and estimating SAR through the PIT tagging of 8,000 smolts each year (4,000 Chinook and 4,000 steelhead) and 2,000 parr each year (Chinook and steelhead).  Age sampling is conducted at each monitoring step so that productivity can be measured on a brood year basis.

Another goal of this project is to further develop and implement a standard set of fish habitat monitoring methods in the John Day River subbasin.  We will cooperate with the Integrated Status and Effectiveness Monitoring (ISEMP) group to refine and implement these developing protocols.  This fish habitat monitoring has been developed to capture habitat features that drive fish population biology.  The 26 watersheds chosen throughout the Columbia River basin maximize the contrast in current habitat conditions and represent a temporal gradient of expected change in condition through planned habitat actions.  The data from this project will be used to evaluate the quantity and quality of tributary fish habitat available to salmonids across the Columbia River basin.  When combined with parallel fish monitoring metrics from related projects, these data will also be used to assess the impact of habitat management actions on fish population processes.  The habitat status and trends monitoring proposed in the Columbia Habitat Monitoring Program (CHaMP) is a Columbia River basin wide habitat status and trends monitoring program built around a single habitat monitoring protocol (a protocol being a set of methods and associated metrics), with a program-wide approach to data collection and management.  This program will result in systematic habitat status and trends information that will be used to assess basin-wide habitat condition and correlated with biological response indicators to evaluate habitat management strategies.

Data from this project has thus far been incorporated into both recovery plans and peer-reviewed scientific literature (see selected references below) describing the status and ecological aspects of John Day River salmonid populations.  During future years, we will continue these data applications, and also characterize the steelhead population structure in the John Day River basin using a suite of nuclear DNA markers, including microsatellite loci (variable-number simple-sequence repeats) assayed via restriction enzyme analysis.  Current stock structure will be used to guide conservation and management measures.  We will also continue to develop fish-habitat relationships for the John Day River basin using CHaMP data which will provide a vehicle for evaluating habitat limiting factors and restoration effects.

While these monitoring efforts will not specifically measure the effectiveness of any individual habitat project, they provide data for assessing the effectiveness of restoration projects at a sub-basin scale.  This work is coordinated with restoration efforts in the John Day River basin through periodic meetings (John Day Basin partnership).  Our efforts provide nearly all of the status and trend monitoring, and some of the effectiveness monitoring, for the RM&E projects.  There is near universal support in the scientific and regulatory community regarding the critical role of monitoring to assure accountability, adaptive learning, and the credibility of recovery efforts for native salmonids and the watersheds that support them.  This project is a high priority based on the emphasis the NWPPC Fish and Wildlife Program, Subbasin Summaries, NOAA Fisheries, and the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds have placed on monitoring and evaluation to provide the real-time data to guide restoration and adaptive management in the region.

Selected References:

Carmichael, R.W. and B.J. Taylor. 2009. Conservation and Recovery Plan for Oregon Steelhead Populations in the Middle Columbia River Steelhead Distinct Population Segment.

Lindsay, R.B., and five co-authors. 1986. Study of wild spring chinook salmon in the John Day River System. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Portland, OR. Final Report to Bonneville Power Administration. Project No. 79-004-00.  https://efw.bpa.gov/Environment/EW/EWP/DOCS/REPORTS/HABITAT/H39796-1.pdf

Tattam, I.A., J.R. Ruzycki, P. B. Bayley, H. W. Li, and G. R. Giannico.  2013.  The Influence of Release Strategy and Migration History on Capture Rate of Oncorhynchus mykiss in a Rotary Screw Trap.  North American Journal of Fisheries Management 33:237–244.

Tattam, I.A., J.R. Ruzycki, H. W. Li, and G. R. Giannico.  2013.  Body size and growth rate influence emigration timing of Oncorhynchus mykiss.  Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 142:1406–1414.

Tattam, I.A., J.R. Ruzycki, J.L. McCormick, and R.W. Carmichael.  2015.  Length and condition of wild Chinook Salmon smolts influence age at maturity.  Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 144:1237–1248.
  
Account Type(s):
Expense
Contract Start Date:
02/01/2020
Contract End Date:
01/31/2021
Current Contract Value:
$976,257
Expenditures:
$976,257

* Expenditures data includes accruals and are based on data through 28-Feb-2025.

Env. Compliance Lead:
Work Order Task(s):
Contract Type:
Release
Pricing Method:
Cost Reimbursement (CNF)
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10 mi
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Viewing 21 of 21 Work Statement Elements
Sort Order
WSEV ID
WE ID
Work Element Name
Title
Description
WSE Effective Budget
% of Total WSE Effective Budget
WSE Start
WSE End
A200432185Produce CBFish Status ReportPeriodic Status Reports for BPAThe Contractor shall report on the status of milestones and deliverables in Pisces. Reports shall be completed either monthly or quarterly as determined by the BPA COTR. Additionally, when indicating a deliverable milestone as COMPLETE, the contractor shall provide metrics and the final location (latitude and longitude) prior to submitting the report to the BPA COTR.$1,0000.10%04/01/202001/31/2021
B200433119Manage and Administer ProjectsSOW and Budget for FY 2021Draft and Final Scope of Work and Budget, Spending Plan and Property Inventory for contract renewal. Accrual estimate for ongoing contract and budget.$3,0000.31%02/01/202001/31/2021
C200434165Produce Environmental Compliance DocumentationProduce NEPA Checklist and Regulatory Clearances to BPA• Coordinate with ODFW and NOAA staff to receive a 4(d) take permit. • Provide a copy of the 4(d) permit to BPA • 4(d) take report • Provide a copy of the Section 6 bull trout coverage to BPA. • Coordinate with BPA staff to get NEPA Clearance$5,0000.51%02/01/202001/31/2021
D200435157Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab DataCollect Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Outmigrant Abundance and SAR Data at Rotary Screw TrapsCollect and enumerate emigrating spring Chinook and steelhead smolts using rotary screw traps. Traps will be located on the Middle Fork (2), upper Mainstem (2), and the South Fork John Day River (1). Estimate trap efficiency and HUC or management unit abundance of emigrating juvenile Chinook and steelhead. Scale sample steelhead juveniles that migrate past capture locations to determine age structure of the populations and to be able to detect changes in age structure (e.g. due to density).$180,00018.44%02/01/202001/31/2021
E200436157Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab DataMonitor/Maintain PIT Tag Interrogation Arrays• Monitor, troubleshoot, and maintain PIT tag arrays located: 1) in the Middle Fork John Day River near Armstrong Creek and Ritter (MJ1 and MJ2); 2) Mainstem John Day River (JDM and JD1); 3) Lower Thirtymile Creek (30M); 4) Lower Rock Creek (RCX); 5) South Fork John Day River (SJ1 and SJ2); 6) Bridge Creek (Wheeler County-BR0 and BR1), and 7) Cottonwood Creek (JDC). • Perform routine maintenance and system checks for Passive Instream Arrays. • Conduct periodic read range and antenna performance testing. • Ensure PIT tag data is uploaded and backed-up.$70,0007.17%02/01/202001/31/2021
F200437157Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab DataCollect Steelhead Spawner Survey and Adult Escapement DataConduct steelhead spawning ground surveys to estimate steelhead escapement for the South Fork John Day River population. Adult steelhead redd surveys will be conducted from February 15 - June 1 annually based on standard ODFW methods for conducting steelhead redd surveys (Susac and Jacobs, 1999; Jacobs et al., 2000; Jacobs et al., 2001). Twelve to fifteen sites will be visited every two weeks throughout the season to quantify the cumulative redd count at each site. Surveyors will sample upstream from the downstream end of each survey reach. Each surveyor counts live fish and determines the fin-mark status of all live fish through observations. All redds are counted and flagged. A representative subsample reach will be visited at a greater frequency to validate bi-weekly redd enumeration. Redds with spawners present will also be measured to develop a database of redd size for each life history strategy. Additionally, we will conduct a census redd survey on the same temporal frequency in an 18 km section of Murderers Creek. This survey area will overlap an upcoming habitat restoration project area, and provide necessary redd distribution data to contextualize juvenile fish response to the habitat project.$90,0009.22%02/01/202001/31/2021
G200438157Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab DataConduct Juvenile Steelhead Density SurveysConduct juvenile fish surveys using electrofishing and seining in the South Fork John Day and Middle Fork John Day basins, upstream of the screw traps in each basin. They are two of the five recognized populations in the basin. Juvenile sampling data for 2020 will be focused on key restoration project areas in the Middle Fork basin, and in Murderers Creek (South Fork John Day). The Murderers Creek juvenile survey spatial extent will align with the spawner survey extent to pair juvenile and adult data. Scales will be collected for age analysis.$82,0008.40%02/01/202001/31/2021
H203724157Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab DataCollect Fin Tissues From Non-SalmonidsNon-salmonid sampling in the Middle Fork basin will be part of the juvenile steelhead density surveys. Fin tissues will be collected from a variety of non-salmonid species (by-catch during the steelhead surveys) in the area surrounding the Oxbow Conservation Area. Increased use of constructed pools by northern pikeminnow, smallmouth bass and other non-salmonids has spurred interest in a bioenergetics investigation of the fish community using restored reaches of the Middle Fork. Evaluation of the abundance and bioenergetics relationship among the fish community will provide evaluation of key components of the Oxbow habitat projects (e.g., alcove and side channel units), and guidance for use of slow-water habitat features in forthcoming restoration projects.$3,0000.31%02/01/202001/31/2021
I200439157Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab DataUse Seines to Collect Spring Chinook SmoltsThe intent of this WE is to quantify wild smolt abundance for all populations (North Fork, Granite Creek, Middle Fork, Upper John Day) of spring Chinook salmon the John Day basin. Yearling spring Chinook smolts from all populations in the John Day River basin must emigrate through the Kimberly-Spray portion of the John Day River, and typically migrate through this area between February and May. The Kimberly to Spray reach of the river is low gradient, which facilitates boat seining as an effective means of capturing Chinook smolts. Enough Chinook smolts can be captured in this reach to monitor changes in abundance, size and migration timing across years. Abundance data collected via seining are used to estimate total abundance of outmigrating spring Chinook smolts and spawner-smolt recruitment analysis, which quantify population productivity. Marking approximately 1,500 Chinook smolts with PIT tags facilitates pre- and post-season estimation of adult escapement to the Columbia and John Day rivers.$70,0007.17%02/01/202001/31/2021
J200440157Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab DataCollect Fish Habitat DataIn support of habitat restoration, rehabilitation and conservation action performance assessments and adaptive management requirements of the 2008 FCRPS Biological Opinion (BiOp), the Bonneville Power Administration is working with NOAA and other regional fish management agencies to monitor status and trends of fish habitat for each major population group (MPG) in the Pacific Northwest identified through the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The goal of this work element is to conduct habitat surveys in the Middle Fork and South Fork John Day River. In the Middle Fork, habitat monitoring will be at restoration projects and paired control sites. In the South Fork, during 2020 we will focus on a spatially extensive, contiguous survey of a portion of Murderers Creek. Broad scale survey in Murderers Creek will leverage past reach-scale sampling to provide a better picture of how reach scale habitat surveys represent landscape scale conditions, and provide broader data for evaluation of Murderers Creek habitat projects planned by USBOR. When combined with parallel fish monitoring metrics, these habitat data (in both the Middle Fork and South Fork) will also be used to assess the impact of habitat management actions on fish population processes.$63,0006.45%02/01/202001/31/2021
K200441158Mark/Tag AnimalsPIT Tag Juvenile Chinook SalmonWe will PIT tag approximately 4,500 juvenile spring chinook (yearling and subyearling) in the John Day River basin. Approximately 1,000 juvenile Chinook outmigrants will be PIT tagged at the Mainstem Screw trap operated under Work Element D. Another roughly 1,500 Chinook smolts will be PIT tagged during the seining under Work Element H. Approximately 2,000 Chinook parr will be PIT tagged in the Upper Mainstem John Day River during August 2020 in cooperation with the Warm Springs Tribes. Data from PIT tagged parr will be used to estimate abundance, growth, and survival. These data provide important population vital rate information, and provide a measure of population response to habitat alterations.$55,0005.63%02/01/202001/31/2021
L200442158Mark/Tag AnimalsPIT Tag Emigrating Steelhead Smolts at Rotary Screw TrapsPIT tag approximately 6,750 wild out-migrating juvenile steelhead at the four rotary screw traps operated under Work Element D.$52,2575.35%02/01/202001/31/2021
M202276158Mark/Tag AnimalsPIT Tag PikeminnowPikeminnow in the Middle Fork of the John Day River in and around the Oxbow Conservation Area will be PIT tagged to determine seasonal movements, habitat use and potential impacts to juvenile anadromous salmonids.$3,0000.31%02/01/202010/30/2020
N202277158Mark/Tag AnimalsPIT Tag Smallmouth BassSmallmouth bass in the Middle Fork of the John Day River in and around the Oxbow Conservation Area and at the Ritter rotary screw trap site will be PIT tagged to determine seasonal movements, habitat use and potential impacts to juvenile anadromous salmonids.$2,0000.20%02/01/202010/30/2020
O200443162Analyze/Interpret DataEstimate Smolt Abundance, Productivity, Age, and SARWe analyze smolt trapping and seining (for Chinook only) data to estimate out-migrant abundance. Out-migrant estimates are plotted against parental spawner abundance to estimate freshwater productivity. Out-migrants per spawner will be used to conduct stock-recruitment curves for assessment of population productivity and temporal trends in productivity. Scale subsamples from out-migrant steelhead are aged using conventional methods to assign fish to cohorts through use of an age-length key. PIT tag detections at John Day (juvenile bypass system) and Bonneville (adult fish ladders) dams are collected from PTAGIS and DART to estimate smolt to adult survival ratios (SAR) for John Day River origin summer steelhead and spring Chinook salmon. John Day River SAR ratios are estimated from smolt detection at John Day Dam to adult detection at Bonneville Dam.$90,0009.22%02/01/202001/31/2021
P200444162Analyze/Interpret DataEstimate Steelhead Escapement and Redd DensityData from field surveys will be compiled to provide population metrics of steelhead status. Quantitative metrics include estimates of adult spawner escapement, redd density estimates, spatial structure and diversity (PHoS).$90,0009.22%02/01/202001/31/2021
Q202278162Analyze/Interpret DataConduct Stable Isotope Analysis on Non-SalmonidsStable Isotope analysis will be conducted on pikeminnow and smallmouth bass tissues collected in the Middle Fork John Day River at or near the Oxbow Conservation Area. This analysis will help determine the diets of these fish and in order to assess their impacts on juvenile steelhead and spring Chinook populations. It will ultimately help guide future restoration that will not result in improved pikeminnow and bass habitat.$20,0002.05%02/01/202001/31/2021
      
$976,257
   

Deliverable Title WSE Sort Letter, Number, Title Start End Concluded
Effective implementation management and timely contract administration B: 119. SOW and Budget for FY 2021 01/31/2021 01/31/2021
NEPA and ESA Clearance C: 165. Produce NEPA Checklist and Regulatory Clearances to BPA 01/31/2021 01/31/2021
Dataset on SAR & Abundance Estimates D: 157. Collect Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Outmigrant Abundance and SAR Data at Rotary Screw Traps 01/31/2021 01/31/2021
Produce accessible, error-checked datasets E: 157. Monitor/Maintain PIT Tag Interrogation Arrays 01/31/2021 01/31/2021
Steelhead Escapement Data Collected for the South Fork John Day River F: 157. Collect Steelhead Spawner Survey and Adult Escapement Data 01/31/2021 01/31/2021
Juvenile Steelhead Density Data and Scales Collected. G: 157. Conduct Juvenile Steelhead Density Surveys 01/31/2021 01/31/2021
Non-salmonid Fin Tissues Collected H: 157. Collect Fin Tissues From Non-Salmonids 01/31/2021
Spring Chinook Smolt Total Abundance Estimate I: 157. Use Seines to Collect Spring Chinook Smolts 01/31/2021
Habitat Data collected from sites in the John Day Basin as identified in the PISCES location tab. J: 157. Collect Fish Habitat Data 01/31/2021 01/31/2021
Approximately 4,500 juvenile Chinook Salmon PIT Tagged K: 158. PIT Tag Juvenile Chinook Salmon 01/31/2021 01/31/2021
PIT tag approximately 6,750 juvenile steelhead L: 158. PIT Tag Emigrating Steelhead Smolts at Rotary Screw Traps 01/31/2021 01/31/2021
Pikeminnow PIT Tagged. M: 158. PIT Tag Pikeminnow 10/30/2020 10/30/2020
Smallmouth bass PIT tagged. N: 158. PIT Tag Smallmouth Bass 10/30/2020 10/30/2020
Smolt Migrant Abundance and Survival Estimates O: 162. Estimate Smolt Abundance, Productivity, Age, and SAR 01/31/2021 01/31/2021
Steelhead Escapement and Redd Density Estimates P: 162. Estimate Steelhead Escapement and Redd Density 01/31/2021 01/22/2021
Summary of the results of the stable isotope analysis Q: 162. Conduct Stable Isotope Analysis on Non-Salmonids 01/31/2021
PIT Tag Data Submission to PTAGIS R: 159. Submit & Acquire PIT Tag Data to/from PTAGIS and NRIMP 01/31/2021 01/31/2021
RM&E Technical Reports S: 132. RM&E Technical Report 01/31/2021
John Day basin Atlas. U: 161. ATLAS Data Stewardship and Presentation 01/31/2021 01/31/2021

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Primary Focal Species Work Statement Elements
Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) - All Populations
  • 1 instance of WE 162 Analyze/Interpret Data
Chinook (O. tshawytscha) - Mid-Columbia River Spring ESU
  • 4 instances of WE 157 Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data
  • 3 instances of WE 158 Mark/Tag Animals
  • 1 instance of WE 159 Transfer/Consolidate Regionally Standardized Data
  • 1 instance of WE 162 Analyze/Interpret Data
Steelhead (O. mykiss) - Middle Columbia River DPS (Threatened)
  • 6 instances of WE 157 Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data
  • 3 instances of WE 158 Mark/Tag Animals
  • 1 instance of WE 159 Transfer/Consolidate Regionally Standardized Data
  • 1 instance of WE 161 Disseminate Raw/Summary Data and Results
  • 3 instances of WE 162 Analyze/Interpret Data
Bass, Smallmouth (M. dolomieu)
  • 1 instance of WE 162 Analyze/Interpret Data

Sort WE ID WE Title NEPA NOAA USFWS NHPA Has Provisions Inadvertent Discovery Completed
A 185 Periodic Status Reports for BPA
B 119 SOW and Budget for FY 2021
C 165 Produce NEPA Checklist and Regulatory Clearances to BPA
D 157 Collect Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Outmigrant Abundance and SAR Data at Rotary Screw Traps 07/23/2020
E 157 Monitor/Maintain PIT Tag Interrogation Arrays 07/27/2020
F 157 Collect Steelhead Spawner Survey and Adult Escapement Data 07/23/2020
G 157 Conduct Juvenile Steelhead Density Surveys 07/23/2020
H 157 Collect Fin Tissues From Non-Salmonids 07/23/2020
I 157 Use Seines to Collect Spring Chinook Smolts 07/23/2020
J 157 Collect Fish Habitat Data 07/23/2020
K 158 PIT Tag Juvenile Chinook Salmon 07/23/2020
L 158 PIT Tag Emigrating Steelhead Smolts at Rotary Screw Traps 07/23/2020
M 158 PIT Tag Pikeminnow 07/23/2020
N 158 PIT Tag Smallmouth Bass 07/23/2020
O 162 Estimate Smolt Abundance, Productivity, Age, and SAR
P 162 Estimate Steelhead Escapement and Redd Density
Q 162 Conduct Stable Isotope Analysis on Non-Salmonids
R 159 Submit & Acquire PIT Tag Data to/from PTAGIS and NRIMP
S 132 RM&E Technical Report
T 202 BiOp RPA Report
U 161 ATLAS Data Stewardship and Presentation