This contract provides management and operational support for a capital construction program dedicated to the protection of anadromous fish from water diversions, improvement of juvenile and adult fish passage at diversions, and improvement of stream flow conditions. Staff will process environmental regulatory documents, provide oversight to archaeologists and consulting engineers, engage in scoping, and negotiate with private landowners for habitat projects. All projects require compliance with State of Idaho and Federal regulations including, but not limited to, IDAPA Title 42, IDAPA Title 36, National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Federal Land Management Policy Act, National Historical Preservation Act, and Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

Additionally, this contract funds two fishery biologist positions (personnel only), one in the Salmon Region, and one in the Clearwater Region. Funding these positions will to accelerate the pace of implementation and completion of high-priority fish habitat projects funded from a variety of sources. These sources may include (but are not limited to) Bonneville Power, Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund, Farm Bill, Snake River Basin Adjudication, Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Act, National Fish Passage Program, Western Native Trout Initiative, NOAA, Landowner Incentive Program, Habitat Improvement Program, etc. The primary responsibilities will be to identify potential fish habitat improvement projects, prepare proposals for funding, review and prioritize projects and proposals, coordinate activities with other public and private entities, and implement fish habitat improvement projects.

In this performance period, staff will focus on providing management and operational support for the current capital construction program, Contract # 84422, Contract  Title 2007-399-00 Upper Salmon Screen Tributary Passage.  The IDFG Anadromous Fish Screen, Passage, and Habitat Program expects to finalize designs, fabricate, install, and maintain eight new fish screens including the Lemhi River-10 (L-10), Lemhi River-15 (L-15), Lemhi River-16/17 (L-16/17), Lemhi River-58C (L-58C), Canyon Creek-02 (LCanyC-02), Champion Creek-01A (SChC-01A), East Fork Salmon River-16 (SEF-16), and North Fork Salmon River-07 (SNF-07) fish screens.  This includes 2 new fish screens on previously unscreened diversions, and 6 older fish screens that are being replaced with new screens designed to meet NMFS Juvenile Fish Screen Criteria.  These projects combined with screen approximately 108 cubic feet per second (c.f.s.) in critical habitat for Chinook salmon and steelhead.  Additionally, 2 small grade control rock weirs will be installed on the Canyon Creek and Champion Creek projects.  Biologically staff will additionally focus on pre- and post monitoring of fish passage projects, tributary inventories, and fish salvage for multiple projects.

Project Coordination: The Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IDFG) coordinates other funding sources with this Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) contract in order to maximize the potential for anadromous fish recovery efforts in the Salmon River and Clearwater River Basins.

Funding will provide office operation support.

BPA Furnished Property: Following submittal by IDFG of NEPA checklists, biological assessments, and cultural resource documentations BPA will provide NEPA determinations as applicable by Federal regulation. It is anticipated that many determinations will be in accordance with BPA's Fish & Wildlife Program Environmental Impact Statement.
Results Expected: Preliminary capital projects will be identified. Landowner agreements will be ratified. Topographic surveys will be conducted. Cultural resource surveys will be conducted. Biological evaluations will be conducted in areas of interest, monitoring and evaluations of past projects will be completed, and all scoping will be completed for NEPA compliance.