1994-047-00: Proposals

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Proposals

A Proposal is an application to continue existing work or start new work. While historically the Program solicited for all types of projects at once, starting in fiscal year 2009, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council and BPA are reviewing and soliciting for projects that are similar in nature and intent. These "categorical" reviews started with Wildlife projects and continue with Research, Monitoring, & Evaluation (RME) and Artificial Production (Hatchery) projects.

View 2007-2009 Proposal

Project 1994-047-00 - Lake Pend Oreille Kokanee Mitigation

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	Proposal Number	Proposal Version	Type	State	Project	Title	Description	Creator	Percent Complete	Proposal Budget Limit	Create Date	Last Updated	Primary Contact	Proponent	Purpose	Emphasis	Solicitation	Portfolio	Biop Fish Accord
		Proposal Version 1	Existing Project	Pending BPA Response				Andrew Dux


	RESCAT-1994-047-00	Proposal Version 1	Existing Project	Pending BPA Response	1994-047-00	Lake Pend Oreille Fishery Recovery Project	The goal of this project is to recover the Lake Pend Oreille fishery that was negatively impacted following construction and operation of Albeni Falls Dam. Historically, Lake Pend Oreille was the most popular fishery in Idaho, supporting both a high yield kokanee fishery and a trophy fishery for bull trout and rainbow trout. Recovery efforts focus on kokanee because they are an important sport fish and the primary prey for native bull trout (ESA listed) and rainbow trout. Starting in the mid-1960s, the kokanee population rapidly declined in response to consistent full draw downs of the lake that reduced the quantity and quality of shoreline spawning habitat. Since 1996, winter lake level manipulations designed to improve kokanee spawning success have been implemented and evaluated. Results to date indicate higher kokanee egg-to-fry survival at a higher winter lake level. However, this strategy still has not been tested to the extent necessary because the kokanee population has remained at low density. The benefit to kokanee from a higher winter lake level is expected be greater as spawner density increases; however, increased predation from a rapid expansion of the lake trout population became the primary limiting factor for kokanee shortly after lake level manipulations were instituted and kept the population at low density. In response, an aggressive predator removal program was initiated in 2006 to suppress lake trout over the long-term and rainbow trout over the short-term. This program has demonstrated remarkable success, with the lake trout population now in steep decline (see Figure 1 in Problem Statement section) and the kokanee population steadily rebounding in response to reduced predation. We propose continued work to evaluate winter lake level management given it has shown potential to benefit kokanee, and an upward trending kokanee population should allow this strategy to be tested at higher spawner densities during the project period. We will continue the use of existing metrics (e.g., egg-to-fry survival) to assess effectiveness, but will investigate more direct methods for evaluating the effects of winter lake levels to complement existing techniques. This will involve burying eggs in shoreline substrates and conducting laboratory trials to determine egg incubation success under various habitat conditions. Further, we will conduct a midwater trawl capture efficiency study to improve on traditional techniques. Recognizing the constraints that a high winter lake level to benefit kokanee often puts on the hydrosystem, we also propose new research to evaluate the addition of spawning gravels at depths below the minimum pool elevation. While this approach may not be able to provide habitat at the scale necessary to replace the need for higher winter lake levels in years of high kokanee density, we want to evaluate whether it has potential to increase the threshold spawner density at which a higher winter elevation is needed. In practice, this would allow a higher winter lake level to be requested less frequently. Continued activities associated with predator reduction are also proposed. Work during the last proposal period was productive and suggested predation can sufficiently be reduced to allow kokanee recovery. If recent trends continue, we anticipate that our objective of reducing the lake trout population to pre-1999 adult abundance (1,800 fish) to reduce negative interactions with bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout can be met during the proposal period. Afterwards, we expect reduced effort will be needed to maintain a suppressed lake trout population. Given the progress toward addressing the primary limiting factors (spawning habitat, predation) for kokanee, we propose research that will allow other potential factors to be addressed that could play an increasing role as kokanee density increases. We will evaluate the effects that zooplankton and mysids have on kokanee fry survival, especially with respect to altering hatchery stocking practices to improve kokanee survival. Additionally, we will investigate nutrient dynamics and the potential for nutrient enhancement to benefit kokanee. Overall, we believe a more holisitc research approach can be taken and increase our ability to meet project objectives. Further, it will allow us to identify any flexibility that might exist to meet these objectives using new or alternative management actions (e.g, spawning gravel addition). Much of the proposed work will be accomplished by Idaho Fish and Game staff. In addition, we will fund graduate studies through the University of Idaho and issue subcontracts for other activities, such as lake trout removal netting, substrate mapping and evaluation, and examination of kokanee otoliths for thermal marks. While BPA funding for this proposal will be used to accomplish proposed activities, Avista Utilities provides a large cost share that allows for funding of the Angler Incentive Program, lake trout removal netting, bull trout monitoring, and other items that are closely tied to this project. In combination, the proposed project activities address limiting factors for kokanee and will allow for progress toward the objectives of kokanee recovery, bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout preservation, and restoration of a trophy fishery for bull trout and rainbow trout. These objectives are consistent with reasonable and prudent measures in the 2000 FCRPS USFWS Biological Opinion for bull trout and with the USFWS Draft Bull Trout Recovery Plan. Similarly, they are aligned with objectives in the Council’s 2009 Fish and Wildlife Program, the Pend Oreille Subbasin Plan, and the Idaho Fish and Game 2007-2012 Fisheries Management Plan.	Andrew Dux			09/15/2011	02/26/2014	Andrew Dux	Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG)	Hydrosystem	None	Resident Fish, Regional Coordination, and Data Management Category Review	Resident Fish, Regional Coordination, and Data Management Categorical Review	BiOp