Investigations Into The Early Life History Of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead In The Grande Ronde River Subbasin - Annual Report 2002

Identification Information

Citation

Originator: Jonasson, B. C., A. G. Reischauer, F. R. Monzyk, E. S. Van Dyke, R. W. Carmichael

Publish Date: 2006

Online Link: https://www.cbfish.org/Document.mvc/Viewer/00004119-2

BPA Project #: 1992-026-04

Contact Information

Agency: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Name: Edwin (Ted) Sedell

Job Position: Project Leader

Telephone: 541-962-3954

E-Mail Address: Edwin.R.Sedell@odfw.oregon.gov

Description

Abstract: This study was designed to document and describe the status and life history strategies of spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead in the Grande Ronde River Subbasin. We determined migration timing, abundance, and life-stage survival rates for juvenile spring Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and summer steelhead O. mykiss in four streams in the Grande Ronde River Subbasin during migratory year 2002 from 1 July 2001 through 30 June 2002. As observed in previous years of this study, spring Chinook salmon and steelhead exhibited fall and spring movements out of their natal rearing areas, but did not begin their smolt migration through the Columbia River hydrosystem until spring. In this report we provide estimates of abundance and timing of migrants leaving each study stream, their survival and timing to Lower Granite Dam, and estimates of abundance of spring Chinook salmon parr and summer steelhead parr in Catherine Creek and spring Chinook salmon parr in Lostine River during summer. We also document the aquatic habitat conditions in the upper Grande Ronde River, water temperature and streamflow in four study streams, and macroinvertebrate assemblages in Catherine Creek. ODFW, Eastern Oregon Fish Research (EOFR)

Purpose: 1. Document the in-basin migration patterns and estimate egg-to-migrant survival for spring Chinook salmon juveniles in Catherine Creek and the upper Grande Ronde, Minam, and Lostine rivers. 2. Determine overwinter mortality and the relative success of fall migrant and spring migrant life history strategies for spring Chinook salmon from tributary populations in Catherine Creek and the upper Grande Ronde, and Lostine rivers, and the relative success of fall migrant and spring migrant life history strategies for spring Chinook salmon from the Minam River. 3. Estimate and compare smolt survival probabilities at main-stem Columbia and Snake River dams for migrants from four local, natural populations of spring Chinook salmon in the Grande Ronde River and Imnaha River subbasins. 4. Document the annual migration patterns for spring Chinook salmon juveniles from four local, natural populations in the Grande Ronde River and Imnaha River subbasins: Catherine Creek, Lostine, Minam, and Imnaha rivers. 5. Determine egg-to-to parr survival for spring Chinook salmon in two local, natural populations in the Grande Ronde Subbasin: Catherine Creek and Lostine River. 6. Investigate the significance of alternate life history strategies of spring Chinook salmon in two local, natural populations in the Grande Ronde Subbasin: Catherine Creek and Lostine River. 7. Document patterns of movement for juvenile steelhead from tributary populations in Catherine Creek, the upper Grande Ronde, Lostine and the Minam rivers. Include data on migration timing, duration, and smolt abundance. 8. Estimate and compare survival probabilities to main-stem Columbia and Snake River dams for summer steelhead from four tributary populations: Catherine Creek and the upper Grande Ronde, Lostine, and Minam rivers. 9. Evaluate methods to estimate the proportion of steelhead captured during fall trapping that are migrating out of rearing areas and will undertake a smolt migration the following spring. 10. Describe the population characteristics of the juvenile steelhead population in Catherine Creek. 3 11. Determine the quality and quantity of winter concealment habitat in selected spring Chinook salmon upper rearing areas, and quantify and characterize its use by juvenile spring Chinook salmon in the Grande Ronde Subbasin. See Van Dyke and Scarnecchia (2006) for project report for this objective. 12. Document habitat conditions in spring Chinook salmon rearing areas in Catherine Creek.

Time Period of Content: 2001-2002

Geographic Extent: Grande Ronde River basin, including Catherine Creek and the Upper Grande Ronde, Minam, and Lostine rivers.

Status: Final

Use Constraints:

Format: pdf

Data Quality Information

Lineage-Source:

Data Information

Population	Indicators	Metrics
Catherine Creek Spring Chinook	Juvenile outmigrant abundance; Presmolt abundance	Age proportion; Survival rate; Total smolt outmigration
Minam River Spring Chinook	Juvenile outmigrant abundance; Presmolt abundance	Age proportion; Survival rate; Total smolt outmigration
Upper Grande Ronde Spring Chinook	Juvenile outmigrant abundance; Presmolt abundance	Age proportion; Survival rate; Total smolt outmigration
Upper Grande Ronde Summer Steelhead	None selected	Survival rate
Wallowa/Lostine River Spring Chinook	Juvenile outmigrant abundance; Presmolt abundance	Age proportion; Survival rate; Total smolt outmigration

Entity and Attribute Information

Attributes Description: Field attribute information is available in the attached file(s).

Is a physical copy maintained for reference at Headquarters? Unknown