Willamette Biological Opinion Chinook Steelhead Outmigration 2010 Annual Report - Pilot Study

Identification Information

Citation

Originator: ODFW

Publish Date: September 2011

Online Link: None

BPA Project #:

Contact Information

Agency: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Name: Jeremy Romer

Job Position: Assistant Project Leader

Telephone: 541-757-4113

E-Mail Address: jeremy.d.romer@odfw.oregon.gov

Description

Abstract: We operated 5-ft rotary screw traps upstream, near the head of Detroit, Foster, Cougar and Lookout Point reservoirs in order to collect spring Chinook salmon migrant information needed for the development of juvenile downstream passage options. The study objectives were to provide information on migration timing, size of migrants, and abundance of juvenile Chinook salmon and winter steelhead entering project reservoirs. Traps were located on the Breitenbush and North Santiam rivers upstream of Detroit Reservoir, the South Santiam River upstream of Foster Reservoir, the South Fork McKenzie River above Cougar Reservoir, and the Middle Fork Willamette River above Lookout Point Reservoir.

Purpose: Spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and winter steelhead (O. mykiss) in the upper Willamette River Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (NMFS 1999a; NMFS 1999b). As a result, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) must evaluate any action taken or funded by a federal agency to assess whether the actions are likely to jeopardize threatened and endangered species, or result in the destruction or impairment of critical habitat. The 2008 Willamette Project Biological Opinion (BiOp; NMFS 2008) outlined the impacts of the Willamette Valley Project (WVP) on Upper Willamette River (UWR) Chinook salmon and winter steelhead (NMFS 1999a; NMFS 1999b). The WVP consists of 13 dams and associated reservoirs managed jointly by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Bonneville Power Administration, and Bureau of Reclamation, collectively known as the Action Agencies. The Biological Opinion detailed specific actions, termed Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs) that would “…allow for survival of the species with an adequate potential for recovery, and avoid destruction or modification of critical habitat”. A number of RPAs in the Willamette Project BiOp are associated with downstream fish passage through project reservoirs and dams. These include RPAs 4.2 (winter steelhead passage), 4.7 (adult fish release sites above dams), 4.8 (interim downstream fish passage through reservoirs and dams), 4.9 (head-of-reservoir juvenile collection prototype), 4.10 (downstream juvenile fish passage through reservoirs), 4.12 (long-term fish passage solutions). Currently, numerous passage designs are under consideration to improve survival of downstream migrants. To guide the development of juvenile passage design alternatives, a basic understanding of the size, timing, and abundance of juvenile Chinook salmon that enter the reservoirs is needed.

Time Period of Content:

Geographic Extent: Breitenbush, North Santiam, South Santiam, South Fork McKenzie, and Middle Fork Willamette Rivers

Status: Final

Use Constraints:

Format: PDF

Data Quality Information

Lineage-Source: Cooperative Agreement: W9127N-10-2-0008 Task Order Number: 0001 Work Completed for Compliance with the 2008 Willamette Project Biological Opinion, USACE funding: 2010

Data Information

No data information was supplied.

Entity and Attribute Information

Attributes Description: Field attribute information is available in the database table field descriptions.

Is a physical copy maintained for reference at Headquarters? Unknown