Willamette Biological Opinion Chinook Steelhead Outmigration 2011 Annual Report

Identification Information

Citation

Originator: ODFW

Publish Date: May 2012

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: To aid in the development of downstream passage options for juvenile salmonids at upper Willamette reservoirs, we present in this report results from our screw trapping operations upstream and downstream of USACE project dams from the 2011 field season. Traps upstream of dams 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 upstream of Cougar Reservoir, and the Middle Fork Willamette River upstream of Lookout Point Reservoir. Traps were also located below Detroit Dam, Foster Dam, Cougar Dam, and Lookout Point Dam.

Purpose: Spring Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and winter steelhead O. mykiss in their respective upper Willamette River Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESU) are 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. The WVP consists of 13 dams and associated reservoirs managed jointly by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), and Bureau of Reclamation, collectively known as the Action Agencies. The Biological Opinion detailed specific actions, termed Reasonable and Prudent Alternative (RPA) measures 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 RPA measures in the Willamette Project BiOp are associated with downstream fish passage through project reservoirs and dams. These include RPA measures 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 and operational flow modifications are under consideration to improve downstream passage and survival of juvenile migrants. Improving passage requires a basic understanding of the size, timing, and abundance of juvenile salmonids that enter and exit the reservoirs.

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: 0006 Work Completed for Compliance with the 2008 Willamette Project Biological Opinion, USACE funding: 2011

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