Willamette Biological Opinion Hatchery Research 2012 Annual Report

Identification Information

Citation

Originator: ODFW

Publish Date: June 11 2014

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: In the Willamette Basin upstream of Willamette Falls (Figure 1), there are four distinct spring Chinook salmon hatchery programs (North Santiam [Stock 21], South Santiam [Stock 24], McKenzie [Stock 23], and Middle Fork Willamette [Stock 22]) that are managed for integrated harvest augmentation as part of the Willamette Valley Hatchery Mitigation Program. These hatchery stocks, as well as all naturally spawned spring Chinook salmon in the Upper Willamette Basin, are included in the Upper Willamette River Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU). The Upper Willamette Summer Steelhead Hatchery Program is managed to provide fish for sport fisheries and to replace loss of fisheries caused by habitat and passage loss/degradation in the Willamette Basin and other lower Columbia basins. The hatchery program currently includes annual smolt releases into the North Santiam, South Santiam, McKenzie, and Middle Fork Willamette rivers. Lack of access to historical habitat and degradation of remaining habitat below the dams, especially in the North and South Santiam (the “core” populations) are the key limiting factors shared between winter steelhead and spring Chinook salmon. In addition, summer steelhead are not native to the Willamette Basin upstream of Willamette Falls and a third, unique, limiting factor is the potential for competition, predation and genetic introgression from out-of-ESU hatchery fish interacting with and spawning in the wild with the native winter-run. Summer steelhead were first introduced to the South Santiam River as mitigation for lost winter steelhead production in areas inundated by Foster and Green Peter reservoirs. The scope of work actually directed towards risks posed by summer steelhead is much smaller than that directed towards issues faced by spring Chinook. The Willamette Project Biological Opinion (BiOP; NMFS 2008) required the USACE to collect information to describe the nature and extent of these potential effects but beyond relatively small-scale studies often integrated into much larger studies involving spring Chinook, more focused work will only follow commitment of significantly more effort and funds. 11 This report fulfills a requirement under Task Order NWPPM-10-FH-06, covering activities of May 2012–June 2012, that were implemented by ODFW on behalf of the Corps to assist with meeting requirements of the reasonable and prudent alternatives (RPAs) and measures prescribed in the Willamette Project Biological Opinion (BiOp) of July 2008 (NOAA 2008). The Corps provided funding to continue ongoing monitoring activities and initiate long-term planning.

Purpose: The ultimate goal of ODFW’s Hatchery Research, Monitoring and Evaluation (HRME) program is to inform decisions on operation of the USACE Willamette Valley Hatchery Mitigation Program so that mitigation goals are met while minimizing negative impacts on naturally-produced, listed species and promoting their conservation and recovery. Progress towards that goal will follow achievement of three overarching objectives: 1. Develop and maintain hatchery broodstocks to meet to meet harvest goals and assist with implementation of the Upper Willamette Conservation and Recovery Plan for Chinook Salmon and Steelhead (National Marine Fisheries Service [NMFS] and ODFW 2011), while complying with the existing genetic guidelines (Hatchery Genetic Management Plans); 2. Rear and release high quality hatchery fish to minimize impacts on naturally produced fish and promote conservation and recovery of listed species; 3. Manage adult returns to minimize impacts on naturally produced populations and to aid in recovery goals.

Time Period of Content:

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

Status: Final

Use Constraints:

Format: PDF

Data Quality Information

Lineage-Source: Task Order: W9127N-12-2-0004-0009 Work Completed for Compliance with the 2008 Willamette Project Biological Opinion, USACE funding: 2012 hatchery baseline monitoring

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