Abundance, Productivity, and Life History of Fifteenmile Creek Steelhead; Annual Report 2016

Identification Information

Citation

Originator: Pierson, K. J., D. M. Faber and J. R. Ruzycki

Publish Date: 2017

Online Link: https://www.cbfish.org/Document.mvc/Viewer/P157818

BPA Project #: 2010-035-00

Contact Information

Agency: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Name: Derrek Faber

Job Position: Project Leader

Telephone: 541-296-3023

E-Mail Address: Derrek.M.Faber@odfw.oregon.gov

Description

Abstract: The Fifteenmile Creek watershed in North Central Oregon hosts a native population of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) that is without influence of previous hatchery augmentation. The Fifteenmile Creek steelhead are a subpopulation within the Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the Middle Columbia River steelhead and was listed as ‘threatened’ by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) first on March 25, 1999 and relisted as a DPS on January 5, 2006. Subsequently, a conservation and recovery management plan was developed for the Middle Columbia River steelhead DPS within Oregon state borders. The goal of the plan is to recover Middle Columbia River steelhead to a level that would allow the removal of threatened status, in addition to providing a long-term goal to recover the population sufficiently to provide sustainable fisheries and other ecological, cultural, social and economic benefits for future generations. The DPS-level recovery plan sets specific recovery goals for the areas within the DPS, which designates Fifteenmile Creek explicitly. The Fifteenmile Creek steelhead population is considered the most inland winter race of steelhead in the Columbia River Basin, as designated by NOAA fisheries. However review of this designation may be necessary at the next Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion (BiOp) status-review because the run-timing of adult steelhead passing Bonneville Dam has been inconsistent with known winter-run steelhead in the area. The population was identified as “must have viable” status by the Interior Columbia Technical Recovery Team (ICTRT), and reaching viable status is essential for achieving DPS delisting. The ICTRT, Recovery Plan, and the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS-BiOp) have all identified this population as high priority for improving precision and accuracy of abundance, productivity, diversity, and spatial structure information.

Purpose: This status and trend monitoring by ODFW is designed to establish a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation program for abundance, productivity, and life history of steelhead in the Fifteenmile Creek population. This work is critical to gaining a better understanding of the status of the population and DPS, monitoring and adapting recovery actions, and improving the knowledge of steelhead critical habitat. To establish pertinent management actions for Fifteenmile Creek steelhead, this project seeks to: 1. Improve accuracy and precision of estimates of spawner abundance 2. Improve accuracy and precision of estimates of abundance of stray hatchery fish 3. Determine life history characteristics (through metrics associated with life history attributes) 4. Determine population dynamics for Fifteenmile Creek steelhead In order to accomplish these critical goals, population performance metrics were evaluated for Fifteenmile steelhead in 2016 including: age structure; hatchery fraction; adult life history characteristics; juvenile life history characteristics; smolt abundance; smolt migration survival; smolt-to-adult survival; spawner distribution; recruits-per-spawner; and smolts-per-spawner. Population metrics were evaluated from data collected through the installation and operation of a weir trap to sample adult steelhead, a juvenile outmigrant trap (rotary screw trap), juvenile salmon surveys throughout the watershed, and from the installation of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag arrays at strategic sites throughout the basin. Analyses integrate life-stage specific survival and life history information in order to derive and assess the performance metrics.

Time Period of Content: 2007-2016

Geographic Extent: Fifteenmile Creek

Status: Final

Use Constraints:

Format: pdf

Data Quality Information

Lineage-Source:

Data Information

Population	Indicators	Metrics
Fifteenmile Creek Winter Steelhead	Natural origin spawner abundance; Recruits per spawner (adult); Smolt to adult ratio; Juvenile outmigrant abundance	Age proportion; Hatchery spawners; Proportion hatchery origin spawners; Survival rate; Total smolt outmigration; Total spawner abundance

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