Bear Valley Creek Chinook Salmon Abundance Monitoring Project

Salmonid Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RM&E)

Monitoring Research
Project IDBRCAMP
Recovery DomainsSnake River
Start Date09/25/2013
End Date08/31/2014
Year2013
StatusCompleted
Last Edited01/25/2024
 
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Description    


Tribal staff monitored adult Chinook salmon using time-lapse videography. The images were reviewed at a later time and migrating adult Chinook salmon and other species were enumerated. Escapement to the video weir was 1,833 (not-corrected) Chinook salmon. In 2013, Tribal staff installed a 5’ rotary screw trap to estimate juvenile Chinook salmon abundance. The rotary screw trap was installed and operated throughout the season. Staff operating the rotary screw also operated the fish counting station within Bear Valley Creek. On a daily basis the rotary screw trap was checked to enumerate catch. Fish species were identified, enumerated and non-target species (e.g., bull trout, cutthroat trout, mountain whitefish) were immediately released. Juvenile Chinook salmon were identified, enumerated, and the following biological data collected: 1) length (cm) and 2) weight (0.1g). More than 1,000 juvenile Chinook salmon were PIT tagged for further research across the entire migration period. PIT tag files were uploaded to PTAGIS and survival estimates were generated for long-term monitoring.

Project Benefit    


Bear Valley Creek is an important traditional use Chinook fishery area for the Tribes. It is extremely important to manage this Chinook salmon fishery based on the requirements of the ESA and the TRMP. Current abundance estimates, generated from redd counts show Bear Valley Creek Chinook salmon are at risk of extinction. Developing accurate adult abundance and productivity information will allow the Tribes and other resource managers to assess the effectiveness of conservation actions for listed Chinook salmon. Adult abundance information provides the Tribes the ability to conduct in-season harvest management (e.g., adjusting forecasts, harvest guidelines), which ultimately improves our ability to control Tribal harvest impacts on an ESA listed Chinook salmon. Juvenile abundance and PIT tagging data will allow the Tribes to further examine the productivity of Bear Valley Creek and enumerate the survival of Chinook salmon and steelhead as they travel through the Columbia and Snake rivers hydrosystem.

Accomplishments

Metric Completed Originally
Proposed
Research and Monitoring
  Stream Miles Monitored 33.90 33.90

Funding Details

SourceFunds
PCSRF$64,646
Report Total:$64,646


Project Map



Worksites

35989397    


  • Worksite Identifier: 35989397
  • Start Date: 09/25/2013
  • End Date: 08/31/2014
Area Description
Bear Valley Creek

Location Information

  • Basin: Salmon (170602)
  • Subbasin:
  • Watershed: 1706020502
  • Subwatershed:
  • State: Idaho
  • Recovery Domain: Snake River
  • Latitude: 44.366313974
  • Longitude: -115.336647034

ESU

  • Snake River Spring/Summer-run Chinook Salmon ESU

Map

Photos

Metrics

Metrics
  • E.0 Salmonid Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RM&E)Y (Y/N)
    •      . . E.0.a RM&E Funding 64,646.00
    •      . . E.0.b
      Complement habitat restoration project
      None
    •      . . E.0.c
      Project identified in a plan or watershed assessment.
      Anadromous Salmonid Monitoring Strategy
    •      . . E.0.d.1 Number of Cooperating Organizations 0
    •      . . E.0.d.2
      Name Of Cooperating Organizations.
      None
    •      . . E.0.e.1 Number of reports prepared 4
    •      . . E.0.e.2
      Name Of Report
      Bear Valley Creek Chinook Salmon Abundance Monitoring Annual Report
    •      . . E.1 MonitoringY (Y/N)
      •      . . . . E.1.a Monitoring funding 32,323.00
      •      . . . . E.1.b.1 Stream Miles Monitored 33.90
      •      . . . . E.1.b.2 Acres of Watershed Area Monitored 122,563.8
      •      . . . . E.1.b.3 Square miles of water monitored1274 (Square miles)
      •      . . . . E.1.c.1 Adult salmonid population monitoringY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . E.1.c.1.a # miles (to nearest 0.01 mile) monitored for adult salmonids 33.90
      •      . . . . E.1.c.2 Salmonid smolt or fry monitoringY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . E.1.c.2.a # miles (to nearest 0.01 mile) monitored for Salmonid smolt or fry 33.90
        •      . . . . E.1.d
          Name Of Comprehensive Monitoring Strategy/Program
          Anadromous Salmonid Monitoring Strategy
      •      . . E.2 ResearchY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . E.2.a Research Funding 32,323.00
        •      . . . . E.2.b.1 Modeling and data analysisY (Y/N)
          •      . . . . . . E.2.b.1.a
            Key issues addressed by modeling and data analysis research
            Adult and juveniles life history characteristics
        •      . . . . E.2.b.4 Life history studyY (Y/N)
          •      . . . . . . E.2.b.4.a
            Key issues addressed by life history research
            Abundance, Productivity, Spatial Structure, Genetic Diversity
        •      . . . . E.2.b.6 Wild salmonid tagging/marking studyY (Y/N)
          •      . . . . . . E.2.b.6.a
            Key issues addressed by wild salmon tagging/marking study
            The Tribes installed a rotary screw trap in Bear Valley Creek for the purposes of enumerating, tagging, and tissue sampling migrating juvenile Chinook salmon for research, monitoring, and evaluation purposes. The sample collection is valuable as results document the presence/absence of migrating juveniles and enables determination of age and size at migration, condition, timing, species, and genotypic characteristics. Additional data examines both migration timing and survival to and from the ocean.
          •      . . . . . . E.2.b.6.b Number by species of wild salmonids tagged/marked (LOV)