Habitat Enhancement Effectiveness – Biological Monitoring & Evaluation II

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

Monitoring
Project ID13-Umat-03
Recovery DomainsMiddle Columbia River
Start Date01/01/2014
End Date02/28/2018
Year2013
StatusCompleted
Last Edited01/25/2024
 
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Description    


The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s (CTUIR) biomonitoring plan was created to evaluate the effectiveness of CTUIR habitat restoration projects on spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), summer steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) populations across the five subbasins of the Columbia River- Umatilla, Walla Walla, Grande Ronde, John Day and Tucannon. The scope of this biomonitoring project includes the direct measurement of physical habitat improvements and monitoring of juvenile and adult fish populations. The results will provide accountability for restoration effectiveness and also serve to guide future management decisions. The 2012 monitoring plan prepared by Stillwater Sciences documents the original project design. Response variables were chosen in order to measure effectiveness of restoration actions consistent with viable salmonid population (VSP) characteristics; abundance, productivity, and spatial structure . The plan was developed in accordance with the Umatilla River Vision , a seminal guide for Tribal managers to ensure that planned management activities account for the breadth of ecological considerations that are required to achieve a healthy riverine system, and thus to support the goals and needs of the tribal community.

The Biomonitoring Plan’s Objectives:
1. Quantify the biotic outcome of specific restoration actions on the population abundance, distribution and productivity for spring Chinook salmon, summer steelhead and bull trout.
a. What are the effects of the habitat improvement/restoration actions on fish abundance and distribution at multiple scales?
b. What particular habitat restoration action(s) have had a positive effect on species of concern?
2. Quantify the geo-fluvial responses to restoration actions as they relate to limiting factors.
3. Discriminate the effects of alternative restoration actions on target species, to better understand the individual or combination of actions that yield the most significant population response.
4. Quantify the degree of correlation between a given action or suite of actions and their effect(s) on limiting life stages for each of the three focal species.
5. Extrapolate the results of CTUIR biomonitoring to guide future restoration action in other parts of the five subbasins, to the extent that this can be done on the basis of monitoring data alone.

The large extent of habitat restoration projects past and future on Meacham Creek in the Umatilla Basin watershed requires a larger scale monitoring approach than is currently funded under BPA in order to measure a biological response. Three sample sites have been selected for monitoring to represent two large restoration efforts in Meacham Creek; a control site, a post-treatment site representative of the 2012 Phase II River Mile 6.0-8.5 Floodplain project, and a pre-treatment site for the proposed 2016-2017 Bonifer Reach Floodplain project.

This project provided a cost share in order to meet the objectives of the CTUIR biomonitoring study. The PCSRF funding for FY2013 supporting the purchase of equipment for field surveys. This funding was utilized to purchase Biomark PIT tag readers in order to complete field PIT tagging activities in each of the subbasins and the purchase of a TopCon Real-Time Kinetic (RTK) GPS survey unit to accomplish monitoring activities on Meacham Creek. This project complements the activities of project 14-Umat-03, which supports the monitoring study by funding technician salary and travel expenditures.

Project Benefit    


The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) is implementing a habitat restoration program with emphasis on reducing the effects of primary limiting factors (i.e water temp, habitat complexity) and resorting natural ecological processes. The biomonitoring sites have been selected for evaluating a biological response to habitat restoration; and the expected benefit is to improve habitat quality for adult holding/spawning and juvenile rearing fish species of interest. We anticipate monitoring habitat in parallel with biomonitoring field surveys can provide valuable information regarding fish/habitat relationships (Bouwes et al. 2011, Stillwater Sciences 2012). Specifically, we’ll study 1) the relationship between juvenile fish density, growth, migration timing, and survival and 2) a population response to habitat restoration at eight sites located among five sub-basins.

Accomplishments

Metric Completed Originally
Proposed
Research and Monitoring
  Stream Miles Monitored 19.00 10.00

Funding Details

SourceFunds
PCSRF$40,000
Other$33,400
Report Total:$73,400


Project Map



Worksites

Meacham Creek    


  • Worksite Identifier: Meacham Creek
  • Start Date: 01/01/2014
  • End Date: 05/31/2015
Area Description

No Area Description data was found for this worksite.

Location Information

  • Basin: Middle Columbia (170701)
  • Subbasin:
  • Watershed:
  • Subwatershed:
  • State: Oregon
  • Recovery Domain: Middle Columbia River
  • Latitude: 45.646544
  • Longitude: -118.360628

ESU

  • Mid-Columbia River Spring-run Chinook Salmon ESU
  • Middle Columbia River Steelhead DPS

Map

Photos

Metrics

Metrics
  • E.0 Salmonid Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RM&E)Y (Y/N)
    •      . . E.0.a RM&E Funding 73,400.00
    •      . . E.0.b
      Complement habitat restoration project
      This monitoring plan will complement the habitat implementation by CTUIR’s Umatilla Anadromous Fish Habitat project (1987-100-01).
    •      . . E.0.c
      Project identified in a plan or watershed assessment.
      Biological Effectiveness Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for Fisheries Habitat Enhancement in CTUIR Subbasins (Stillwater Sciences 2011b)
    •      . . E.0.d.1 Number of Cooperating Organizations 3
    •      . . E.0.d.2
      Name Of Cooperating Organizations.
      Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission (CRITFC), Bonneville Power Administration’s Action Effectiveness Workplan (BPA AEM)
    •      . . E.0.e.1 Number of reports prepared 4
    •      . . E.0.e.2
      Name Of Report
      Contor, C. R. Editor. 2015. Umatilla Basin Natural Production Monitoring and Evaluation, 2014 Annual Progress Report. Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, 46411 Ti’Mine Way, Pendleton, OR. Report submitted to Bonneville Power Administration, Project No. 1990-005-01, Contract 00065117 Costi, K., Contor. C., Shippentower. G. 2016. Fish Habitat Enhancement Biological Effectiveness Monitoring, 2015 Annual Progress Report. Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, 46411 Ti’Mine Way, Pendleton, OR. Report submitted to Bonneville Power Administration, Project No. 2009-014-00, Contract 68461 Costi, K., Wildbill, A., Shippentower. G. 2017. Fish Habitat Enhancement Biological Effectiveness Monitoring, 2016 Annual Progress Report. Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, 46411 Ti’Mine Way, Pendleton, OR. Report submitted to Bonneville Power Administration, Project No. 2009-014-00, Contract 71934 Costi, K., et. al. 2017. Fish Habitat Enhancement Biological Effectiveness Monitoring, 2017 Annual Progress Report. Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, 46411 Ti’Mine Way, Pendleton, OR. Report submitted to Bonneville Power Administration, Project No. 2009-014-00 Contract 73982 REL 6
    •      . . E.1 MonitoringY (Y/N)
      •      . . . . E.1.a Monitoring funding 73,400.00
      •      . . . . E.1.b.1 Stream Miles Monitored 19.00
      •      . . . . E.1.b.2 Acres of Watershed Area Monitored 37.9
      •      . . . . E.1.b.3 Square miles of water monitored1 (Square miles)
      •      . . . . 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 1.20
      •      . . . . E.1.c.3 Biological instream monitoring (other than salmon)Y (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . E.1.c.3.a # miles (to nearest 0.01 mile) monitored for Biological indicies (other than salmon) 1.20
      •      . . . . E.1.c.4 Redd countsY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . E.1.c.4.a # miles (to nearest 0.01 mile) monitored for redds 19.00
      •      . . . . E.1.c.5 Carcass countsY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . E.1.c.5.a # miles (to nearest 0.01 mile) monitored for Carcasses 19.00
      •      . . . . E.1.c.8 Water quality monitoringY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . E.1.c.8.a # miles (to nearest 0.01 mile) of stream monitored for water quality 10.50
      •      . . . . E.1.c.13 Restoration effectiveness monitoringY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . E.1.c.13.a # miles (to nearest 0.01 mile) of stream or streambank monitored 19.00
        •      . . . . . . E.1.c.13.c # acres (to nearest 0.1 acre) monitored 37.9
      •      . . . . E.1.c.14 Restoration validation monitoringY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . E.1.c.14.a # miles (to nearest 0.01 mile) stream or streambank monitored .00
        •      . . . . . . E.1.c.14.c # acres (to nearest 0.1 acre) monitored .0
        •      . . . . E.1.d
          Name Of Comprehensive Monitoring Strategy/Program
          Bonneville Power Administration, Action Effectiveness Monitoring program CTUIR and ODFW. 1990. Umatilla Hatchery Master Plan. Confederated Tribes fo the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Pendleton, OR CTUIR and ODFW. 2004. Umatilla Subbasin Plan,
        •      . . . . E.1.e
          Description of monitoring
          The scope of the CTUIR biomonitoring plan includes the direct measurement of habitat improvements which will provide an understanding of the benefits of systematically collecting habitat data in conjunction with biological data in order to gain the greatest understanding of relationships between fish abundance, growth, migration timing, and survival as they relate to stream habitat restoration actions. Our strategy uses regionally standardized habitat protocols to sample project reaches pre and post habitat restoration in contrast to unmodified control reaches. Habitat surveys consist of a simultaneous topographical and auxiliary data survey. CTUIR is congruently monitoring juvenile fish abundance and species composition at each site using a combination of snorkel methods at most sites and mark-recapture electrofishing where time and water conditions allow. Drift and benthic macroinvertebrate samples are collected yearly at each location as well as adult redd enumerations and carcass counts for focal species. A detailed table of methods can be accessed at www.monitoringresources.org/Document/Protocol/Details/1955 CTUIR implements habitat surveys using a combination of CHaMP and AEM data collection methodology. CHaMP methods provide standardized metrics that can be used to measure response variables in salmonid habitat changes. Metrics generated from habitat surveys as they relate to limiting factors are shown in Table 1 in the attached final report. A composite sample of benthic macroinvertebrates is accrued for each treatment and control site using a method derived from the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) targeted riffle sampling protocol. Standard lab analysis and index values were derived for each benthic sample including 1. Biomass 2. Taxa richness 3. Hilsenhoff Biotic Index (HBI) 4. Oregon PREDictive (PREDATOR) model results. Adult abundance and distribution is estimated based on redd and carcass counts conducted in the treatment and control reaches. Sampling occurs annually commencing at the onset of the spawning season and continuing approximately every 10–14 days until spawning is complete. Data derived from redd count surveys include 1. Index temporal abundance of spawners 2. Estimate total abundance of spawning females 3. Determine spatial spawning distribution 4. Determine temporal spawning distribution Juvenile snorkel surveys are conducted for the entirety of each treatment and control site. Species, size class (10mm accuracy), habitat unit, and instream structure usage are recorded for each fish throughout the reach. Data derived from snorkel surveys include 1. Juvenile fish density and Abundance (fish m2) 2. Life history diversity within a site. 3. Fish use of available habitat structures Juvenile electrofishing events consist of a three-pass depletion method with low-voltage to herd fish into a seine or dip net. Block nets are placed at the upstream and downstream ends of individual habitat units to prevent migration of fish between habitat types during the capture events and allow for a more accurate attribution of population size by habitat type. PIT tagging procedures follow BPA’s ISEMP protocol for the Upper Columbia River Basin and are consistent with PTAGIS protocols for uploading and data management. Following initial marking; recapture events are recorded in one or more ways (1) repeat electrofishing recapture event (2) PIT tag antenna arrays. or (3) downstream located smolt traps. CTUIR operates a rotary screw trap at RM 1.0 of Meacham Creek which is used to detect downstream migration under BPA project 1990-005-01. The data derived from juvenile salmonid marking and recapture events includes 1. Juvenile fish density and abundance (fish m2). 2. Life history diversity within a site. 3. Time series of smolt out-migrants. 4. Seasonal growth rate/age class 5. Size at outmigration. 6. Seasonal juvenile survival 7. Smolts/redd