Stanley Lake Lake Trout Suppression

Salmonid Habitat Restoration and Acquisition

Instream Habitat
Project ID008 19 SA
Recovery DomainsSnake River
Start Date01/01/2020
End Date10/31/2023
Year2019
StatusCompleted
Last Edited05/13/2024
 
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Description    


The presence of Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush in Stanley Lake was identified as a potential threat to ESA-listed Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) recovery efforts in the Sawtooth Valley of central Idaho. The potential for Lake Trout emigration, colonization, and population establishment threatens the currently occupied Sockeye Salmon habitat in Redfish, Alturas, and Pettit lakes, and threatens future recovery efforts. This project aimed to reduce the threat of Lake Trout expansion and colonization into surrounding Sockeye recovery lakes. A 2012 study by IDFG estimated the Lake Trout population in Stanley Lake at 548 individuals (95% CI: 318 – 1,014). The overall goal of this project was 100% removal of the Lake Trout population, but given the difficulty of measuring complete eradication, a target removal of 493 Lake Trout (90% of the 2012 population estimate) was proposed. In four years of netting, IDFG removed 1,057 Lake Trout from Stanley Lake through gillnetting. This reduction of Lake Trout from their 2012 abundance has significantly decreased the risk of Lake Trout emigration and population establishment in the surrounding Sawtooth Valley lakes, thus protecting 1,200 ha of critical spawning and rearing habitat occupied by ESA-listed Sockeye Salmon in Redfish, Alturas, and Pettit lakes.

Project Benefit    


The removal of fertile Lake Trout from Stanley Lake will significantly reduce the risk of Lake Trout colonization and establishment in Sockeye salmon recovery lakes (Redfish, Alturas, and Pettit). This will protect nearly 1,200 hectares of critical spawning and rearing habitat for Sockeye salmon recovery in the Sawtooth Valley.

Accomplishments

Metric Completed Originally
Proposed
Instream Habitat
  Stream Miles Treated .86 .86

Funding Details

SourceFunds
PCSRF$236,626
State$86,179
Report Total:$322,805


Project Map



Worksites

WS-1    


  • Worksite Identifier: WS-1
  • Start Date: 05/15/2020
  • End Date: 11/30/2022
Area Description
Stanley Lake

Location Information

  • Basin: Salmon (170602)
  • Subbasin: Upper Salmon (17060201)
  • Watershed: Valley Creek (1706020101)
  • Subwatershed: Stanley Lake Creek (170602010105)
  • State: Idaho
  • Recovery Domain: Snake River
  • Latitude: 44.244
  • Longitude: -115.0566

ESU

  • Snake River Sockeye Salmon ESU

Map

Photos

Metrics

Metrics
  • C.0 Salmonid Habitat Restoration and AcquisitionY (Y/N)
    •      . . C.0.a Habitat restoration and acquisition funding 322,805.00
    •      . . C.0.b Length of stream treated/protected .86
    •      . . C.0.c
      Project identified in a Plan or Watershed Assessment
      National Marine Fisheries Service. 2015. ESA Recovery Plan for Snake River Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). Portland. Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG). 2019. Fisheries Management Plan 2019-2024. Boise.
    •      . . C.0.d.1 Project Monitoring (LOV)
    •      . . C.0.d.2 Monitoring Location (LOV)
    •      . . C.4 Instream Habitat ProjectY (Y/N)
      •      . . . . C.4.a Instream Habitat Funding 322,805.00
      •      . . . . C.4.b Total length of instream habitat treated .86
      •      . . . . C.4.i.1 Predator/competitor removalY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.i.2
          Predator/competitor name(s)
          Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.i.3
          Method of predator/competitor removal
          contracted commercial gillnetting
        •      . . . . . . C.4.i.4 Number of predators/competitors removedcontrolled 1,057
        •      . . . . . . C.4.i.5 Miles of stream treated for predators/competitors .86
        •      . . . . . . C.4.i.6 Acres of streambed treated for predators/competitors 176.2