Trap and transport of adult salmon and juvenile outmigration studies upstream of Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee Dams.

The objectives of this project are to:

1) Support subsistence fishing in areas where salmon are blocked by CJ and GC dams

a. This project accomplished this task by releasing approximately 500 adult salmon upstream of Chief Joseph Dam in 2023.



2) Provide salmon for ecological benefits including nutrient restoration and natural spawning.

a. This project accomplished this task by releasing approximately 500 adult salmon upstream of Chief Joseph Dam in 2023.







To achieve these 2 main objectives the project will implement the following tasks:

1) Trap salmon below CJD and transport them to areas upstream of CJ and GC dams.

a. In 2023, approximately 500 adult salmon were collected at Wells Fish Hatchery and transported and released in Lake Rufus Woods, Lake Roosevelt, the Spokane River and the Sanpoil River.



2) PIT tag, pathogen sample and genetic sample each salmon selected for transport

a. In 2023, approximately 500 adult salmon were collected at Wells Fish Hatchery and tagged and sampled for pathogens and genetics.



3) Monitor the spawning grounds in the Sanpoil River to document successful spawning.

a. In October of 2023 we counted 94 redds in the Sanpoil River during 4 weeks of spawning surveys, we also documented carcasses and observed mammals and birds, including bald eagles, feeding on the salmon carcasses.



4) Coordinate with the History and Archeology Department and the public outreach staff at CTCR to implement salmon release and harvest ceremonies. Adjust the timing and location of some releases to support their ceremonies.

a. Ceremonies were held during the release efforts in the Sanpoil River and at Northport, WA.



5) Coordinate with ongoing harvest monitoring programs to determine the native subsistence and recreational utilization of the transported fish.

a. Chinook were reported in the Lake Roosevelt Creel survey and on Rufus Woods. Native subsistence fishermen were observed fishing in the Sanpoil River, however it was not possible to quantify the utilization of the fish for this objective.



6) PIT tag the 53,000 juvenile Chinook that were acclimated and released in the blocked area so that their survival and behavior can be monitored and so that they can be identified and collected in future years.

a. 53,000 yearling Chinook were PIT tagged while at Ford Hatchery and then they were distributed to net pen sites, acclimated over the winter and released as yearlings.

This project will foster the continued development of tribal, state and local partnerships to restore Chinook and Sockeye in the Upper Columbia upstream of Chief Joe Dam (CJD) and Grand Coulee Dam (GCD). Funding will assist in the implementation of salmon restoration and native subsistence fishing in the Upper Columbia River and accomplish the following objectives:



1) Assist in restoration of native subsistence fishing in an area deprived of salmon for 80 years.

2) Support the overall effort to implement Phase 2 feasibility evaluations of reintroduction of salmon to the blocked area of the Upper Columbia by evaluating the outmigration survival and travel time of juvenile Chinook and Sockeye.

3) Determine the effectiveness of trap and haul efforts as a method to support the reintroduction of salmon in the blocked area of the Upper Columbia, including providing tribal subsistence harvest opportunity and juvenile fish production.

4) Return salmon to native lands and people that have been deprived of a critical food source that is integral to their culture and spirituality.

5) Contribute to the early stages of implementation and demonstrate measurable benefits to the overall effort to restore populations of salmon to habitats upstream of CJD and GCD.

6) Contribute to the long-term recovery of keystone species through expansion of their range into higher elevations and latitudes to partially ameliorate the effects of climate change.

7) Restoration of fishing rights to Tribes in their traditional and accustomed use areas

8) Continued development of long-term working relationships, working toward a common goal with federal, state, tribal and local partnerships.