FY 2024 Puyallup River Watershed Fisheries RM&E Project

he Puyallup River Watershed RM&E program conducted by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians is an ongoing annual program. The project involves rigorous monitoring and evaluation to determine the status, trends, responses and use by various life history stages of ESA listed Spring/Fall Chi-nook and winter steelhead; as well as, non-listed coho, pink, chum and sockeye salmon within the Puyallup/White River Watershed (Puget Sound ESU). Monitoring and evaluation efforts will include extensive biological sampling and spawning ground escapement surveys for Chinook, coho, pink, chum and steelhead (surveys work types to be reported include: E.1.c.1 Adult salmon-id population monitoring; E.1.c.4 Redd counts; E.1.c.5 Carcass counts). In addition, biological sampling and escapement monitoring of adult salmonid returns to the USACE fish trap on the White River will be performed (work types to be reported E.1.c.1 Adult salmonid population monitoring). Further elements include monitoring adult and juvenile salmonids entrained in Electron Hydro’s hydroelectric project on the upper Puyallup River (work types to be reported E.1.c.2 Salmonid smolt or fry monitoring).

Recovery and sustainability of ESA listed Spring/Fall Chinook, and winter steelhead stocks; as well as non-listed coho, pink, chum and sockeye. The RM&E project is vital for constructing informative and adaptive management decisions leading to effective actions in support of maintaining and improving fisheries stocks for implementation of tribal treaty and subsistence fishing rights. The monitoring and evaluation project is a high priority for the Puyallup Tribe and is vital towards assessing the status and trends of Natural Origin Recruits (NORs) and hatchery salmonids and their environments; as well as, investigating factors affecting salmonid population viability and providing information essential for resolving existing and potential habitat, water quality and hydraulic violation issues through corrective and/or mitigatory actions.