Outmigrant Monitoring in the Walla Walla Subbasin IV

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

Project ID	2007-2-02
Recovery Domains	Middle Columbia River
Start Date	02/01/2008
End Date	04/30/2009
Year	2007
Status	Completed
Last Edited	01/26/2024

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Description

Project objectives have been completed as proposed in the monitoring and evaluation plan, schedule and budget for FY 2007. PCSRF supported additional temporary staff and equipment for the migration year 2007-2008.
Analysis of salmonid abundance and run timing from the Walla Walla subbasin to McNary Pool, and survival estimates from the upper and middle subbasin to the mouth of the Walla Walla River are complete. Our final results from the 2007-2008 emigration year will be submitted in a final report upon complete review of the analysis and reporting to Bonneville Power Administration. The final project report will be completed by February 28, 2010 with outlined research monitoring and evaluation findings utilized in adaptive changes to salmon and watershed programs and policies
Preliminary results have been utilized in many planning processes within the Walla Walla Basin, including development of the Walla Walla Subbasin Spring Chinook Master Plan. Data has been utilized to support the proposed spring Chinook salmon program for the Walla Walla River, and will be used in the Mobrand Biometrics All-H-Analyzer to evaluate production alternatives. Furthermore, data collected by this project has been included in the Walla Walla River Habiata Conservation Plan (HCP). The HCP presents flow restoration alternatives in providing more water to the Walla Walla River in order to provide additional fish rearing and migration habitat. Finally, the Salmon Recovery Board Regional Technical Team utilizes data collected by this project in planning processes regularly.

Project Benefit

This project will target spring Chinook and summer steelhead in the Walla Walla Subbasin. Additional species for which information may be obtained in the lower Walla Walla River include fall Chinook, Coho, bull trout, mountain whitefish, and resident rainbow trout. The benefit to these populations will result from future decision-making associated with habitat, passage, flow, harvest, and production programs.

Accomplishments

Metric

Completed

Originally
Proposed

Research and Monitoring

Stream Miles Monitored

.00

5.00

Source

Funds

PCSRF

$60,000

Report Total:

$60,000

Worksites

Walla Walla Watershed

Worksite Identifier: Walla Walla Watershed
Start Date:
End Date:

Area Description

No Area Description data was found for this worksite.

Location Information

Basin: Middle Columbia (170701)
Subbasin: Walla Walla
Watershed:
Subwatershed:

State: Washington
Recovery Domain: Middle Columbia River
Latitude: 46.058
Longitude: -118.8609

ESU

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

Map

Photos

Metrics

E.0 Salmonid Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RM&E)Y (Y/N)

. . E.0.a RM&E Funding 60,000.00
. . E.0.b
Complement habitat restoration project

none
. . E.0.c
Project identified in a plan or watershed assessment.

Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). 2009. Walla Walla Spring Chinook Hatchery Master Plan.
. . E.0.d.1 Number of Cooperating Organizations 14
. . E.0.d.2
Name Of Cooperating Organizations.

WDFW, ODFW, USGS, BPA, USF&W, US Forest Service, NMFS, Army Corp of Enginerrs, USMFC, Tri-States Steelheaders, Whitman College, Walla Walla Com. College
. . E.0.e.1 Number of reports prepared 5

. . E.0.e.2

Name Of Report

Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). 2009. Walla Walla Spring Chinook Hatchery Master Plan. Prepared for Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, Oregon. CTUIR. 2009a. Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan. Walla Walla River Spring Chinook Reintroduction. Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Lambert M.B. November 2008. Outmigrant Monitoring in the Walla Walla Subbasin IV Mid Progress Report, Fiscal Year 2007. Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, report submitted to Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Project No. 2007-2-02. Lambert M.B. May 2009. Outmigrant Monitoring in the Walla Walla Subbasin IV Final Report, Fiscal Year 2007. Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, report submitted to Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Project No. 2007-2-02. CTUIR and WDFW. 2009. In Press. The Walla Walla Basin Collaborative Salmonid Monitoring and Evaluation Project Annual Report, FY 2007 and FY 2008. Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, report submitted to Bonneville Power Administration, Project No. 2000-039-00.

. . E.1 MonitoringY (Y/N)

. . . . E.1.a Monitoring funding 60,000.00
. . . . E.1.b.1 Stream Miles Monitored .00
. . . . E.1.b.2 Acres of Watershed Area Monitored .0
. . . . E.1.b.3 Square miles of water monitored0 (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 1.00
. . . . E.1.d
Name Of Comprehensive Monitoring Strategy/Program

Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). 2009. Walla Walla Spring Chinook Hatchery Master Plan.

. . . . E.1.e

Description of monitoring

Outmigration performance represents a standard set of performance metrics representative of spawner abundance, fecundity; redd deposition, egg-to-outmigrant survival, and in-stream outmigrant survival. Outmigrant performance (smolt abundance, smolts/spawner, smolts/redd, etc.) can be easily used to evaluate natural production, habitat, flow, passage, and production programs, and thus can lead directly to adaptive decisions. To do so, outmigrant information must be linked directly to other standard metrics of adult performance (abundance, redd deposition, etc.), or to specific limiting factors (redd performance, in-stream survival, etc.). The Walla Walla Subbasin represents a data-rich management landscape that is currently being populated by a variety of restoration projects. The pace and intensity of these actions has lead managers to call directly for the monitoring and evaluation of outmigrants associated with this project. For example, in 2005 (report under preparation) US vs. Oregon negotiations resulted in the release of 250,000 spring Chinook smolts into the upper Walla Walla River. This project was in place, and was able to document the timing, abundance, and survival of those smolts as they made their way to the Columbia River. Similarly the project will be able to produce survival estimates for summer steelhead production programs operated by WDFW, and will produce outmigrant performance metrics for natural summer steelhead that benefit from the numerous PCSRF funded actions occurring in the Walla Walla Subbasin.