Comment on proposed FY 2006 budget

The council staff fiscal year 2006 budget of $589,000 identified for the Hood River O&M (project no. 1988-053-07) lumps three pieces together. These three pieces include the Powerdale Trap O&M, the Parkdale Fish Facility O&M, and the Oak Springs Hatchery O&M. The Powerdale Trap O&M response has been submitted by Rod French (ODFW), and will not be considered here. The Parkdale Fish Facility O&M (PFF) budget will request an increase for FY 06 by $3,000 to account for the operation and maintenance of a new residence. The PFF budget will not exceed $269,000. The Oak Spring Hatchery O&M (OSH) budget will request an increase for FY 06 to account for changes in indirect and benefits costs. The OSH budget will not exceed $145,000. The Hood River Production Program (HRPP) co-managers are also in the midst of preparing changes to the program that would include changes to the existing PFF to enable the rearing of spring chinook. The costs for engineering, design, and implementation are not accounted for in the above figures. Estimates of that work will be forthcoming.

Accomplishments since the last review

PFF: The PFF annually held broodstock, spawned adults, cared for eggs, and acclimated spring chinook, summer and winter steelhead. The PFF has acclimated approximately 30,000 spring chinook and 30,000 winter steelhead smolts each year. These fish were acclimated and volitionally released in concrete raceways into the Middle Fork Hood River. If the fish did not migrate they were hauled to the Columbia near the mouth of the Hood River. Spring chinook adults were held, spawned, and the eggs were incubated to the eyed stage, and then transported to the Round Butte Hatchery. Summer and winter steelhead adults were held, spawned, and the eggs were shipped green to OSH. In 2005 genetic sampling determined the genotypes of steelhead before spawning to maintain genetic integrity of the hatchery brood. Tracking of all fish and reporting activities to BPA occurred regularly and as necessary. Regular maintenance and security of the facility has been maintained. OSH: The OSH annually incubated eggs, reared juveniles, and transported smolts to the Hood River subbasin. OSH incubated and reared approximately 60,000 winter steelhead eggs to produce 50,000 smolts each year. To do this OSH coordinated with, and received approximately 60,000 winter steelhead eggs from Parkdale Fish Facility each spring. Canadian troughs and raceways were used to rear juveniles to meet the production goal of 50,000 smolts. In the fall of each year the juveniles had fins clipped to identify hatchery fish and differentiate between production years. Smolts were transferred to acclimation facilities on the Hood River. OSH incubated and reared approximately 50,000 summer steelhead eggs to produce 40,000 smolts each year. The same practices occurred for summer steelhead as for the winter steelhead.

FY 2006 goals and anticipated accomplishments

The PFF O&M Project goals for FY 2006 include the following: Complete all coordination, facility maintenance, and reporting required to operate the facility and complete all activities. Acclimate and volitionally release 30,000 spring chinook and 30,000 winter steelhead. Collect, hold, spawn spring chinook and incubate eggs to the swim up fry stage then transport to Round Butte Hatchery. Provide all fish culture techniques to maintain proper fish health. Collect, hold, spawn winter and summer steelhead and transport eggs green to OSH. Provide all fish culture techniques to maintain proper fish health. Utilize the genetics information to spawn fish of the correct ecotype together to maintain genetic diversity in the hatchery populations. Assist in the collection of brood from the Powerdale Fish Trap when necessary. Develop budget and submit reports as required. The OSH O&M Project goals for FY 2006 include the following: Complete all coordination and reporting required to accomplish all activities. Receive approximately 60,000 winter steelhead and 50,000 summer steelhead eggs green from Parkdale Fish Facility. Incubate the eggs and rear juveniles in Canadian troughs and raceways. In the fall, fin clip juveniles to identify hatchery fish and differentiate between production years. Transport smolts in the spring to acclimation facilities in the Hood River subbasin. Develop budget and submit reports as required.

Subbasin planning

How is this project consistent with subbasin plans?

The activities and tasks for the PFF and OSH are consistent with the Hood River Subbasin Plan. Both facilities work towards goals set by the HRPP. This project is intertwined with other parts of the HRPP to create a program that adaptively manages fish and improves natural habitat conditions in the basin. Much of the subbasin plan biological objectives (p. 178-188; section 6.2) consist of goals that rely on the activities and data produced by the PFF. The spring chinook objectives (p. 182-184) include increasing smolt to adult survival rates for hatchery fish and providing harvest opportunities. The summer steelhead objectives (p. 184-186) include maintaining the genetic integrity of the run. PFF uses genetic data prior to spawning summer steelhead. The activities of OSH follows through with the actions of the PFF so that smolts are then returned, ready for acclimation and volitional release. The winter steelhead objectives (p. 186-187) also have a goal of maintaining the genetic integrity of the run. Similar strategies are used with the winters as with the summers. The Harvest and Hatchery Supplementation Strategies (p. 194-195) consist of many recommendations that are tasks and activities directly and indirectly concerning the work of the PFF.

How do goals match subbasin plan priorities?

The PFF and OSH projects are a part of the larger HRPP. The HRPP is broadly prioritized in several sections of the subbasin plan. Activities and tasks of the PFF and OSH are part of section 6.3 Prioritized Strategies, including the aspects mentioned above.

Other comments

Based on recommendations from the Hood River Program Review and output from the UCM and EDT models, the HRPP is currently developing program wide changes. These changes will incorporate the removal of Powerdale Dam in 2010 and will have different numerical objectives. The expectations of the changes will encompass new methods of broodstock collection, increases in chinook smolt to adult ratios, and new rearing strategies for spring chinook. The proposal for this work is still in planning stages, and engineering and design work is expected in 2006.