Comment on proposed FY 2006 budget

The Spokane Tribe of Indians is seeking renewal of funding for the Lake Roosevelt Fisheries Evaluation Project (Data Collection Project) in 2006. The budget currently identified is consistent with Bonneville’s approved budget. This will allow us to maintain the current level of data gathering and assessment of the Lake Roosevelt artificial production program and hydrology/water quality effects on the Lake Roosevelt ecology and fishery.

Accomplishments since the last review

1. Worked cooperatively with co-managers and/or project partners (Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, Colville Confederated Tribes and Eastern Washington University) to assess artificial production program and to provide recommendations to the Lake Roosevelt Hatchery Coordination Team. 2. We are currently developing a Lake Roosevelt Fisheries Guiding Document to detail management strategies over the next five years. This will be a living document that will be updated and changed as new data and information becomes available. 3. Continued sampling Lake Roosevelt to monitor population dynamics and changes to native and hatchery-reared fish communities and lower trophic levels. Assessment tools include annual electroshocking/gill netting through three seasons, year round, reservoir-wide creel, annual kokanee spawning assessment, hydroacoustic monitoring, predator indexing protocols and water quality, productivity and benthic sampling. 4. Floy tagged 20,000-60,000 rainbow and redband trout to assess diploid non-native stock, triploid non-native stock and diploid native stock (redband trout) performance in Lake Roosevelt. 5. Compiled data in in-house data bases that are maintained for project use, eventual inclusion into the JSAP database and calibration of the Lake Roosevelt Ecology Model. 6. The Lake Roosevelt Ecology Model is currently under development by Dr. Scott Wells of Portland State University. The bioenergetics portion is also being developed by Dr. David Beauchamp for inclusion into the Lake Roosevelt Ecology Model by Dr. Wells and Dr. Beauchamp. Expected completion date is summer of 2006. 7. Completed 1999-2002 Annual Reports (reviewed by WDFW, STOI, CCT and EWU). The 2003 Report is in progress and will be submitted to BPA following a review period. The final 2004 annual report will be reviewed and submitted to BPA prior to our 2006 fiscal year.

FY 2006 goals and anticipated accomplishments

1. Continue to work cooperatively with co-managers/project partners (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Colville Confederated Tribes and Eastern Washington University) to assess artificial production program and to provide recommendations to the Lake Roosevelt Hatchery Coordination Team. 2. The Lake Roosevelt Management Team will continue to meet quarterly to assess progress and potential changes to the Lake Roosevelt Fisheries Guiding Document based on the most current monitoring results/information. 3. We plan to continue sampling Lake Roosevelt to monitor population dynamics and changes to native and hatchery-reared fish communities and lower trophic levels. Assessment tools will likely be similar to current methodologies in order to maintain data consistency (annual electroshocking/gill netting through three seasons, year round, reservoir-wide creel, annual kokanee spawning assessment, hydroacoustic monitoring, predator indexing protocols and water quality, productivity and benthic sampling). 4. We plan to Floy tag 60,000 rainbow and redband trout to compare a diploid non-native stock, triploid non-native stock and a diploid native stock (redband trout) to assess stock performance in Lake Roosevelt. 5. Continue to compile data in in-house data bases that are maintained for project use, eventual inclusion into the JSAP database and calibration of the Lake Roosevelt Ecology Model. 6. The Lake Roosevelt Ecology Model should be completed in the summer of 2006. We plan to use the model to examine hydro-operation effects and to assess the outcome of management decisions on the lower trophic levels and fishery of Lake Roosevelt. 7. We plan to finalize the 2005 Annual Report and submit it to BPA following final report review and revision.

Subbasin planning

How is this project consistent with subbasin plans?

Consistency: The project is consistent with and implements the Upper Columbia Subbasin Aquatic Goals, Objectives and Strategies 1A1a-d, 1A2a-d, 1A3a, b, d and e, 1A4a, 1A5a-d, 1B2c, d, h, i and k, 1B3a, b and d, 1B4a, 1C1-4, 1C6, 2A1b-d, 2A2a-e, 2C1a and d-f, as well as Province Level Objectives 2A1-4, 2B, 2C1-2. Additionally, the project is consistent with and implements the Spokane Subbasin Aquatic Goals, Objectives and Strategies 1A1a, 1B1c, e, 1B2a, e, i and j, 1B3e, i and j, 1B5c, 1B6a, 1B7b-d, 1C4a and b, 2A1b and c, 2A2a, 2C1a and b, 2C2c, 2C3a and f, as well as Province Level Strategies 1C1-4, 2A1-4

How do goals match subbasin plan priorities?

Priority: The project goals and milestones are a priority in the Upper Columbia Subbasin because the objective ranking framework in the Management Plan puts assessment and implementation of habitat strategies, protection of the genetic integrity of focal and native fish species, maintenance, restoration and enhancement of wild populations of native fish and subsistence species to provide harvestable surplus and restoration of resident fish species through artificial production as top priorities in the subbasin plan. The project goals and milestones are a priority in the Spokane Subbasin because the objective priority framework in the Management Plan puts strategies aimed at assessment of resident fish loss, development of projects aimed at the protection, restoration and enhancement of habitat and assessment of conservation aquaculture needs to assist with enhancing/re-establishing native fish populations as top priorities in the subbasin plan. Additionally, the subbasin plan identified the use of artificial production to provide recreational and subsistence fisheries consistent with the NPCC Resident fish Substitution Policy as a priority.

Other comments

This program is the monitoring and evaluation component of the Lake Roosevelt artificial production program. Associated projects include the Spokane Tribal Hatchery (Project Number 1991-046-00), the WDFW Sherman Creek Hatchery (Project Number 1991-047-00) and the Lake Roosevelt Net Pen Program (Project Number 1995-009-00).