Comment on proposed FY 2006 budget

The budget amount identified, $2,288,859, is anticipated to be sufficient and necessary for the critical project activities during FY 2006 except for the NEPA caveat discussed below. The project will be in NPPCC's STEP review in 2005 with anticipated preliminary design and NEPA in 2006 leading to completion of STEP 2. The YN had anticipated that BPA would have finalized a programmatic EIS that this project would have tiered to that would result in what we had budgeted for in 2006 which was $100,000. However, we have been informed by BPA’s Senior Environmental Specialist, Nancy Weintraub, that this regional approach to NEPA may possibly be delayed or even terminated which would result in possibly a BPA sub-contract of approximately $400,000 in FY 2006 for this project’s NEPA. Therefore, in a worst case scenario, this project may be $300,000 short for NEPA for 2006 which would then increase the total contract funding needs to $2,588,859. Even though mid-Columbia coho re-introduction has been in the feasibility phase, some aspects of this project have been reduced due to closure of certain species interaction studies. However, other aspects of the project continue to increase in activity but not necessarily scope. For example, each year local broodstock development becomes more labor intensive and sophisticated as the project continues to transition from lower river stock to the local brood.

Accomplishments since the last review

The project objectives are outlined in Part 2, Section-f of the FY 2003 Provincial Project Review. Planning and Design Phase Adaptive management of the project planning effort, tasks 1a, b, & c were completed. The project facilitated annual meetings of the TWG team. Funding was not provided by BPA to cooperating agencies for participation in meetings and document review. The project management plan was updated, and facility site plans were drafted. Tasks 2a, b,& c, development of experimental production facilities were completed. Incubation facility updates and acclimation site construction and improvement were planned. Regulatory compliance was completed through tasks 3a, b & c. Construction/Implementation Phase New acclimation ponds were constructed as outlined in tasks 1a & b. Production facilities were adapted to meet the program objectives in accordance with task 2a. Operation and Maintenance Phase Tasks 1a, b, & c, the operation and maintenance of facilities required for production were completed. Project personnel trapped, transported, and spawned adults and incubated and transported eggs. The USFWS and ODFW were contracted to incubate eggs, and rear and transport juveniles. Task 2a is completed for the project review period. Monitoring and Evaluation Phase Project performance indicator trends were evaluated through completion of tasks 1a, b, c, d, & e. Natural production was estimated with comprehensive spawning ground surveys. DNA fingerprinting of adult returns, task 1f, was not funded. Task 1g, out of basin harvest rate estimation is ongoing. Studies of smolt growth rate and size on survival under 1h were not completed but are planned for the future. Tasks 2a, b, c, d, e, & f, species interactions studies including residualism surveys, predation evaluations in Nason Creek and Lake Wenatchee, and habitat competition evaluations were completed. Task 3a, local adaptation is monitored by tracking life history traits. DNA sample collection, and sperm cyopreservation was not funded. Task 3b was completed.

FY 2006 goals and anticipated accomplishments

Planning and Design 1. Operation assistance 2. Design/develop research facilities 3. Future program preliminary design 4. Site permit applications 5. Support NEPA & ESA Process Operations & Maintenance 1. Manage and administer projects a. Submit draft SOW and budget b. Pisces metric reporting c. Broodstock collection and trapping protocols d. Trap use, operation, and maintenance coordination 2. Produce Hatchery fish – continued broodstock development a. Trap broodstock at Dryden Dam, Tumwater Dam, LNFH, Wells Dam, and Winthrop NFH b. Spawn adults (1400 @ ENFH, 700 @ Winthrop NFH) c. Egg incubation (2.2 million total at Peshastin, ENFH, Winthrop NFH) d. Transport eggs to rearing facilities (Cascade FH, Willard NFH) e. Rear fish at Willard NFH (650,000), Cascade FH (700,000), Winthrop NFH (250,000) f. Acclimate and release coho smolts in the Wenatchee Basin (1 million) and the Methow Basin (250,000-500,000) Monitoring & Evaluation 1. Project performance indicators a. Smolt survival (PIT tag 30,000 coho) b. Smolt-adult survival (CWT 100% and CWT extraction) HORs and NORs c. Spawning ground surveys (Wenatchee and Methow) d. Natural smolt production (smolt traps) e. Enter data into databases 2. Analyze data and produce annual reports

Subbasin planning

How is this project consistent with subbasin plans?

The mid-Columbia coho reintroduction project is consistent with, and supports the vision and goals of both the Wenatchee and Methow subbasin plans. The vision for the Wenatchee Subbasin includes restoring extirpated fish and wildlife and natural habitats that perpetuate native fish wildife and fish populations into the foreseeable future. The vision for the Methow subbasin is to support self-sustaining, harvestable, and diverse populations of fish and wildlife. These visions will only be achieved through continued restoration of species historically present, including coho salmon. The goals and ecological objectives of the both subbasin plans are consistent with coho restoration in mid-Columbia tributaries. Wenatchee Subbasin goal #3 to “Restore, maintain, or enhance fish and wildlife populations to sustainable and harvestable levels, while protection biological integrity and genetic diversity of the species”, clearly supports continued restoration of coho salmon in the mid-Columbia. Coho reintroduction also achieves the other five goals of the plan through maintaining and restoring biological diversity, enhancing and restoring significant culturally related resources, and to supporting the restoration of fish populations.

How do goals match subbasin plan priorities?

Coho stocks (Oncorhynchus kisutch), historically abundant in mid-Columbia tributaries, became extirpated in the early 1900’s and have since been reintroduced through ongoing efforts by the Yakama Nation. One of the specific goals and priorities is to advance the vision of the Wenatchee Subbasin Plan by restoring extirpated fish and wildlife. Re-establishment of coho salmon is also a specific goal in the Methow Subbasin Plan “The goal for coho salmon includes re-establishment of run sizes that provide for species recovery, mitigation of hydro-system losses, and harvestable surpluses”. BPA Project #1996-040-00 is the only project currently working towards these goals in mid-Columbia tributaries. In both the Wenatchee and Methow subbasin plans, Coho salmon are listed as a focal species. As a focal species, much of the prioritized habitat restoration actions are aimed at supporting continued restoration of coho populations. Coho salmon prefer and occupy different habitat types than the other focal species, selecting slower velocities and greater depths. Habitat complexity and off-channel habitats such as backwater pools, beaver ponds, and side channels are important for juvenile rearing making coho good biological indicators for habitat recovery prioritized in the subbasin plan.

Other comments

Due to the extended time it is taking for our Long Term Plan development and review from the members of the Mid-Columbia Coho TWG, the Plan will probably not be finalized for formal submittal until September, 2005. With this September submittal and a 2006 contract renewal date of February 1, 2006, I believe that even with this revised schedule, we can ensure the continuity of the project as we go through the STEP process. If the duration of the STEP process will proceed beyond a critical time for our 2006 contract renewal, than the YN will request partial contract funding to allow project continuity and completion of the STEP process.