Flow/reservoir symposium November 9-10

Reservoir Operations / Flow Survival Symposium

November 9 & 10, 2004

Northwest Power & Conservation Council
851 S.W. Sixth Ave., Suite 1100
Portland, OR 97204
503-222-5161

Summaries and related links

Letter to NOAA regarding Hungry Horse and Libby (Dec 2004; 70k PDF)
Reservoir Operations/Flow Survival Symposium Proceedings (160k PDF)
ISAB findings

Presentations

Effects of Summer Flow Reductions in the Upper Columbia on Adult Salmonid Migrants (90k PDF), Chris Peery, University of Idaho
Physiological Changes in Migrating Juvenile Spring/Summer and Fall Chinook Salmon and Effects on Performance and Survival (790k PDF), J. Congleton et al
Effects of summer flow augmentation on the migratory behavior and survival of juvenile Snake River fall Chinook salmon (950k PDF), project 199102900, Billy Connor et al
Investigating passage of ESA-listed juvenile fall Chinook salmon at Lower Granite Dam during winter when the fish bypass system is not operated (3m PDF), project 200203200, Billy Connor et al
University of Washington's Columbia River Salmon Passage Model (730k PDF) (CRiSP)
Temperature Modeling: Available Models and Ability to Estimate Change (560k PDF); Ben Cope, EPA; Jim Adams, COE
Subyearling Chinook Travel Time and Reach Survival (70k PDF), Fish Passage Center
Stocks Present in Lower Columbia at Key Index Sites (130k PDF), Fish Passage Center
Adult Salmon Bioenergetics (1.5m PDF), David Geist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Managing The Columbia River: Instream Flows, Water Withdrawals and Salmon Survival (90k PDF), Al Giorgi, National Research Council
Background on Montana Operations (240k PDF), Jim Litchfield
Libby and Hungry Horse Operation under the Fish and Wildlife Program (360k PDF), John Fazio, Council
Monitoring the Effects of NPCC Mainstem Amendments on Resident Fish in Montana (1.8m PDF), Brian Marotz, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
Predicting Fish Survival Response through the FCRPS using the SIMPAS Model (660k PDF), James Ruff
Fall Chinook Salmon Lower Snake River & Lower Columbia River (230k PDF), Steven Smith, NOAA Fisheries
Columbia River Chinook: Status and Trends (730k PDF), John Stein, NOAA Fisheries
Temperature Dependent Survival, Growth, and Physiology of Juvenile Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon (520k PDF); Jeff Yanke et al

Tuesday, November 9

10:00 - 10:10am Welcome - Chip McConnaha, Facilitator

Symposium format and ground rules

10:10 - 10:30am Introduction by Bob Lohn, NOAA Fisheries

July 19, 2004 Letter and Symposium Purpose

1. Describe alternative/goals
10:30 - 11:15	1. Amendment description and upriver biological effects ? Jim Litchfield, State of Montana; Brian Marotz, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks.
11:15 - 11:30	Questions and clarification
11:30 - Noon	2. Description of overall water changes resulting from proposed operation - John Fazio, Northwest Power & Conservation Council; Roger Schiewe, Bonneville Power Administration. Quantity, velocity, and timing of water How will water change be passed downriver
2. Translating changes in flow to changes in velocity temperature
1:00 - 1:15	Water velocity - depict change in velocity, key reaches - John Fazio, Northwest Power & Conservation Council.
1:15 - 1:45	Temperature modeling- models available and ability to estimate change - Ben Cope, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Jim Adams, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
1:45 - 2:00	Questions and clarification
3.a. Status and presence of affected anadromous stocks
2 - 2:45	Stock status- Snake River fall chinook, Upper Columbia, Lower Columbia, summer and fall chinook - NOAA Fisheries Fish present in river at key index sites- Margaret Filardo and Tom Berggren, Fish Passage Center
2:5 - 3:00	Break
	Biological responses to river conditions and flow augmentation
3:00 - 3:25	Downstream migration and juvenile survival as related to river conditions Snake River fall Chinook salmon upstream of Lower Granite Dam - Billy Connor, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
3:25 - 3:50	Columbia River subyearling Chinook salmon upstream of McNary Dam - Margaret Filardo and Tom Berggren, Fish Passage Center
3:50 - 4:15	Snake River fall Chinook salmon between Lower Granite Dam and McNary Dam and subyearling Chinook salmon downstream of McNary Dam - Steve Smith, NOAA Fisheries
4:15 - 4:40	Reservoir-type fall Chinook salmon: an exception to the rules - Billy Connor, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
4:40 - 5:00	Questions and clarification

Wednesday, November 10

3.b.
8:00 - 8:30am	Delayed effects on outmigrants- Jim Congleton, University of Idaho.
8:30 - 9:00	Adult Passage Behavior passage - Chris Perry, University of Idaho.
9:00 - 9:30	Temperature - Summer- Bioenergetics- Dave Geist, Battelle.
9:30 - 9:45	Break
9:45 - 10:15	Predicting change in fish responses Status of models and application to this assessment CRISP?Chris Van Holmes, University of Washington.
10:15 - 10:45	SIMPAS?Jim Ruff, NOAA Fisheries
10:45 - 11:15	Other considerations NRC Report- Al Giorgi, BioAnalysts
11:15 - 11:30	Questions and clarification
4. Research and anadromous needs- discussion of research needs and experimental feasibility
1:00 - 2:00	Panel- Steve Smith, Mike Langsley, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Al Giorgi, BioAnalysts; Chuck Peven, Chelan PUD; and Billy Connor, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
2:00 - 2:15	Questions and clarification
5. Wrap up
2:15 - 2:45	ISAB Panel ? ISAB members
2:45 - 3:00	Next steps - Chip McConnaha

Last updated: 11/9/04 9:30am

Introductory letter sent October 20, 2004

Dear Interested Party:

The Council and NOAA Fisheries will sponsor a two-day symposium November 9-10 at the Council headquarters in Portland, beginning at 10am on the 9th, to examine the relationship between river flows and survival of juvenile and adult anadromous fish. The Council's Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program proposes a hypothesis that certain modifications to current operations at Libby and Hungry Horse dams would significantly benefit resident fish without discernable adverse effects on the survival of juvenile and adult anadromous fish. The flow-survival issue is at the heart of that hypothesis.

A number of experts have been invited to make presentations and engage in discussions at the symposium, which is open to the public. This letter is not an invitation to make a presentation at the symposium, but a notice that the symposium will take place and an invitation to attend as an audience member.

The symposium responds to a recommendation from Bob Lohn, regional director of NOAA Fisheries (see attached letter), that NOAA Fisheries and the Council work together to identify the present bounds of science regarding flows and fish survival. Specifically, Mr. Lohn suggested that the Council, NOAA Fisheries and interested Columbia River tribes or tribal organizations sponsor a scientific symposium or workshop to address issues relating to the science of river flows and fish survival. These have been distilled to the following points for the symposium:

What is the state of the science between flows and juvenile survival? Where is there consensus and where is there disagreement?
Which attributes that are unknown are most important in making hydro decisions? What kind of research would be needed to resolve them?
Is there an experimental design practical and feasible to test how changes in reservoir operations can affect fish in the lower river? If so, how would the experiment be structured?
In modeling projected effects of flow on listed and non-listed fish, what are the relative strengths and weaknesses of the available models? Is there credible scientific information that certain models and assumptions are likely to be more reliable than others?

I hope you will be able to attend the symposium. Please let Kendra Phillips know if you plan to attend, either at 800-452-5161 or by October 29, 2004.

Sincerely,

Stephen L. Crow, Executive Director

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