Location

UMass Amherst

Event Website

http://fishpassage.ecs.umass.edu/Conference2012/

Start Date

7-6-2012 1:30 PM

End Date

7-6-2012 1:50 PM

Description

Kleinschmidt was retained by Northern Lights, Inc. (NLI) to perform a full-depth tailrace netting study to assess the level of entrainment of juvenile bull trout potentially occurring at a small FERC- regulated hydro facility in northwestern Montana. Bull trout are listed as a federally-threatened species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The entrainment study was recommended by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to provide information for analyses associated with formal ESA Section 7 consultation for the relicensing of the hydro facility. Kleinschmidt's fish passage engineers and scientists designed a small floating collection trap and full-depth entrainment netting system that was deployed in the tailrace of hydro facility. Sampling was performed once a week for 24-hours for 22 weeks throughout the spring, summer, and fall of 2010. Bull trout genetic samples were collected and processed using methods derived from the USFWS's Abernathy Fish Technology Center in Longview, Washington, to distinguish between pure and hybridized bull trout. The entrainment estimate for juvenile bull trout was based on the sampling efficiency of the net and catch per unit effort. Based on field data, we estimated that approximately 40 juvenile bull trout are entrained annually at the Project. In their final Biological Opinion, the USFWS, using methods similar to those employed in NLI's initial desk-top analysis, estimated annual entrainment of bull trout to be approximately 670 fish. The results of actual entrainment sampling indicate that far fewer fish are entrained than originally predicted by NLI or by the USFWS. NLI and the stakeholders are currently in the process of developing mitigation for the documented take of bull trout, which may include conservation of important spawning habitats or in-stream habitat improvement projects.

Comments

Mr. Wechsler is a member of Kleinschmidt's Fish Passage and Protection Team, and is responsible for the development of fish passage effectiveness testing and fish passage protection measures at hydro facilities. Mr. Wechsler also provides support to Kleinschmidt's regulatory and hydro relicensing department through the development of pre-and post-license studies (e.g., instream flow studies, baseline fisheries surveys, habitat assessments) and through administration of FERC-relicensing proceedings.

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Jun 7th, 1:30 PM Jun 7th, 1:50 PM

Session A8 - Estimating entrainment of juvenile bull trout in Lake Creek (Montana), a desk-top vs. field study approach

UMass Amherst

Kleinschmidt was retained by Northern Lights, Inc. (NLI) to perform a full-depth tailrace netting study to assess the level of entrainment of juvenile bull trout potentially occurring at a small FERC- regulated hydro facility in northwestern Montana. Bull trout are listed as a federally-threatened species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The entrainment study was recommended by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to provide information for analyses associated with formal ESA Section 7 consultation for the relicensing of the hydro facility. Kleinschmidt's fish passage engineers and scientists designed a small floating collection trap and full-depth entrainment netting system that was deployed in the tailrace of hydro facility. Sampling was performed once a week for 24-hours for 22 weeks throughout the spring, summer, and fall of 2010. Bull trout genetic samples were collected and processed using methods derived from the USFWS's Abernathy Fish Technology Center in Longview, Washington, to distinguish between pure and hybridized bull trout. The entrainment estimate for juvenile bull trout was based on the sampling efficiency of the net and catch per unit effort. Based on field data, we estimated that approximately 40 juvenile bull trout are entrained annually at the Project. In their final Biological Opinion, the USFWS, using methods similar to those employed in NLI's initial desk-top analysis, estimated annual entrainment of bull trout to be approximately 670 fish. The results of actual entrainment sampling indicate that far fewer fish are entrained than originally predicted by NLI or by the USFWS. NLI and the stakeholders are currently in the process of developing mitigation for the documented take of bull trout, which may include conservation of important spawning habitats or in-stream habitat improvement projects.

https://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference/2012/June7/12