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Biological considerations at fish passage projects in the Missoula area

Biological considerations at fish passage projects in the Missoula area. Pat Saffel FWP Fish Manager Missoula. This Presentation sort of a “welcoming”. Diverse examples of projects around Missoula B iological considerations Assessments One fish screen project

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Biological considerations at fish passage projects in the Missoula area

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  1. Biological considerations at fish passage projects in the Missoula area Pat Saffel FWP Fish Manager Missoula

  2. This Presentationsort of a “welcoming” • Diverse examples of projects around Missoula • Biological considerations • Assessments • One fish screen project • Complex up and downstream passage • Three upstream fish passage projects • Hydro dam, low-head dam & diversion • Wrap up with general themes, sneak in a video?

  3. This Presentationsort of a “welcoming” • Diverse examples of projects around Missoula • Biological considerations • Assessments • One fish screen project • Complex up and downstream passage • Three upstream fish passage projects • Hydro dam, low-head dam & diversion • Wrap up with general themes, sneak in a video?

  4. This Presentationsort of a “welcoming” • Diverse examples of projects around Missoula • Biological considerations • Assessments • One fish screen project • Complex up and downstream passage • Three upstream fish passage projects • Hydro dam, low-head dam & diversion • Wrap up with general themes, sneak in a video?

  5. Questions with Fish Screens • Is a fish in the stream better than one in the ditch? • Usually, but how much better? • Worth the cost?

  6. EF Rock Creek Fish Screen Atrophied channel 5 cfs summer flow 200 cfs capacity $700,000 Irrigation season: May – Sep Outflow: seepage - 200+ cfs

  7. Biological Considerations • Reservoir population • Canal salvage history • EF Rock Cr. fish populations & habitat • Return spawners

  8. Biological Considerations • Reservoir population • Canal salvage history • EF Rock Cr. fish populations & habitat • Return spawners

  9. Biological Considerations • Reservoir population • Canal salvage history • EF Rock Cr. fish populations & habitat • Return spawners

  10. Biological Considerations • Reservoir population • Canal salvage history • EF Rock Cr. fish populations & habitat • Return spawners

  11. Monitoring at EF Rock Creek • Hopefully answer how much better a fish in the creek is than one in the ditch – after the fact… • Trap & mark fish that are screened • How many fish are put back into the creek? • Trap returning adults • How many fish screened return as adults? • Move above dam?

  12. Monitoring at EF Rock Creek • Hopefully answer how much better a fish in the creek is than one in the ditch – after the fact… • Trap & mark fish that are screened • How many fish are put back into the creek? • Trap returning adults • How many fish screened return as adults? • Move above dam?

  13. Traps Downstream Upstream

  14. Questions with Upstream Passage • How many fish are being impeded? • Where do they want to go? • Are you passing fish to the correct location\population? • Will they survive? • What kind of passage? • Volitional or selective • Passage structures

  15. Questions with Upstream Passage • How many fish are being impeded? • Where do they want to go? • Are you passing fish to the correct location\population? • Will they survive? • What kind of passage? • Volitional or selective • Passage structures

  16. Questions with Upstream Passage • How many fish are being impeded? • Where do they want to go? • Are you passing fish to the correct location\population? • Will they survive? • What kind of passage? • Volitional or selective • Passage structures

  17. Milltown Dam

  18. About 200,000 fish of 12 spp. blocked each year

  19. Clark Fork R. Radial Gate Blackfoot R.

  20. Two Ladders?

  21. Silver Lake System Silver Lake

  22. DeHaan et al. 2009

  23. DeHaan et al. 2009

  24. DeHaan et al. 2009

  25. Biological Considerations • Both creeks could be contributing bull trout to Silver Lake, with adults wanting to return • What is the origin of bull trout in Silver Lake? • Prioritize passage efforts between the two creeks

  26. DeHaan et al. 2009

  27. Silver Lake/Storm Lake Creek Bull Trout Passage Project • In 2012: Tagged/ moved 8 adults (and 13 sub-adults) • At least 7 adults moved upstream • Large reddsfound • Manual passage for now - hybridization concerns with rainbow

  28. Lake Inez Fish Barrier (aka, Emily-A Dam) • West Fork Clearwater • Had ~ 30 redds • Emily-A Dam • Migration route blocked Emily-A Dam

  29. Lake Inez Fish Barrier (aka, Emily-A Dam) • Many radio-tagged fish went to WF Clearwater Emily-A Dam

  30. Bull trout caught at dam, not in trap

  31. Restoring Migration VIDEO

  32. General Themes • Many factors reduce numbers of fish (e.g., EF Rock Creek), understanding the biology improves a project’s chance of success (e.g., Silver Lake) • The fewer life-stages and habitat problems involved the more likely to succeed (e.g., upstream passage of adults vs. downstream passage of juveniles). • Passage to suitable biological and physical habitat can be very successful (e.g., Emily-A Dam). • More information is needed to understand what affects a project’s effectiveness (e.g., fish screen projects).

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