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Programs
The administrative section of the Columbia River Fisheries Program Office provides a variety of support services related to budget, procurement, human resources and information technology. The CRFPO has a budget of approximately 7 million dollars that is comprised of both appropriated and reimbursable funding. The CRFPO budget technician and supervisory budget analyst track expenditures in a variety of categories throughout the fiscal year. Regular budget updates are provided to the administrative officer and to the team leaders. An agreements assistant coordinates all cooperative and reimbursable agreements engaged in by the CRFPO. The CRFPO has the only field warranted purchasing agent in Region one. This allows for all purchases to be made without delay. This is essential due to the time sensitive nature of all fish marking field projects. The CRFPO offices assistants help process staff timesheets, travel vouchers and personnel actions related to recruitment, appointment extensions, changes in work schedules and retirements among other actions. Last, an information technology specialist helps to address all CRFPO IT needs. For more information, please contact Larry Fishler at 360-604-2532 Return to top.Biometrics For further information, please contact Steve Haeseker at 360-604-2500 Return to top.The Conservation Assessment Team (Team) works to assist in determining the status of imperiled natural stocks, evaluating management measures for recovery and assist in the recovery of these stocks, and helping to prevent future listings. The Team's primary contribution to these activities is to design and implement monitoring and evaluation, coordination, and dissemination of fisheries information. The Team also provides for science-based management of aquatic resources on federal and tribal lands in the area from the Columbia River mouth upstream to McNary Dam and in other areas throughout the Columbia River Basin that have been and continue to be affected by anthropogenic actions of a regional scale. The Team promotes the Service’s position and interest through primary monitoring and evaluation as well as technical assessment and assistance. The Team also works through interagency forums, local governments and coordination groups operating throughout Region 1 to ensure that the decisions made by these groups result in the adoption of the best scientifically-based management measures for resident and anadromous fish. The organization of the Team includes four Programs, the Native Trout Program, Non-Salmonid Program, Recovery Assessment and Planning Program, and the Salmon & Steelhead Program. For further information, please contact Tim Whitesel at 360-604-2549.
Native Trout Program Non-Salmonid
Program
Contact Jeff Jolley at 360-604-2500 for more information. Hatchery
Evaluation/Planning Team
Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Education The introduction and establishment of invasive or nuisance species is considered one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity, second only to habitat destruction. Invasive species have been identified as the cause in decline of at least 48% of species listed as threatened or endangered under the United States Endangered Species Act. Aquatic nuisance species may reduce the diversity and abundance of native species, degrade aquatic habitats, threaten water quality and availability, alter important ecological processes and pose a general threat to commercial, agricultural and recreational industries. An estimated $120 billion is spent annually in the United States to deal with the multitude of problems associated with Invasive Species. Aquatic nuisance species are introduced or spread to new locations a number of ways, but humans remain the primary vector of dispersal. Whether intentionally or by accident, once an ANS is introduced and becomes established in a new ecosystem, it is very costly and difficult to control or eradicate them. One of the most effective ways to prevent or reduce the introduction, spread and impact of invasive species is through outreach and education. The ANS team – a collaborative effort between Hatchery Assessment and Conservation Assessment Teams, has initiated a number of small projects to increase public knowledge and awareness of ANS including: performing New Zealand mudsnail surveys at lower Columbia Basin National Fish Hatcheries and National Wildlife Refuges, presenting ANS lessons and activities at public workshops and watershed festivals, and developing an ANS education trunk and webpage for natural resource professionals and educators. Assisted Propagation and its Role in Species Conservation Assisted propagation and captive rearing may be valuable tools to assist in species conservation and recovery. Understanding the physiological and rearing requirements of captive fishes is necessary to maintain and produce robust fish for reintroduction, supplementation, and conservation programs, as well as answer basic research questions (HSRG 2004). Bull trout and Pacific lamprey populations have declined and understanding what role, artificial propagation can play in their recovery and conservation is needed. Currently, little is known about the effects of captivity on bull trout development and behavior and how these effects may influence post-release survival and performance at the individual and population levels. Even less is known about rearing Pacific lamprey in captivity; the basic requirements such as rearing vessels, nutrition, pathology, and life history are poorly understood. Towards this end, we collected bull trout embryos from the wild, delivered them to Willard NFH and Oregon State University, and are evaluating the feasibility of captive rearing as a reintroduction and recovery strategy. Also, we are rearing larval lamprey at Eagle Creek NFH to determine basic rearing requirements and better understand life history. This is a collaborative project between the Hatchery Assessment Team, Conservation Assessment Team, Willard NFH, Eagle Creek NFH, Oregon State University, and the USGS Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. For further information on bull trout captive rearing, please contact William Brignon and for lamprey captive rearing contact Jeffrey Jolley. Or call 360-604-2500. Deschutes River Investigations This project comprises a variety of objectives related to hatchery and wild spring Chinook salmon and steelhead in the Deschutes basin. Fish released from a hatchery interact with wild fish in the stream, however the impact of these interactions on wild fish populations is often unknown. This project seeks to evaluate whether modifications to hatchery rearing, release practices, and hatchery design reduce the impacts that hatchery fish have on wild, listed populations while still providing fish for harvest in Tribal and sport fisheries. Warm Springs NFH, located on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, has two goals: 1) Produce salmon for annual tribal harvest opportunities in the Deschutes and Columbia River fisheries.
2) Protect wild fish populations in the Warm Springs River by minimizing impacts from hatchery operations. The goal of our Deschutes River investigations is to provide information that is used to ensure that the hatchery meets its defined goals, with a particular focus on meeting goal number 2. Results from these evaluations will be applied across other basins and hatchery programs to look at the effect of hatchery operations on wild populations at a region-wide scale. Abundance and relative survival of juvenile winter steelhead in Eagle and North Fork Eagle Creeks Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) Tag Effects Study Coded-wire-tags (CWT) and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags are used extensively throughout the Columbia River Basin to address a wide variety of management and research questions. A recent study by Knudsen et al. (2009) found that dual-tagged (CWT and PIT-tagged) hatchery spring Chinook salmon smolts released in the Yakima River had lower smolt-to-adult return rates (SARs) compared to CWT smolts, indicating that PIT-tags may impart a survival bias relative to smolts tagged with CWTs. Given the widespread use of CWT and PIT-tags, further evaluations of potential tag effects would be informative for quantifying the level of bias, if present, associated with each of these two tag types. Towards this end, we initiated the PIT-Tag Effects Study (PTES) at Carson National Fish Hatchery with the marking of the brood year 2009 release. The objectives are 1) to determine the effects of PIT-tags on spring Chinook salmon SARs and 2) to determine PIT-tag loss rates throughout the complete salmon life-cycle. This is a collaborative project between the Hatchery Assessment Team, Fish Marking Program, and Analytical Services. For further information, please contact William Brignon at 360-604-2500 White Salmon River Investigations
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Marking/ tagging and/or bio-sampling occurs during every month with peak activity during Jan. – June for marking and Sept. – Nov. for bio-sampling and coded-wire tag reading and processing. The CRFPO maintains a fleet of seven marking trailers, two of which are owned by BPA. Of the five owned by FWS, three are automated and two are manual. BPA's trailers are both manually operated. Contact Jesse Rivera at 360-604-2500 for more information. Return to top. Water Management and Evaluation The decline of many of the native anadromous and resident fish species in the Columbia River Basin is directly related to consumptive water use and/or manipulation of water resources for hydropower production, flood control, and navigation. The Water Management and Evaluation Team was developed in response to this situation to work with the other fishery managers in the basin to identify water-related issues, conduct the relevant evaluations, and recommend solutions based on the best available science that provide options to accommodate many of the conflicting demands on Columbia Basin water resources. The four main areas of activity for the program include issues related to the Federal Columbia River Power System, issues regarding instream flows and fish passage including the mainstem Columbia, Snake, and Willamette rivers, issues related to bull trout research and recovery, and assistance on Recovery Planning, Biological Opinions, and Habitat Conservation Plans that are required under the Endangered Species Act. In many cases, specific issues overlap more than one of these areas. Federal Columbia River Power System Instream Flow and Fish Passage Biological Opinions, Habitat Conservation Plans, and Recovery Planning Activities conducted by both federal agencies and non-federal entities require evaluation for effects on ESA-listed species that may be present. Water Management Team staff assist with the development of Biological Opinions (federal actions) and Habitat Conservation Plans (non-federal actions) to establish conditions that will allow many activities to continue while minimizing their effects on ESA-listed species. Our substantial accumulation of technical data on listed species in this Region (e.g. bull trout) through our past project work provide the background for evaluation of the temporal and spatial effects of proposed actions on the relevant species/lifestages. This background is also critical for determining how activities can proceed without causing significant detrimental effects to the relevant species. Biological and physical data from our project work are compiled to identify limiting factors and indicate the relevant recovery actions for improving the status of listed species. For more information,
please contact Don Anglin at 360-604-2500. |
The Native Trout
Program is charged with conducting research, monitoring and evaluation
projects to assess behavior, physiological processes, morphological characteristics,
habitat parameters, population genetic structure, and abundance and distribution
of sensitive native trout species in the Pacific Northwest. Species currently
being focused on include 
The mission of the Non-Salmonid Team is to provide scientifically-based research and management on important non-salmonid fishes of the Pacific Northwest. The team’s work is focused on, but not all-inclusive to, native lampreys and mussels of western North America. The team performs field assessments of lamprey distribution, abundance, and habitat and provides guidance on survey design and sampling methodologies that incorporate probabilistic and statistically robust methods to provide empirical, quantifiable, and comparable information. Investigations of lamprey ecology and biology are also used to inform the use of captive lampreys to aid conservation. The team interacts in the research and management forums to help inform policy and management. Current activities include:
The decline of many fish stocks in the Columbia River Basin and numerous species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has increased the Service's need for participation within multi-agency forums responsible for the conservation and recovery of both listed and non-listed aquatic species. The Recovery, Assessment, and Planning Program (RAP) was organized in 2005 to address these issues and coordinate with federal, state, and tribal entities to effectively manage and restore aquatic species and habitat in the Columbia River Basin. Target species include bull trout, lamprey, chub, salmon, steelhead, freshwater mussels and coastal cutthroat trout.
To keep track of hatchery programs, our office maintains
the Columbia River information System (CRiS), and participates in the interagency
StreamNet database. We also develop hatchery and Genetic Management Plans
and Section 7 Biological Assessments for Endangered Species Act compliance.
We develop collaborative projects to investigate diet, release, and rearing
density to improve hatchery performance, as well as develop in-stream studies
using traps, radio telemetry, and snorkeling to investigate behavior, wild
and hatchery interactions and habitat use. Our vision for hatchery assessment
is: 1) use National Fish Hatcheries to conserve populations 2) produce fish
for sport, commercial and tribal fisheries 3) use National Fish Hatcheries
to complement fish and wildlife production in their natural habitat 4) develop
partnerships for watershed-based projects in streams where we operate our
National Fish Hatcheries 5) work with engineers, landscape architects, biologists
and fish culturists to design and operate hatcheries which simulate natural
features 6) advance education, research and management of our National Fish
Hatcheries and 7) build relationships and establish trust. 
The Columbia River Fisheries Program Office was initially tasked with the coordination and implementation of FWS funded marking at Columbia Basins NFHs. Since then, the marking and tagging program has expanded to meet other cooperators needs (BPA, COE, Tribes, etc.). The program also provides assistance outside the Basin as schedules allow. The current program marks/tags more than 33.0 million fish in the Columbia Basin under a number of funding sources.
Office staff have significant experience and expertise in instream flow methodologies, river hydraulics, fish passage evaluations, and physical/biological habitat evaluations for native anadromous and resident fish and wildlife in the Pacific Northwest and Columbia River Basin. Instream flow and passage assessments, hydraulic and habitat modeling, and species-specific biological evaluations provide the necessary information to describe the effect of a range of streamflows on the amount and location of habitat, and on instream passage conditions for various species/lifestages. The relationship between streamflow and habitat/passage conditions provides the raw materials for crafting solutions to water management problems that achieve the best balance among competing demands on a limited resource. Office staff have a long history of instream flow applications using the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM) and Physical Habitat Simulation System (PHABSIM). These methods were state-of-the-art tools for several decades, but recently, new tools have been developed that have advanced hydraulic simulations into the 2-dimensional realm, and habitat output into a spatially explicit coverage in GIS format. The CRFPO has integrated the strengths of River2D for hydrodynamic modeling, with logistic regression analysis for biological criteria, to conduct modeling, analysis, and output completely within the ArcGIS framework. This process provides results that are intuitive, and much easier to interpret in map form than tables of numbers. The CRFPO’s instream flow and passage work have spanned a wide range of applications and scales including the Hanford Reach in the mid-Columbia (fall Chinook, white sturgeon) and an upcoming evaluation in the Walla Walla basin in southeast Washington/northeast Oregon (bull trout, steelhead, spring Chinook). Staff also recently completed a habitat evaluation for fall Chinook in the mainstem Columbia River below John Day Dam using these tools, and an instream flow and passage assessment is currently underway in Icicle Creek, a tributary to the Wenatchee River in central Washington. A new fish passage assessment is currently underway in the Upper Willamette Basin with a focus on bull trout and Pacific lamprey.
Bull trout are currently listed as threatened under the ESA, and the CRFPO is assisting the Service with many aspects of recovery planning, recovery on the ground, and monitoring and evaluation. The water management program has implemented studies in the Walla Walla, John Day, and Umatilla basins to determine factors limiting bull trout production in those basins, and to work with local, state, federal, and tribal co-managers to improve conditions and make progress towards recovery. Consumptive water use for agriculture is the primary issue in these arid, east-side basins. As a result, insufficient instream flows are a fundamental problem that must be addressed to recover bull trout, other native species, and the fundamental components of the aquatic ecosystem. Our work consists of studies to investigate movement and migration patterns, determine spatial and temporal distribution, evaluate passage conditions, and characterize spawning and rearing habitat. Along with identification of life history patterns, an instream flow study is in the early stages in the Walla Walla basin to determine how much water will be required to provide adequate habitat and physical passage conditions to improve the status of bull trout and contribute to their recovery.