U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Bull Trout Draft Recovery Plan and proposed Critical Habitat Complex Recovery Unit (CHAPTER 13)

What areas are included in the Hells Canyon Complex Recovery Unit? The Hells Canyon Complex Recovery Unit includes basins in and draining into the and its associated reservoirs from below the confluence of the Weiser River downstream to Hells Canyon Dam. This Trout Recovery Plan and for survival. The critical recovery unit contains three critical habitat proposal? habitat proposal was based Snake River reservoirs; Hells The draft recovery plan for in large part on information Canyon, Oxbow, and bull trout range-wide was developed by the recovery Brownlee. Major watersheds developed through the unit teams and supplemented are the Pine Creek, Powder collaboration of Federal, with even more recent River, and Burnt River State, Tribal and private information on the current drainages in Oregon, and the biologists working with distribution and habitat Indian Creek and Wildhorse representatives of local characteristics of the species. River drainages in Idaho. watersheds, private landowners and industry and What is the relationship How much of the area is conservation organizations. A between the draft Bull proposed as critical habitat? total of 24 recovery unit Trout Recovery Plan and About 621 miles of streams teams contributed to the the critical habitat are proposed for critical development of the current proposal? habitat in the Wildhorse River, draft recovery plan. These The draft recovery plan and Pine Creek, and Indian Creek, recovery unit teams included critical habitat proposal are and Power River basins of experts in biology, hydrology closely linked. The eastern Oregon and western and forestry, as well as information developed by Idaho. This is approximately natural resource users and 10 percent of the waters in the stakeholders with interest and entire recovery unit. knowledge of bull trout and Who developed the draft Bull the habitats they depend on

1 the recovery unit teams, and the science underlying that information, are the basis for the critical habitat proposals. However, critical habitat is designed to provide for the conservation of a species by identifying those areas essential for conservation and requiring special management, Non-Federal entities, by a landowner or operator whereas a recovery plan is a including private landowners, of a business not involving much larger blueprint that may also be affected Federal funding, permitting, providing guidance for the could include, for example, or authorization in order to eventual recovery and de- those seeking a U.S. Army occur would not be affected. listing of a species. Corps of Engineers 404 permit under the Clean Water How was the draft recovery Who would be affected by Act to build an in-water plan for each recovery unit recovery efforts and a structure, those seeking developed? critical habitat designation? Federal approval to discharge Recovery units were A recovery plan is advisory effluent into the aquatic delineated based on the only and carries no regulatory environment, or those seeking biology of the species and authority. It is the Fish and Federal funding to implement considerations for paralleling Wildlife Service’s estimation private property improve- existing state conservation of the actions necessary for the ments, where such actions and fisheries management recovery of the species. affect the aquatic environ- frameworks wherever Agencies, communities or ment that has been designated possible. Recovery teams individuals are encouraged to as critical habitat. But again, incorporated existing state take voluntary actions in most cases where this link conservation processes to the described in the recovery plan between activities on private degree possible, depending to benefit bull trout. lands and Federal funding, on the degree to which they permitting, or authorization had been developed (for The primary effect of a critical exists, consultation under example, the Montana Bull habitat designation is that section 7 of the Endangered Trout Restoration Plan, the Federal agencies are required Species Act is already State of Idaho’s Bull Trout to consult with the Fish and occurring. Conservation Plan, the State Wildlife Service on actions of Washington’s Statewide they carry out, fund, or A critical habitat designation Strategy to Recover Salmon authorize that might affect does not have any effect on and the Oregon Plan for critical habitat. It is important non-Federal entities when Salmon and Watersheds). to note that in most cases, this there is not a Federal nexus. is already occurring under the For example, swimming, section 7 interagency boating, fishing, farming, What is the status of bull consultation requirements of ranching, or any of a range of trout in the Hells Canyon the Endangered Species Act. activities normally conducted Complex Recovery Unit?

2 Distributional data for bull trout in the Hells Canyon What are the recovery goals What are the criteria for Complex recovery unit come and objectives? measuring recovery? primarily from presence/ The goal of the bull trout Recovery will be measured absence surveys and basin- recovery plan is to ensure the according to four criteria: wide surveys. Comprehensive long-term persistence of self- distribution, abundance, data on bull trout abundance sustaining, complex inter- population trends and through time in the recovery acting groups of bull trout connectivity in the unit does not exist. Currently distributed across the species’ watershed. The Hells there are 17 local populations range so that the species can Canyon Complex Recovery within 2 core areas in the Hells be delisted. To recover bull Unit includes specific, Canyon Complex recovery trout in the Hells Canyon quantifiable standards for unit. Current local Complex, the following have each of these criteria. populations exist at low been identified: • Distribution criteria will abundance and are considered • Maintain current be met when the current to be at risk from genetic drift. distribution of bull trout and distribution of bull trout in restore distribution in the 17 local populations What are the threats to bull previously occupied areas identified is maintained, and trout in the Hells Canyon within the Hells Canyon distribution is expanded by Complex Recovery Unit? Complex Recovery Unit. establishing bull trout local Currently, habitat • Maintain stable or populations in three areas fragmentation and degradation increasing trends in identified as potential are likely the most limiting abundance of bull trout within spawning and rearing factors for bull trout the Recovery Unit. habitat. throughout the Hells Canyon • Restore and maintain • Abundance criteria will Complex recovery unit. In the suitable habitat conditions for be met when at least 5,000 Snake River, large dams of the all bull trout life history states individuals occur in the Hells Canyon Complex lack and strategies. recovery unit. fish passage and have isolated • Conserve genetic diversity • Trend criteria will be bull trout among three basins, and provide opportunity for met when adult bull trout the Pine Creek and Indian interchange of genetic exhibit stable or increasing Creek watersheds, Wildhorse material among appropriate trends in abundance in the River, and Powder River. core populations. recovery unit, based on a minimum of 10 years of monitoring data. • Connectivity criteria will be met when specific barriers inhibiting bull trout movement in the Hells Canyon Complex Recovery Unit have been addressed.

What actions will be necessary to recover bull trout in the Hells Canyon

3 Complex Recovery Unit? Estimating the cost of Office, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Among the actions that will be recovery is difficult and Room 368, Boise, ID 83709; required are: protecting, complex, due to many faxed to 208-378-5262, or restoring and maintaining variables and unknowns. sent via e-mail to: suitable habitat conditions for However, the Hells Canyon [email protected] bull trout; identifying and Complex Recovery Unit team correcting barriers to migra- has estimated that recovery Beginning November 29, tion including barriers to could cost about $9 million 2002, the U.S. Fish and migration at Oxbow Dam in spread over 25 years. This Wildlife Service will accept the Pine-Indian-Wildhorse includes estimates of comments from the public on Core Area, and Thief Valley expenditures by local, Tribal, the agency’s proposal to Dam, Mason Dam, and Wolf State and Federal designate critical habitat for Creek Dam in the Powder governments and by private the Columbia River and River Core Area. For more business and individuals. The Klamath River distinct details, please see the draft estimates are attributed to bull population segments of bull Bull Trout Recovery Plan, trout conservation but other trout. Comments will be Hells Canyon Complex aquatic species also will accepted for 60 days, until Recovery Unit, Chapter 13. benefit. The U.S. Fish and January 28, 2003. Comments Wildlife Service is soliciting on the critical habitat How long will recovery take? comments from the public on proposal may be submitted A recovery plan is advisory the estimated costs. to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife only and carries no regulatory Service, Regional Office, authority; therefore it is How can I obtain copies of attn: John Young, Bull Trout difficult to determine how long the documents? Coordinator, 911 N.E. 11th it will take to recover bull The documents, along with Avenue, Portland Oregon trout in the Hells Canyon maps, fact sheets, photos and 97232; faxed to Complex Recovery Unit. other materials may be found 503.231.6243 or e-mailed to: However, given our best on the Pacific Region’s [email protected] estimate of what government website at agencies and others might do, http://species.fws.gov/bulltrout In addition, a series of public it could take three to five bull meetings and public hearings trout generations (15 to 25 How can I comment? will be held in January. years) or longer before The Service will be accepting Times and locations will be identified threats to the species comments, beginning posted on our Bull Trout can be significantly reduced November 29, 2002, on its website at and bull trout can be draft recovery plan for bull http://species.fws.gov/bulltrout considered eligible for de- trout in the Columbia and and publicized in local listing. Klamath river basins and in newspapers. the St. Mary-Belly River This is only a brief How much will recovery Basin in Montana. Comments summary. cost? on the draft recovery plan Please see full draft will be accepted for 90 days, recovery plan and critical until February 27, 2003. habitat proposal for Comments on the draft complete details. recovery plan may be mailed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Snake River Basin