Cover design by Eric Schrepel, Technical and Web Data Specialist, and cover photos by Erik Merrill. Main and bottom left photos are Sekokini Springs hatchery property and trout in rearing tank, MT; center is Lake Roosevelt, WA; and bottom right is Kootenai white sturgeon rearing tank viewed by Paul Anders on far right and former ISRP members Bob Naiman and Richard Alldredge. Paul Anders recently passed away, and the ISRP recognizes his many contributions to improving Fish and Wildlife Program research and management, especially regarding sturgeon. His inquisitive, positive, and generous spirit are greatly missed. Independent Scientific Review Panel for the Northwest Power & Conservation Council 851 SW 6th Avenue, Suite 1100 Portland, Oregon 97204 www.nwcouncil.org/fw/isrp ISRP Members Richard Carmichael, M.S., Consulting Fisheries Scientist, formerly Program Director Northeast-Central Oregon Fish Research and Monitoring, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Patrick Connolly, Ph.D., Emeritus Research Fish Biologist, United States Geological Survey, Columbia River Research Laboratory Kurt Fausch, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at Colorado State University Kurt Fresh, M.S., formerly Program Manager for the Estuary and Ocean Ecology Program at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries Stanley Gregory, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Oregon State University Wayne Hubert, Ph.D., Fisheries Consultant and Professor Emeritus at the University of Wyoming, Department of Zoology and Physiology Josh Korman, Ph.D., President of Ecometric Research and an Adjunct Professor, Institute of Ocean and Fisheries, University of British Columbia Alec Maule, Ph.D., Consulting Fisheries Scientist, formerly head of the Ecology and Environmental Physiology Section, United States Geological Survey, Columbia River Research Laboratory Thomas P. Quinn, Ph.D., Professor of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington Desiree Tullos, Ph.D., P.E., Professor at Oregon State University, Biological and Ecological Engineering Department Completed ISRP terms but continuing to serve as Peer Review Group members David Heller, M.S., Aquatic Habitat Management and Restoration Consultant, formerly Fisheries Program Leader for the Pacific Northwest Region, USDA Forest Service Robert J. Naiman, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington Greg Ruggerone, Ph.D., Fisheries Scientist for Natural Resources Consultants Steve Schroder, Ph.D., Fisheries Consultant and former Fisheries Research Scientist at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Chris C. Wood, Ph.D., former Head of Conservation Biology Section at the Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada Staff Erik Merrill, J.D., Independent Science Manager, Northwest Power and Conservation Council Note on ISRP Membership This review occurred during a significant transition of ISRP membership. Dave Heller, Robert Naiman, Greg Ruggerone, Steve Schroder, and Chris Wood have completed their terms but participated in this review to ensure continuity and understanding of this complex set of projects. Their positions were recently filled by Richard Carmichael, Patrick Connolly, Kurt Fresh, Josh Korman, and Thomas Quinn. ISRP Preliminary Report: Category Review of Resident Fish and Sturgeon Projects Contents Table of projects ..........................................................................................................................................ii Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 1 The ISRP Review Process ............................................................................................................................. 2 Review Criteria ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Review Steps ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Recommendation Categories ................................................................................................................. 5 ISRP Recommendations and Comments on each Proposal ........................................................................ 7 Lower Columbia River White Sturgeon................................................................................................... 7 Kootenai River including Kootenai White Sturgeon ............................................................................. 20 Lake Roosevelt and Rufus Woods Lake including White Sturgeon ...................................................... 40 Pend Oreille (and Dworshak) .............................................................................................................. 122 Coeur d’Alene ..................................................................................................................................... 168 Libby and Hungry Horse ...................................................................................................................... 194 Southern Idaho and Southeast Oregon .............................................................................................. 231 Clearwater ........................................................................................................................................... 261 Warm Springs ...................................................................................................................................... 268 Index of projects and page numbers ...................................................................................................... 277 i Table of projects Click page numbers to jump to reviews ID Title Proponent Meets ISRP Criteria? Page Lower River White Sturgeon 198605000 Evaluate Sturgeon Populations in the Lower Columbia River Oregon Department of Fish and Response requested 7 Wildlife 200715500 Develop a Master Plan for a Rearing Facility to Enhance Selected Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Response requested 12 Populations of White Sturgeon in the Columbia River Basin Commission (CRITFC) 200845500 Sturgeon Management Yakama Confederated Tribes Response requested 16 Kootenai River including Kootenai White Sturgeon 198806400 Kootenai River White Sturgeon Aquaculture Conservation Facility Kootenai Tribe Response requested 20 200200200 Kootenai River Habitat Restoration Program Kootenai Tribe Response requested 23 199404900 Kootenai River Ecosystem Restoration Kootenai Tribe Response requested 26 198806500 Kootenai River Fishery Investigations Idaho Department of Fish and Game Response requested 33 (IDFG) Lake Roosevelt and Rufus Woods Lake including White Sturgeon 200811600 White Sturgeon Enhancement Colville Confederated Tribes Response requested 40 199502700 Lake Roosevelt Sturgeon Recovery Spokane Tribe Response requested 45 199104600 Spokane Tribal Hatchery Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Spokane Tribe Response requested 49 199104700 Sherman Creek Hatchery Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Washington Department of Fish and Response requested 53 Wildlife (WDFW) 200102900 Ford Hatchery Operations and Maintenance (O&M) WDFW Response requested 56 199500900 Lake Roosevelt Rainbow Trout Net Pens Lake Roosevelt Development Response requested 59 Association 198503800 Colville Hatchery Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Colville Confederated Tribes Response requested 63 200740500 Rufus Woods Habitat/Passage Improvement, Creel and Triploid Colville Confederated Tribes Response requested 70 Supplementation 199501100 Chief Joseph Kokanee Enhancement Colville Confederated Tribes Response requested 75 200810900 Resident Fish Research, Monitoring and Evaluation (RM&E) Colville Confederated Tribes Response requested 82 199001800 Lake Roosevelt Rainbow Trout Habitat and Passage Colville Confederated Tribes Response requested 90 Improvement ii ID Title Proponent Meets ISRP Criteria? Page 200811500 Lake Roosevelt Burbot Population Assessment Colville Confederated Tribes Response requested 97 199404300 Lake Roosevelt Data Collection Spokane Tribe Response requested 101 201700400 Northern Pike Suppression and Monitoring Colville Confederated Tribes, Response requested 112 Spokane Tribe, WDFW Pend Oreille (and Dworshak) 200714900 Non-Native fish Suppression Kalispel Tribe Response requested 122 200724600 Restoration of Bull Trout Passage at Albeni Falls Dam Kalispel Tribe Response requested 133 199700400 Resident Fish above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee Dams Kalispel Tribe Response requested 136 199500100 Kalispel Tribe Resident Fish Program Kalispel Tribe Response requested 148 201101800 Pend Oreille River Basin Initiative: Land Acquisitions, Watershed Kalispel Tribe Response requested 156 Restoration, Conservation Hatchery 201900500 Lake Pend Oreille/Dworshak Idaho Department of Fish and Game Response requested 161 (IDFG) Coeur d’Alene 199004400 Coeur D'Alene Reservation Fisheries Habitat Coeur D'Alene Tribe Response requested 168 200702400 Coeur D'Alene Trout Ponds Coeur D'Alene Tribe Response requested 176 200103300 Hangman Creek Fish & Wildlife Restoration Coeur D'Alene Tribe Response requested 182 200103200 Coeur D'Alene Fisheries Enhancement-Hangman Creek Coeur D'Alene Tribe Response requested 187 Libby