Boise Basin
Reclamation will assist Idaho Department of Fish and Game in running a fish weir on the South Fork Boise River above Anderson Ranch. As another part of the cooperative agreement with the Boise National Forest, Reclamation crews will assist in bull trout distribution and habitat data collection in the Boise and Payette drainages.
Reclamation will investigate operation flexibility of pool elevation and maximum discharge at Arrowrock and Anderson Ranch reservoirs to reduce harm and harassment of bull trout. Ramping rates and winter flow rates will also be investigated at Anderson Ranch Dam. Spillway use will be minimized to reduce bull trout entrainment.
As a requirement of the USFWS BiOp, Reclamation staff will continue trap and transport operations of bull trout from Lucky Peak Lake to Arrowrock Reservoir. Bull trout captured in Lucky Peak Lake will be transported to Arrowrock Reservoir and released.
Payette Basin
Reclamation will continue to investigate the flexibility of discharge temperature, ramping rates and winter flows to increase downstream primary productivity and reduce harm and harassment of bull trout in the reservoir above and the river below Deadwood dam. Spillway use will be avoided if possible. Biological and habitat data will be evaluated to predict if there is a better balanced flow regime for the system.
As part of a cooperative agreement with the Boise National Forest, a radio telemetry investigation above and below the Deadwood dam was initiated in 2005. This study will continue to investigate winter habitat use and entrainment of bull trout through the dam. Idaho Fish and Game will assist in downstream habitat studies as well as operating fish weirs on the mainstem Deadwood River, Trail Creek and Beaver Creek in the fall.
Malheur Basin
Reclamation staff continues working with the Burns Paiute Tribe, ODFW, USFS, and USGS to conduct bull trout life history studies in the North Fork Malheur River basin, including Beulah Reservoir. In 2003, Reclamation completed a Water Quality Modeling Study for Beulah Reservoir in an effort to determine the water quality parameters and minimum pool necessary to support bull trout populations, and to assist in determining alternatives to create a conservation pool at Beulah. Ongoing work will include annual bull trout spawning surveys and trap and transport of bull trout back into Beulah Reservoir. Reclamation is also working with USGS to develop recommendations for minimum pool levels for maintaining a prey base for bull trout returning to the reservoir to overwinter. Use of the spillway will also be minimized to reduce entrainment. |
