The Fish Passage Center Annual Report of Accomplishments 2004

Transcription

1 The Fish Passage Center Annual Report of Accomplishments 2004 Priest Rapids Hatchery Adult Chinook Submitted To The Fish Passage Center Oversight Board November 1, 2004

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3 Profile Spawning Area Washington Shore North of I205 The Fish Passage Center (Center) was first established in 1984 by agreement of the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission and the National Marine Fisheries Service on behalf of the Basins tribes and the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Council 1. The Center originally housed two Water Budget managers and provided them with administrative support. The two water budget managers were a component of the Water Budget measures included in the Northwest Power Planning Council s first Fish and Wildlife Program adopted in One Water Budget Manager represented the basin s tribes and the other represented the state and federal fish and wildlife managers. Since 1982, the Fish and Wildlife Program has directed that BPA provide funding for the functions carried out by the Fish Passage Center. The Center serves a large number of significant data gathering and analytical functions including the design and oversight of the implementation of the Smolt Monitoring Program, the Gas Bubble Trauma Monitoring Program, and the Comparative Survival Study. The Center provides a non-federal pool of expertise in assessing the effects of dam operations of Columbia Basin salmon, including analysis of juvenile salmon survival related to flow, spill, gas super saturation and passage routes. Tribal and states fishery managers rely heavily on this expertise and have managed their own staffs accordingly. The Center provides a wide range of data and information through it s website, including daily fish passage data, historical data and an archive of relevant documents. In 2003 the Northwest Power Conservation Council adopted the Fish and Wildlife Program Amendments. These amendments established the primary purpose of the Center as the provision of technical assistance and information to the fish and wildlife agencies and tribes in particular and the public in general on matters related to juvenile and adult salmon and steelhead passage through the mainstem hydro system. The amendments describe the duties of the Center including the responsibility to: 1) Plan and implement the annual Smolt Monitoring Program; 2) Gather, organize, analyze, house and make widely available, monitoring and research information related to juvenile and adult passage, and to the implementation of the water management and passage measures that are part of the Council s program; 3) Provide technical information necessary to assist the agencies and tribes in formulating in-season flow and spill requests that implement the water management measures of the 1 At the time the four Columbia River Treaty tribes were not members of the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Council. Subsequently the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Council was dissolved and the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority was established which included expanded membership including the Basin tribes. 1

4 Council s program, while also assisting the agencies and tribes in making sure that operating criteria for storage reservoirs are satisfied; and 4) In general, provide the technical assistance necessary to coordinate recommendations for storage reservoir and river operations that, to the extent possible, avoid potential conflicts between anadromous and resident fish. The 2003 amendments also created an oversight board for the Fish Passage Center that among other things helps to assure the quality of data reported by the Center and the responsiveness of the Center to input from the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. Upper Hardy Creek Chum Salmon Spawning Area 2

5 The Year In Review The Fish Passage Center Project, the Smolt Monitoring Program project and the Comparative Survival Study project were all affected by budget constraints, which applied to all Fish and Wildlife Program projects. The dynamic nature of the regional Fish and Wildlife Program, the Biological Opinion implementation, operations of the hydro system for fish passage and the technical support required by the state, federal and tribal fishery managers required a high level of responsiveness and flexibility from the Fish Passage Center. In many ways 2004 was an extraordinary year placing unanticipated demands on the Fish Passage Center project. The Smolt Monitoring Program Grande Ronde Trap Smolt Monitoring The Smolt Monitoring Program (SMP) was successfully implemented according to the plan agreed upon by the state, federal and tribal fishery agencies to provide a consistent, long term database for short term in-season fish passage management and for long term mitigation decisions. The FPC staff provides daily oversight and technical support for remote sites implementing the SMP. Final data and analysis of the SMP data are reported in the Fish Passage Center Annual Report. Data validation and verification and data analysis occur throughout the fall and winter and are presented in the FPC Annual Report the following year. SMP data collection continues through October 31 at most main stem sites. The FPC Annual Report for the 2003 passage season was completed, provided in draft for regional review and completed. It was distributed and posted on the FPC website, along with previous years reports. The FPC daily oversight and technical support for SMP sampling sites included oversight requirement of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Washington Department of Juvenile Sampling Facilify Juvenile Sampling Facilify 3

6 Ecology waivers issued for implementation of the NOAA Biological Opinion spill for fish passage measures. The FPC provides a separate report; an annual summary of GBT data to the US Army Corps of Engineers and to NOAA Fisheries to fulfill states issued dissolved gas waiver permits. This annual report summary was completed and provided to the agencies for incorporation into their 2003 passage season report requirements. In response to their request, the FPC staff provided a summary presentation of the 2003 Smolt Monitoring Program data to the Regional Forum Technical Management Team, (TMT) annual review meeting. The TMT utilizes the annual review to plan implementation and improve the implementation process in the upcoming year. The development of the plan for implementation and the work statements and budgets for the SMP for 2005 was begun in Discussion with the state, tribal and federal fishery managers has begun regarding the SMP for FPC staff has begun coordinating the necessary logistics for marking and sampling at remote trap and mainstem sites, including discussions with agencies and tribes implementing the sampling programs. Comparative Survival Study The Comparative Survival Study (CSS) is a jointly developed and sponsored program of the state, tribal and federal fishery management agencies. A CSS Oversight Committee comprised of state, federal and tribal fishery management agencies has been established to provide technical direction for data collection, analysis and preparation of annual status reports. In addition, Independent Scientific Review Panel review comments have significantly determined the specific tasks that were addressed this year. These specifically addressed the development of a bootstrap confidence interval methodology and a simulation model to test the effect of cohort selection. The CSS has multiple applications including inseason monitoring, hatchery specific survival data, and long-term development of smolt to adult return rates by routes of passage for spring chinook. The agencies and tribes and the Northwest Power and Conservation Council have proposed and approved the addition of steelhead mark groups to the CSS. Lack of funding for the additional purchase of tags and marking has to-date precluded the addition of the proposed steelhead mark groups to the CSS. Pit Tag crew FPC staff developed Bootstrap software for the CSS estimation of confidence intervals on smolt to adult returns by passage route, transportation, bypass and spill. Bootstrap software features were added including the ability to choose equal size or equal time sub-cohorts and the ability to bootstrap a given data set more than 10,000 times. New outputs to the Bootstrap software were including an overall smolt to adult return (SAR) across all routes of passage, and an overall transportation SAR that does not rely on individual transportation site SARs. The FPC staff developed a simulator Program for the CSS as a result of review comments by the ISRP. The simulator program is designed to evaluate the robustness of the Cormack-Jolly-Seber methodology utilized in the CSS, by creating simulated datasets with user controlled input parameters of reach survival, collection efficiency, travel time and other passage parameters. This work is documented in detail in the Annual CSS Status Report prepared by the FPC as 4

7 directed by the CSS Oversight Committee. SARs by passage routes, delayed mortality, juvenile survival are all reported in the CSS Annual Status Report. In addition timing and juvenile survival of CSS mark groups is reported in the Fish Passage Center Annual report, summarizing the SMP data. In addition, memorandum reports of CSS mark group, timing, travel time and survival are reported to each hatchery originating mark groups for the CSS. The FPC staff has developed the plan and work statement for the CSS project for 2005 including the marking and logistics with participating hatcheries and agencies and tribes implementing the marking. Coordination with the PITAGIS data system has also been accomplished for the 2005 migration. Comparative Survival Workshop The Fish Passage Center staff participated in and carried out the logistics and coordination for the implementation of the Comparative Survival Study Workshop held on February 11-13, The CSS Oversight Committee developed the workshop to examine the effects of hydro system configuration and operation on salmon and steelhead survival. The workshop was attended by 17 scientists from various agencies and universities who have studied hydro system effects over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. The workshop was funded in large part by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as well as the CSS Oversight Committee budget. The workshop was developed within the auspices of the FPC program tasks that call for the FPC to gather, organize analyze monitoring and research information related to juvenile and adult passage. The objectives of the workshop were to: 1) Synthesize the results of the Comparative Survival Study Oversight Committee (2002) and other research studies; 2) Document and assess evidence relating to various factors that can affect survival rates over different life history stages, including hydro system passage, delayed mortality, time of ocean entry and travel time; 3) Produce a report synthesizing and assessing the evidence for and against hypothesized mechanisms for differential survival (hatchery-wild; upstream-downstream) and smolt to adult returns; and 4) Provide a foundation for a series of publications in peer reviewed journals. A workshop document was completed and is posted on the FPC website. Endangered Species Act Section 10 Permit and State Endangered Species Act Permit Requirements The FPC staff is responsible for application, accounting and reporting for federal and state ESA sampling and monitoring permits for the Smolt Monitoring Program and the Comparative Survival Study. Estimated numbers of endangered and or threatened species to be handled are submitted to the permitting authority. Permit applications and reporting were completed. Application, accounting and reporting for state ESA permits was added in All ESA permit requirements were met in

8 Adult Facilities Inspection Program The state and federal fishery management agencies fund the FPC Adult Fish Passage Facilities Inspection Program. FPC staff manages the agencies adult facilities inspection program. The FPC staff trains and coordinates fish facilities inspections at federal and Public Utility mainstem Columbia and Snake rivers dams. Inspections are conducted monthly often accompanied by FPC staff, Monthly reports are provided to the FPC. Facility issues that arise as the result of inspections are raised to the project operators by the FPC for discussion and resolution. FPC produces an Annual Adult Facilities Inspection report. The Annual Adult Facilities Inspection Report for 2003 was completed in 2004 and is posted on the FPC website with previous years reports. Bonneville Fish Ladder Powerhouse I New Modifications on John Day Dam South exit fish ladder. NOAA Inspector at McNary Dam 6

9 Data Management and Distribution The NPCC 2003 Program Amendment specifically requires the FPC to, Gather organize, analyze house and make widely available monitoring and research information related to juvenile and adult passage, and to the implementation of the water management and passage measures that are part of the Councils program. The FPC Data System is comprised of several databases that are maintained and updated weekly and daily. These databases are utilized by the state, tribal and federal fishery agencies for in-season management deliberations and decisions so they must be accurate with the most recent information available. Smolt passage data, flow, spill, and adult accounts are updated daily. The hatchery database is continually updated through daily discussions between FPC staff and hatchery managers, updating all facets of fish release data from each hatchery such as size of release, location of release, fish size and relevant mark information. Ives Island natural spawning area data is maintained in real time, for management decisions. Bonneville flow, tail water and USFWS gauge elevations, and Port of Vancouver elevations are updated remotely and displayed on the FPC website. All of these databases were successfully maintained up-to-date without lapse in The FPC has developed an extensive web based information distribution through the FPC website. In addition the FPC responds to telephone and written data requests from the agencies and tribes and from the public at large. In 2004 many upgrades, improvements and modifications were made to the data system and the website to facilitate agencies and tribes and the publics needs. The data system, accomplishments include development of software to facilitate analysis, website improvements to facilitate access by the agencies and tribes and the public and data system hardware modifications. The specific accomplishments in each of these areas are listed. Website use and response to data requests is summarized in a separate discussion. Data system modifications Improved Metadata for all data sets was improved and is maintained on the website. Installed satellite communications internet link and local network for McNary and Lower Monumental Dam remote SMP sites. Developed improved SMP Touch Screen Data Entry module for Lower Granite Dam, improving data entry accuracy and reducing fish handling stress. Developed improved SMP Touch Screen Data entry module and hand held data entry model for Imnaha and Entiat Fish Traps. Developed improved handlog queries for Nez Perce SMP data. Developed improved SMP validation queries for all SMP sites. Developed real-time data collection, distribution, and management system for six new sensors at Hamilton Creek/Ives Island complex in conjunction with USFWS and Battelle Natl. Labs. Developed Improved FPC32 program for SMP data entry at all other sites including spreadsheet import for John Dam and Bonneville Dam remote SMP staff. Developed methodology and incorporated trap data collected at Entiat Trap into SMP program. Researched the uses and limitations of Linux and Samba, for use as FPC main file server replacement. Researched use of Linux, Sendmail, Procmail, and Spam Assassin, for FPC mail server replacement Built and deployed new PC for Lower Granite Dam touch screen kiosk. Built and deployed new PC for Cowlitz Falls juvenile and adult monitoring. 7

10 Analytical Tools Developed Hanford Reach quantitative redd dewatering software with USFWS. Developed multiple flow scenarios for use with WDFW MASS1 Hanford Reach model. Added new features to Boot strap software program including the ability to choose equal size or equal time sub-cohorts and the ability to boot strap a given data set more than 10,000 times. Added new outputs to Boot Strap program including an overall SAR across all routes of passage, an overall transportation SAR that did not rely on the individual transportation site SARS, and Ds that use an unweighted transportation SAR and Ds that use the SAR of C1 category fish instead of C0 category fish. Added new features to the simulator program including the ability to use six decimal places when entering all parabolic parameters, implemented new simulator algorithm that resulted in improved simulator performance and reliability. Added new parameters to simulator output report including number of undetected, detected, and transported fish at each mainstem transportation site, a harmonic average of detection probability at each mainstem site, and a harmonic average of survival for each reach of the river. Website Improvements Developed.Net implementation of water temperature graph for FPC website Developed new web interface for USFWS and Idaho Power flow data. Improved collection of flow data from Idaho Power. Developed new web interface for Lamprey data Developed new web interface for Bull Trout data. Improved Adult count automated data collection and display system, added Willamette Falls to adult count website, developed special data distribution system for distributing Mid-Columbia adult count data to the Corps. Developed improved data collection, distribution, and management for real time multiple sensor gauge in the Walla Walla River Developed new printer friendly reports for adult count data displayed on web. Developed streamlined SMP web interface for standard SMP reports. Developed new database queries including smolt survival by river reach and species, historic all count adult passage, and hatchery data by migration year Developed interactive maps of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho that showed hatcheries and HUC (Hydrologic Unit Codes) boundaries. Developed new query for hatchery releases by hatchery or hatchery releases within HUCs Added Tule/Upriver Bright Chinook detail data at Bonneville Dam to website. Hardware Improvements. Upgraded many FPC server and workstation platforms, improved Spam fighting ability of mail server and mail clients. Implemented all new critical security patches from Microsoft on all Windows machines. Developed new firewall. Improved security and reduced spam including completely eliminating unauthorized use of mail server. Built staging server for improved website maintenance and reliability. 8

11 Improved printing capacity for FPC document production. Added DVD backup capability to key FPC machines. Improved data backup and mirroring system for main file server and main SQL server. Built and deployed two new machines primarily for boot strapping and simulation program analysis for the CSS. Redesigned the raid arrays for the SQL servers and file servers to accommodate the problems caused funding shortfalls, which preclude upgrading software. Built and deployed a new computer for the McNary SMP facility. Data system and web software development The FPC staff develops software to facilitate data access through the website for users at large and for FPC staff. These software products support the distribution of data through the website, while others support the organization and housing of data for analysis by FPC staff. The software products that were developed and/or refined in 2004 to form the foundation of the FPC website are briefly summarized in the following table. ID Project Name Description Source Code Backup Location 1 ChartGenerator (GetMailData.exe) Application to check , unzip PITAGIS report and Generate.tee files for TChart ActiveX Web Page Component MOBYDICK\DATA\S TAFF\ Sergie\ Backup\ VBProjects\ ChartGenerator 2 Collector (prjcollector.exe) Application to collect data requests from different web pages into SQL Database MOBYDICK \DATA\STAFF\ Sergie\ Backup\ VBProjects\ Collector 3 GetDataProject (GetDataProject.exe) 4 TomDataCss (TomDataCss.exe) 5 HatcheryRelease (LarryGUI.exe) 6 NPFishRda (NPFishRda.vb) Application to generate travel time and capture histories for annual and CSS reports From register Tag ID PTAGIS Report Application to generate other annual and CSS report data summaries. Hatchery Release UI to maintain hatchery fish Nez Perce Data Entry Program 7 PrjFileCollector.exe Application to collect adults counts from different websites and post into FPDS MOBYDICK \DATA\STAFF\ Sergie\ Backup\ VBProjects\CSS MOBYDICK \DATA\STAFF\ Sergie\ Backup\ VBProjects\ TomDataCSS MOBYDICK \DATA\STAFF\ Sergie\ Backup\ VBProjects \HatcheryRelease MOBYDICK \DATA\STAFF\ Sergie\ Backup\ WindowsCE\ NpfRda MOBYDICK \DATA\STAFF\ Sergie\ Backup\ VBProjects\NewFile Collector 9

12 8 FishTChart.exe.NET Makes chart images for PITTAG data web pages MOBYDICK \DATA\STAFF\ Sergie\ Backup\ FishTChart 9 NETTempgraph.aspx.NET Application ASP.NET Temperature charts BLUEBACK \Inetpub\wwwroot \tempgraph 10 WebForm.dll.NET Application ASP.NET PITTAG counts MOBYDICK \DATA\STAFF\ Sergie\ Backup\ WebForm 11 FishSpider.NET.NET Application Process PITTAG daily data, and post into FPDS) MOBYDICK \DATA\STAFF\ Sergie\ Backup\ FISHSpider 12 prjfishpumpkeeper.exe Automatic remote reboot of Key FPDS PC when PC is down 13 FishExpressB.NET.NET Application Multi unit Desktop/Laptop version of Fish Data Entry application that using Web Services to update Fish database records. MOBYDICK \DATA\STAFF\ Sergie\ Backup\ VBProjects\PhoneC aller MOBYDICK \DATA\STAFF\ Sergie\ Backup\ FishExpressB Reliability and Maintenance of the FPC Data Distribution System The FPC data system goal is to maintain the data collection, accurate reporting, and distribution system in real time without down time or without delay. In order to accomplish this objective many daily weekly and monthly tasks must be consistently carried out. The FPC was successful in 2004, in accomplishing the data objective. The FPC website was only down on one instance for a few hours as a result of a failure in the internet service provider unrelated to FPC data systems. This was accomplished, while responding to increasing incidents of attacks on the data system from outside sources. DAILY 1. Check that electronic batches and hand logs for each SMP site has arrived; log and post files. 2. Run SMP web report in the morning and daily after each new batch arrives and is posted. 3. Check that flow/spill data has been acquired; print and run web reports. 4. Check Total Dissolved Gas data and report. 5. Check Gas Bubble Trauma, data and report. 6. Check Temperature, data and report. 7. Check Adult Count data and reports. 8. Check Packet Sniffer for Intrusions. 9. Verify overnight automated backups and data mirroring. 10. Update hatchery database. 11. Monitor guage data for Walla Walla, Hamilton Creek and Ives Island. 10

13 12. Scan virus logs. 13. Monitor spam filtering logs and filters WEEKLY 1. Run reports for weekly report; run adult comparison report and post to web. 2. Post FPC weekly report on the web, send copies to list and mail list 3. Update Bonneville tule/bright webpage (August to September only). 4. Update Transportation mortality webpage. 5. Archive weekly SMP site reports received via Monitor backup procedure. 7. During chum season: receive GIS coordinates for chum/chinook redds at Ives Island Complex and generate and maintain a redds map using ArcView. 8. Perform data validation and verification against hand logs received from the SMP monitoring sites according to the established quality control quality assurance protocols. 9. Update hatchery database. 10. Install weekly virus protection updates. MONTHLY 1. Import final COE flows into FPDS. 2. Run web usage report for previous month. 3. Acquire daily flow data by site and archive. 4. Install monthly security patches from microsoft. INTERMITTENT 1. Post documents on web as required. 2. Check website for broken links. 3. Archive electronic data. 4. Write new asp/web pages as required. See New Webpage section for pages written this year. 5. Maintenance of adult/hatchery/flow databases; i.e., tracking down errors, finalizing adult data, determining HUC and Province information for new release sites. 6. Complete data requests as assigned. 7. Upkeep of FPDS data management and procedures manual. 8. Upkeep bulltrout counts for mid-columbia. YEARLY 1. Switch year references to new year. a. Change year in queries with hardcoded year. b. Archive previous year s data (SOR, Weekly Reports, etc) and setup FPDS for current year. c. Validate sampling dates for smolt and adults. d. Update hatchery, SMP, and adult salmon metadata. 2. Adapt SMP reporting to new management needs for new year. 3. Archive previous year s flow data and prepare for new year. 4. Update FPC procedures manual. 5. Update Smolt Monitoring Manual. 6. Compile and format hatchery release tables for yearly report. 11

14 Quality Assurance Website use and data requests in 2004 The FPC website is the primary vehicle for data distribution. The following table of general statistics summarizes the FPC website usage for Web Statistics General Statistics Date & Time This Report was Generated Monday November 01, :38:44 Timeframe 11/01/03 00:00:00-10/31/04 23:59:59 Number of Hits for Home Page 101,113 Number of Successful Hits for Entire Site 6,215,796 Number of Page Views (Impressions) 829,268 Number of User Sessions 510,336 User Sessions from United States 78.73% International User Sessions 2.21% User Sessions of Unknown Origin 19.04% Average Number of Hits Per Day 16,983 Average Number of Page Views Per Day 2,265 Average Number of User Sessions Per Day 1,394 Average User Session Length 00:04:54 Number of Unique Users 143,884 Number of Users Who Visited Once 91,517 Number of Users Who Visited More Than Once 52,367 This General Statistics report is generated using webtrends software, which queries our web log files. The time frame for this report is 11/01/2003 to 10/31/ ,000 FPC Website - Monthly User Sessions User Sessions 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 Nov-03 Dec-03 Jan-04 Feb-04 Mar-04 Apr-04 May-04 Jun-04 Jul-04 Aug-04 Sep-04 Oct-04 Month 12

15 We also log all data requests made via the web. The number of requests between 11/2/2003 and 11/1/2004 was 82,638. In addition to data access through the website several data requests are received through telephone or written contacts. These are recorded through data request forms. Responses are developed by FPC staff and distributed according to the request. Data request forms and responses are maintained in a data request log. In 2004 through November 1, sixty four data and analysis requests were received and responded to by FPC staff. These included requests from agencies, tribes and the public. Of the 64 data requests, 38% are from government agencies, 19% from state agencies, 13% from the public, 9% from consultants, 13% from groups, and 9% from tribal agencies. Web Improvements We have added numerous webpages and queries within the last year. 1. We added Willamette counts to our 7 Day and YTD webpages, as well as adding Willamette counts back to 2000 to our database. 13

16 2. Added a query for Juvenile Lamprey Morts at Smolt Monitoring Projects 14

17 3. Added a query for adult fall back lamprey observed at smolt monitoring facilities. 15

18 4. Added temperature and depth data for Hamilton Creek sensors, available in both tabular and graph form. 16

19 5. Added a new webpage dedicated to Lamprey, includes explanation of life history, useful links and queries of our adult and smolt databases: 17

20 6. Added a printer friendly version of the Adult Salmon 7 day and YTD passage data. 18

21 7. Built a series of maps in ArcView showing dams, hatcheries and HUC (Hydrologic Unit Codes) boundaries for Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Then made the maps interactive, just click on active features to query our database. 19

22 Result set from selection HUC from interactive Washington map: 20

23 8. Built two queries (cumulative and daily) to plot PIT Tag adult returns by site and species. Data is available in graph and tabular form. 21

24 22

25 9. Built query for smolt survival by river reach and species. 23

26 10. Each year we receive GPS datasets from USFWS showing locations of salmon redds in the Ives Island complex and surrounding areas. These datasets are used to generate maps (using ArcView) showing the redd locations. At the beginning of the year we made a map for each survey so that the time progression of redd building could be observed. Technical Assistance and Information to Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Tribes and the Public in General The primary purpose of the Fish Passage Center is to provide technical assistance and information to fish and wildlife agencies and tribes in particular and the public in general. In 2004 analysis were conducted and presented to the agencies and tribes as requested to facilitate their activities in a wide range of forums related to fish passage and hydro system management. These analysis were made available to the public at large as they were completed, they were posted on the FPC website to provide access to the region. Several in-season analysis were completed regarding reservoir storage, impacts of specific operations of reservoirs on migration flows. These were provided to the Fish Passage Advisory Committee and posted on the FPC website. FPC staff participated in the Water Quality Team meetings of the Regional Forum providing analysis and recommendations to the agencies 24

27 and tribes regarding location of total dissolved gas monitors to more accurately reflect migrating fish exposure to total dissolved gas. In response to requests from the fishery agencies and tribes, the FPC staff provided historic data summaries, research results, analytical results to the agencies and tribes and review comments on various proposed hydro system operations as they potentially affect fish passage and survival. Specifically, comments were provided on the proposal to modify summer spill measures in the Biological Opinion. An analysis of smolt to adult returns of transported fall chinook was also conducted and provided to the agencies in tribes to assist in their consideration of hydro system operations proposals. The FPC staff provided review comments on research proposals and research reports as requested by the agencies and tribes. These were proposed or conducted through the BPA Fish and Wildlife Program process and the US Army Corps of Engineers Anadromous Fish Passage Evaluation Program. Specifically, the FPC staff provided technical assistance to the agencies and tribes in the development and of fall chinook transportation evaluations, summer spill for fish passage studies and spillway survival studies. All FPC staff participate in the development of weekly reports from March through October. These weekly reports summarize river and reservoir operations, as well as fish passage information. The reports document any unplanned or planned excursions from the implementation of Biological Opinion measures. The report is distributed via and paper copy, as well as being posted on the FPC website. The estimated circulation is about 750 readers. All FPC staff participate in the development of the Annual Fish Passage Center Report. This report serves as historic information relative to the annual operation and management of the hydro system. The report summarizes hydrologic conditions, reservoir operations throughout the water year and focuses on the resulting flows during the migration period. The report also summarizes annual spill operations as provided under the 2000 Biological Opinion spill measures. Annual fish passage metrics; passage indices, passage timing, smolt travel time and survival are presented and discussed along with past years information collected under varying environmental parameters. The Annual Report also presents annual and historic adult passage information and yearly hatchery information. 25

28 Documents completed by FPC in the 2004 contract year The culmination of all aspects of the FPC project staff work is presented in several annual, weekly and periodic documents prepared in response to requests. The documents completed in 2004 are listed below and are all available on the FPC website at Fish Passage Center Annual Report Annual Comparative Survival Study Status Report Annual Adult Facilities Inspection Report Weekly Reports Gas Bubble Trauma Monitoring Summary Fish passage Center Accomplishments Annual Report Comments on NPCC Draft Columbia River Basin Research Plan 10/27/2004 Comments on Draft Biological Opinion 9/29/04 Comparative Survival Study Workshop Final Report 9/2004 Status of 2004 Fall Chinook Migration 8/16/ to 2003 Weekly and Seasonal Summer Flows at LGR and MCN 7/9/ Brownlee Drafts 7/7/04 Proposed Flow Shaping Recommendation based on Steelhead and Subyearling Chinook Timing at McNary Dam 4/29/ Biological Opinion Operations 4/29/04 Transportation of Fall Chinook Smolts and Related Fall Chinook Migration and Tag Data Concerning Summer Spill for Fish Passage 4/6/04 Comments on NOAA Fisheries Technical Memorandum Effects of the Federal Columbia River Power System on Salmon Populations 1/30/04 Comments on NMFS white paper entitled Passage of Juvenile and Adult Salmonids at Columbia and Snake River Dams 1/30/04 Summary of Documented Benefits of Spill 12/17/03 Juvenile Fish Passage in the Lower Columbia River in August Washington Stocks 12/15/03 Historical Fish Passage Data 12/05/03 Financial Summary A substantial amount of time and effort this year was spent in trying to obtain adequate funding to carry out the FPC tasks and objectives in a proficient and productive manner. This has required the development of several alternative budget proposals and many revisions, both for FY2004 and for FY2005 to try to meet the NPCC flat funding requirement. We also have spent a great deal of time and effort in trying to understand and comply with the BPA accounting guidelines and requirements, which are in a state of flux, changing frequently. Expenditures are closely monitored on an ongoing basis to assure that we stay within the budget guidelines. The FPC budget has historically been developed in an extremely conservative manner to the minimum required funding to carry out assigned tasks. Since the FPC budget has been managed extremely close to actual costs, there has not been any margin of flexibility in the budget to meet rising costs of the past two years under the present flat funding policy. Health care, rent and personnel cost increases have occurred and are unavoidable. Personnel costs make up 75% of the FPC budget. The FPC is administered by PSMFC in accordance with the federal 26

29 wage and grade standards, cost of living and merit increases followed by federal agencies including BPA, which are established by the Federal Office of Management and Budget. The budget allocation for 2004 was based on a flat funding requirement for three years. We have operated extremely conservatively and effectively in 2004 and expect to come in very close to the $1,302,904 flat funding amount for FY2004 providing the remainder of the year goes smoothly. The following is a summary chart of budgeted amounts, costs to date and projected expenditures through November 30, 2004 expiration date for FY2004. Fish Passage Center 2004 Budget Summary Project Budget Expense Categories 2004 Budget Year-to-date expenses Projected expenses through 11/30/04 Year end projected Project balance (Over)/Under Budget Personnel Costs $1,000,905 $838,847 $170,776 $1,009,623 ($8,718) Service & Supplies $126,119 $93,212 $25,208 $118,420 $7,699 Travel & Transportation $5,936 $3,442 $1,093 $4,535 $1,401 Overhead $169,944 $140,325 $29,562 $169,887 $57 Total $1,302,904 $1,075,826 $226,639 $1,302,465 $ Budget Preparation In anticipation of the funding constraints for Fish and Wildlife funding in FY 2005, we started early in 2004 to look for ways to save money. A significant amount of staff time in 2004 has been dedicated to the development of a 2005 budget for the FPC, within the budget framework established by the NPCC. Significant staff time has been expended searching for, locating and negotiating for less expensive office space. To reduce costs; we anticipate moving to smaller space in a neighborhood location in December 2005, which should result in a $28,000 savings for FY2005. Significant cuts in FPC budget line items have occurred. In this effort, we have been working with BPA to utilize some of the computer equipment they were discarding. We have been told that an amendment is in process to transfer three servers to us; if we get this equipment, it will save $32,000 from our initial budget projection. The reduced budget for 2005 will decrease FPC effectiveness, beginning with the elimination of distribution of paper reports, documents and correspondence. Response to unanticipated breakdowns and machine failures will be limited. 27