Monitoring Challenges for VSP Parameters in the Oregon Portion of the Lower Columbia River

Jamie AnthonyMonitoring Coordinator

Overview

• Caveats• VSP Indicators • General Monitoring Constraints• Species Summaries– Current VSP Monitoring– Monitoring Challenges– Monitoring Needs/Refinement

Caveats

• VSP Metrics• Coarse-Scale Overview– LCR Plan, Appendix J– Rawding, D. and J. Rodgers (2013) PNAMP

Integrated Monitoring Status and Trends (IMST) Demonstration Project.

Status and Trend of VSP Indicators

• Abundance/Productivity– Metric = Abundance of naturally-produced

spawners • Spatial Structure– Metric = % occupied habitat

• Diversity– Metrics = Effective population size, interbreeding

with hatchery fish, anthropogenic mortality, life history traits, habitat diversity

Monitoring Constraints

• Technical/Physical Feasibility• Relative Economic Feasibility– Moving target

• Monitoring Refinement– Response to technical/physical feasibility– Response to fluctuating funding

Chum• Oregon’s Columbia River Chum Salmon Recovery Strategy

– LCR Plan, Appendix I• Long-term monitoring will evolve over time• Current monitoring addresses research needs

– Baseline data– Reintroduction

CohoCurrent VSP Monitoring

• GRTS-based Spawning Surveys (2002)

• GRTS-based Juvenile Surveys (2006)– Index of Density/Trend

• Fixed Sites (Adults)• Fixed Sites (Juv.)

– LCM Sites– JOM Traps

• Index Surveys– Long-term times series– Often targeting ChF

CohoMonitoring Challenges

• Low Populations/Highly Dispersed– Precision– Carcass recovery

• Broad Spawning Distribution– Large sampling frame– Challenging sampling environment

• Protracted spawning season– Turbidity

CohoMonitoring Needs

• Current Metrics: – Abundance, diversity (pHOS), spatial structure

(occupancy), HQH

• Needs:– Continued evaluation of precision, bias, and

sample size– Verify critical assumptions• Survey life, observer efficiency

ChinookCurrent VSP Monitoring

• GRTS-Based Spawner Surveys (2009)

• GRTS-based Juvenile Surveys (2006)– Index of Density/Occupancy– Primarily coho & steelhead

• Redd Surveys– ChS

• Fixed Sites (Adults)• Fixed Sites (Juveniles)

– JOM Traps (Limited application for ChF)

• Index Surveys– Long-term time series

ChinookMonitoring Challenges

• Low Populations in Some Basins– Precision/Bias

• Physical Constraints– Mainstem spawning habitat• Precision/Bias

• Critical Assumptions– Survey life, observer efficiency

• Differentiating Runs

ChinookMonitoring Needs

• Current Metrics: – ChS: Abundance, Diversity – ChF: None– ChLF: None

• Needs:– Evaluate precision, bias, and sample size – Verify critical assumptions – Methods for differentiating ChF, ChLF, and ChS– Non-visual methods needed in some areas

SteelheadCurrent VSP Monitoring

• GRTS-Based Redd Surveys (2012)• GRTS-Based Juvenile Surveys

(2006)• Fixed Sites (Adults)• Fixed Sites (Juveniles)• Index Surveys

SteelheadMonitoring Challenges

• Broad spawning distribution – large sample frame

• Brief residence on spawning grounds

• Elusive & easily frightened• Low carcass recoveries• Protracted spawning season

(StW = up to 6 mo.)– Intensive– Turbidity

SteelheadMonitoring Needs

• Current Metrics: – StW & StS: Abundance, Diversity • Fixed Site Counts

• Needs:– Verify critical assumptions– Evaluate precision/bias– Non-visual methods needed in some areas

Emerging Methods/Technology

DIDSON Sonar, Sound MetricsSurvey Life Tag, Shardlow et al. 2007

Environmental DNA