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• 21. [Article] OASIS - Use of Stratified Random Sampling to Estimate the Abundance of Oregon Coastal Coho Salmon

  Abstract -- Management of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in Oregon is heavily dependent upon estimates of the spawning escapement of Oregon coastal natural OCN) coho salmon. OCN coho salmon consist ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: OASIS - Use of Stratified Random Sampling to Estimate the Abundance of Oregon Coastal Coho Salmon Abstract -- Management of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in Oregon is heavily dependent upon estimates of the spawning escapement of Oregon coastal natural OCN) coho salmon. OCN coho salmon consist of an aggregate of wild coho salmon populations that originate from Oregon coastal river basins south of the Columbia River and north of Cape Blanco. OCN spawning escapement estimates are an integral component of the management of salmon fisheries in the ocean. Escapement estimates are also used to assess progress towards meeting goals addressed in Oregon's Coho Salmon Plan (ODFW 1982), the Salmon Framework Plan of the Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC 1984), the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Wild Fish Policy, the Oregon Salmon Restoration Plan (Oregon 1997) and various management plans for coastal basins. During 1985-86, the Oregon State University Department of Statistics was contracted by ODFW to review the method used to estimate OCN spawning escapement and to recommend procedures for improving the methodology (Ganio et al.1986). Five sources of bias were identified in the methodology: (1) methods of survey site selection, (2) estimates of the life span of fish in survey sites, (3) counting of nonspawning fish in survey sites, (4) under-counting of fish in survey sites, and (5)estimates of total miles of spawning habitat. The authors concluded that the method of survey site selection was probably the most serious source of bias because of evidence that survey sites were predominantly located in "better than average" spawning habitat. To improve the methodology used to estimate OCN escapement, the authors proposed a sampling plan designed to reduce survey site selection bias and to provide an estimate of the precision of the escapement estimate. The recommended sampling plan incorporated a stratified random sampling (SRS) scheme, where, within geographic 2 sampling units, survey sites are randomly selected from the estimated available miles of coho salmon spawning habitat. Although the SRS survey procedure proposed by Ganio et al. (1986) was a means of vastly improving OCN escapement estimates, more information was needed before this procedure could be adopted. Procedures needed to be developed for selecting and surveying random survey sites (Ganio et al. 1986). The feasibility of incorporating additional levels of stratification to improve the efficiency of the sampling program and account for additional escapement resulting from hatchery fish was needed. More accurate estimates of the available spawning habitat for coho salmon in coastal watersheds were necessary for the development of an effective SRS scheme and ultimately, as a means of improving absolute escapement estimates. Finally, the relationship between spawning densities estimated from the standard coho salmon survey program and spawning densities estimated from a SRS program needed to be determined. Title: OASIS - Use of Stratified Random Sampling to Estimate the Abundance of Oregon Coastal Coho Salmon Abstract -- Management of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in Oregon is heavily dependent upon estimates of the spawning escapement of Oregon coastal natural OCN) coho salmon. OCN coho salmon consist of an aggregate of wild coho salmon populations that originate from Oregon coastal river basins south of the Columbia River and north of Cape Blanco. OCN spawning escapement estimates are an integral component of the management of salmon fisheries in the ocean. Escapement estimates are also used to assess progress towards meeting goals addressed in Oregon's Coho Salmon Plan (ODFW 1982), the Salmon Framework Plan of the Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC 1984), the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Wild Fish Policy, the Oregon Salmon Restoration Plan (Oregon 1997) and various management plans for coastal basins. During 1985-86, the Oregon State University Department of Statistics was contracted by ODFW to review the method used to estimate OCN spawning escapement and to recommend procedures for improving the methodology (Ganio et al.1986). Five sources of bias were identified in the methodology: (1) methods of survey site selection, (2) estimates of the life span of fish in survey sites, (3) counting of nonspawning fish in survey sites, (4) under-counting of fish in survey sites, and (5)estimates of total miles of spawning habitat. The authors concluded that the method of survey site selection was probably the most serious source of bias because of evidence that survey sites were predominantly located in "better than average" spawning habitat. To improve the methodology used to estimate OCN escapement, the authors proposed a sampling plan designed to reduce survey site selection bias and to provide an estimate of the precision of the escapement estimate. The recommended sampling plan incorporated a stratified random sampling (SRS) scheme, where, within geographic 2 sampling units, survey sites are randomly selected from the estimated available miles of coho salmon spawning habitat. Although the SRS survey procedure proposed by Ganio et al. (1986) was a means of vastly improving OCN escapement estimates, more information was needed before this procedure could be adopted. Procedures needed to be developed for selecting and surveying random survey sites (Ganio et al. 1986). The feasibility of incorporating additional levels of stratification to improve the efficiency of the sampling program and account for additional escapement resulting from hatchery fish was needed. More accurate estimates of the available spawning habitat for coho salmon in coastal watersheds were necessary for the development of an effective SRS scheme and ultimately, as a means of improving absolute escapement estimates. Finally, the relationship between spawning densities estimated from the standard coho salmon survey program and spawning densities estimated from a SRS program needed to be determined. Close

• 22. [Article] Recovery of Wild Coho Salmon In Salmon River Basin, 2008-2010 Report Number: OPSW-ODFW-2011-10

  Abstract -- Hatcheries have been a centerpiece of salmon management in the Pacific Northwest for more than a century but recent evidence of adverse interactions between hatchery and naturally-produced ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Recovery of Wild Coho Salmon In Salmon River Basin, 2008-2010 Report Number: OPSW-ODFW-2011-10 Abstract -- Hatcheries have been a centerpiece of salmon management in the Pacific Northwest for more than a century but recent evidence of adverse interactions between hatchery and naturally-produced salmon have resulted in substantial changes in many hatchery programs. In 2007 the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife terminated a 30-year artificial propagation program for coho salmon in the Salmon River basin after a status assessment concluded that wild population viability was threatened by hatchery effects on salmon productivity (Chilcote et al. 2005). Hatchery-reared coho comprised 50-100% of the naturally spawning population in recent years. Low productivity was reflected in a low spawner to recruit ratio, and life-stage specific survival was lower than that of nearby populations. The temporal distribution of adult spawning in the basin was truncated and peaked 1.5 months earlier relative to the pre-hatchery period and adjacent coastal populations. The cessation of hatchery releases into Salmon River not only removed the primary factor believed to limit productivity of the local population, it also constituted a rare management experiment to test whether a naturally-spawning population can recover from a prolonged period of low abundance after interactions with hatchery-produced coho salmon are eliminated. This report summarizes the results of coho population studies at Salmon River for the first three years after the hatchery program was discontinued. The study in Salmon River is timely because ecological interactions between hatchery and wild fish have been implicated in the reduced survival and decreased productivity of wild coho and other salmonid populations (Nickelson 2003, Buhle et al. 2009, Chilcote et al. 2011). Recent studies involving a diversity of salmonid species and watersheds have shown a negative relationship between hatchery spawner abundance and wild population productivity regardless of the duration of hatchery influence (Chilcote et al. 2011). Yet neither the mechanisms of these productivity declines nor their potential reversibility have been investigated. Recent management changes at Salmon River provide an opportunity to experimentally evaluate coho salmon survival and productivity following the elimination of a decades-long hatchery program. The results will provide new insights into the reversibility of hatchery effects and the rate, mechanisms, and trajectory of response by a naturally spawning coho salmon population. Hatchery programs have been shown to change the timing and distribution of naturally spawning adults, but ecological and genetic influences on the spatial structure and life history diversity of juvenile populations are poorly understood. Conventional understanding of the life history of juvenile coho has presumed a relatively fixed pattern of rearing and migration. However, recent studies have found much greater variation in juvenile life history and habitat-use patterns than previously expected (Miller and Sadro 2003, Koski 2009), including evidence that estuaries may play a prominent role in the life histories of some coho salmon populations. A recent study in the Salmon River basin found considerable diversity in the life histories of juvenile Chinook salmon, including extended rearing by fry and other subyearling migrants within the complex network of natural and restored estuarine wetlands (Bottom et al. 2005). Unfortunately, interpretation of juvenile life history variations at Salmon River was confounded by the Chinook hatchery program, which has concentrated spawning activity in the lower river near the hatchery and may directly influence juvenile migration and rearing patterns. Discontinuation of the coho hatchery program at Salmon River provides an opportunity to quantify changes in juvenile life history following the elimination of all hatchery-fish interactions with the naturally spawning population. Such responses may provide important insights into the mechanisms of hatchery influence on wild salmon productivity and population resilience. Our research integrates adult and juvenile life stages, examines linkages to physical habitat conditions in fresh water and the estuary, and describes variability between juvenile performance and adult returns. It also monitors the coho salmon population across habitat types and life history stages to identify population responses at a landscape scale. We will determine productivity and survival at each salmon life stage and monitor the response of the adult population following the cessation of the coho salmon hatchery program. From these indicators, we will determine the potential resiliency of the coho salmon population, and evaluate the biological benefits or tradeoffs of returning the ecosystem to natural salmon production. Our study design encompasses four population phases: (1) pre-hatchery conditions (Mullen 1979), (2) dominance by hatchery-reared spawners (2008), (3) first generation naturally produced juveniles (2009-2011), and (4) second generation naturally produced juveniles (starting in 2012). This research will validate assumptions about factors limiting coho recovery and determine whether recovery actions have been effective. Here, we report on findings from 2008-2010 to address four principal objectives: 1. Quantify life stage specific survival and recruits per spawner ratio of the coho salmon population before and after hatchery coho salmon are removed from Salmon River. 2. Assess whether the Salmon River coho population is limited by capacity and complexity of stream habitat. 3. Describe the diversity of juvenile and adult life histories of coho salmon in the Salmon River basin, and estimate the relative contributions of various juvenile life histories to adult returns. 4. Determine seasonal use of the Salmon River estuary and its tidally-inundated wetlands by juvenile coho salmon. The field sampling that supported the study on coho salmon also captured Chinook salmon and steelhead and cutthroat trout during routine sampling in the watershed and estuary. This report emphasizes coho salmon results, but also summarizes catch, distribution, and migration data for other salmonids to compare densities and abundances in freshwater and the estuary. Additional results for Chinook, steelhead, and cutthroat are presented in Appendix A. See Stein et al. (2011) for more detailed information on life history diversity, migration patterns, habitat use, and abundance of cutthroat trout. Title: Recovery of Wild Coho Salmon In Salmon River Basin, 2008-2010 Report Number: OPSW-ODFW-2011-10 Abstract -- Hatcheries have been a centerpiece of salmon management in the Pacific Northwest for more than a century but recent evidence of adverse interactions between hatchery and naturally-produced salmon have resulted in substantial changes in many hatchery programs. In 2007 the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife terminated a 30-year artificial propagation program for coho salmon in the Salmon River basin after a status assessment concluded that wild population viability was threatened by hatchery effects on salmon productivity (Chilcote et al. 2005). Hatchery-reared coho comprised 50-100% of the naturally spawning population in recent years. Low productivity was reflected in a low spawner to recruit ratio, and life-stage specific survival was lower than that of nearby populations. The temporal distribution of adult spawning in the basin was truncated and peaked 1.5 months earlier relative to the pre-hatchery period and adjacent coastal populations. The cessation of hatchery releases into Salmon River not only removed the primary factor believed to limit productivity of the local population, it also constituted a rare management experiment to test whether a naturally-spawning population can recover from a prolonged period of low abundance after interactions with hatchery-produced coho salmon are eliminated. This report summarizes the results of coho population studies at Salmon River for the first three years after the hatchery program was discontinued. The study in Salmon River is timely because ecological interactions between hatchery and wild fish have been implicated in the reduced survival and decreased productivity of wild coho and other salmonid populations (Nickelson 2003, Buhle et al. 2009, Chilcote et al. 2011). Recent studies involving a diversity of salmonid species and watersheds have shown a negative relationship between hatchery spawner abundance and wild population productivity regardless of the duration of hatchery influence (Chilcote et al. 2011). Yet neither the mechanisms of these productivity declines nor their potential reversibility have been investigated. Recent management changes at Salmon River provide an opportunity to experimentally evaluate coho salmon survival and productivity following the elimination of a decades-long hatchery program. The results will provide new insights into the reversibility of hatchery effects and the rate, mechanisms, and trajectory of response by a naturally spawning coho salmon population. Hatchery programs have been shown to change the timing and distribution of naturally spawning adults, but ecological and genetic influences on the spatial structure and life history diversity of juvenile populations are poorly understood. Conventional understanding of the life history of juvenile coho has presumed a relatively fixed pattern of rearing and migration. However, recent studies have found much greater variation in juvenile life history and habitat-use patterns than previously expected (Miller and Sadro 2003, Koski 2009), including evidence that estuaries may play a prominent role in the life histories of some coho salmon populations. A recent study in the Salmon River basin found considerable diversity in the life histories of juvenile Chinook salmon, including extended rearing by fry and other subyearling migrants within the complex network of natural and restored estuarine wetlands (Bottom et al. 2005). Unfortunately, interpretation of juvenile life history variations at Salmon River was confounded by the Chinook hatchery program, which has concentrated spawning activity in the lower river near the hatchery and may directly influence juvenile migration and rearing patterns. Discontinuation of the coho hatchery program at Salmon River provides an opportunity to quantify changes in juvenile life history following the elimination of all hatchery-fish interactions with the naturally spawning population. Such responses may provide important insights into the mechanisms of hatchery influence on wild salmon productivity and population resilience. Our research integrates adult and juvenile life stages, examines linkages to physical habitat conditions in fresh water and the estuary, and describes variability between juvenile performance and adult returns. It also monitors the coho salmon population across habitat types and life history stages to identify population responses at a landscape scale. We will determine productivity and survival at each salmon life stage and monitor the response of the adult population following the cessation of the coho salmon hatchery program. From these indicators, we will determine the potential resiliency of the coho salmon population, and evaluate the biological benefits or tradeoffs of returning the ecosystem to natural salmon production. Our study design encompasses four population phases: (1) pre-hatchery conditions (Mullen 1979), (2) dominance by hatchery-reared spawners (2008), (3) first generation naturally produced juveniles (2009-2011), and (4) second generation naturally produced juveniles (starting in 2012). This research will validate assumptions about factors limiting coho recovery and determine whether recovery actions have been effective. Here, we report on findings from 2008-2010 to address four principal objectives: 1. Quantify life stage specific survival and recruits per spawner ratio of the coho salmon population before and after hatchery coho salmon are removed from Salmon River. 2. Assess whether the Salmon River coho population is limited by capacity and complexity of stream habitat. 3. Describe the diversity of juvenile and adult life histories of coho salmon in the Salmon River basin, and estimate the relative contributions of various juvenile life histories to adult returns. 4. Determine seasonal use of the Salmon River estuary and its tidally-inundated wetlands by juvenile coho salmon. The field sampling that supported the study on coho salmon also captured Chinook salmon and steelhead and cutthroat trout during routine sampling in the watershed and estuary. This report emphasizes coho salmon results, but also summarizes catch, distribution, and migration data for other salmonids to compare densities and abundances in freshwater and the estuary. Additional results for Chinook, steelhead, and cutthroat are presented in Appendix A. See Stein et al. (2011) for more detailed information on life history diversity, migration patterns, habitat use, and abundance of cutthroat trout. Close

• 23. [Article] ODFW Habitat Restoration T-Test Results - Coastal Coho 1998-2003

  Abstract -- Results of T-Tests comparing either pre-restoration instream habitat conditions to post-restoration habitat conditions or post-restoration conditions to reference conditions.

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: ODFW Habitat Restoration T-Test Results - Coastal Coho 1998-2003 Abstract -- Results of T-Tests comparing either pre-restoration instream habitat conditions to post-restoration habitat conditions or post-restoration conditions to reference conditions. Title: ODFW Habitat Restoration T-Test Results - Coastal Coho 1998-2003 Abstract -- Results of T-Tests comparing either pre-restoration instream habitat conditions to post-restoration habitat conditions or post-restoration conditions to reference conditions. Close

• 24. [Article] Oregon Coast Coho Habitat Assessment 1998-2003 Report Number: OPSW-ODFW-2005-5

  Abstract -- In November 2003, the State of Oregon began a comprehensive review of coho and their habitat in NOAA Fisheries’ Oregon Coastal Coho Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU). The purpose of the review ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Oregon Coast Coho Habitat Assessment 1998-2003 Report Number: OPSW-ODFW-2005-5 Abstract -- In November 2003, the State of Oregon began a comprehensive review of coho and their habitat in NOAA Fisheries’ Oregon Coastal Coho Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU). The purpose of the review is threefold: 1) provide an analysis of the current status and trend in coho populations, their habitat, and related threats; 2) provide NOAA Fisheries with information it requires to determine whether formalized conservation efforts within the ESU justify not listing coho under the Endangered Species Act as outlined in their Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts; and 3) provide information to state agencies, watershed councils, and others participating in the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds (OPSW) so they may assess the success of their OPSW programs and modify them where necessary to better achieve their objectives (i.e. adaptive management). This report describes the current status and trend of instream physical habitat for coho in the ESU as well as summarizes and evaluates instream habitat restoration activities conducted from 1997-2003. Title: Oregon Coast Coho Habitat Assessment 1998-2003 Report Number: OPSW-ODFW-2005-5 Abstract -- In November 2003, the State of Oregon began a comprehensive review of coho and their habitat in NOAA Fisheries’ Oregon Coastal Coho Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU). The purpose of the review is threefold: 1) provide an analysis of the current status and trend in coho populations, their habitat, and related threats; 2) provide NOAA Fisheries with information it requires to determine whether formalized conservation efforts within the ESU justify not listing coho under the Endangered Species Act as outlined in their Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts; and 3) provide information to state agencies, watershed councils, and others participating in the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds (OPSW) so they may assess the success of their OPSW programs and modify them where necessary to better achieve their objectives (i.e. adaptive management). This report describes the current status and trend of instream physical habitat for coho in the ESU as well as summarizes and evaluates instream habitat restoration activities conducted from 1997-2003. Close

• 25. [Article] AI - Oregon Coast Coho Assessment: Habitat

  Abstract -- In November 2003, the State of Oregon began a comprehensive review of coho and their habitat in NOAA Fisheries’ Oregon Coastal coho Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU). The purpose of the review ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: AI - Oregon Coast Coho Assessment: Habitat Abstract -- In November 2003, the State of Oregon began a comprehensive review of coho and their habitat in NOAA Fisheries’ Oregon Coastal coho Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU). The purpose of the review is threefold: 1) provide an analysis of the current status and trend in coho populations, their habitat, and related threats; 2) provide NOAA Fisheries with information it requires to determine whether formalized conservation efforts within the ESU justify not listing coho under the Endangered Species Act as outlined in their Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts; and 3) provide information to state agencies, watershed councils, and others participating in the Oregon Plan for and Watersheds (OPSW) so they may assess the success of their OPSW programs and modify them where necessary to better achieve their objectives (i.e. adaptive management). This report describes the current status and trend of instream physical habitat for coho in the ESU as well as summarizes and evaluates instream habitat restoration activities conducted from 1997-2003. Persistence of coho salmon populations in coastal drainages during periods of poor ocean conditions is dependent on the distribution and carrying capacity of freshwater habitat. Coho salmon are sensitive to the quality of habitat during each life stage and seasonal effects on survival are propagated through subsequent life stages (Nickelson et al. 1992). In this chapter, we use measures of habitat quality and quantity to determine overall carrying capacity of freshwater habitat at two juvenile coho life stages: 1) fry through summer parr; and 2) over-winter parr to smolt. From this information we identify life stages at which habitat may limit the coho smolt production capacity for the coho salmon populations considered independent by NOAA Fisheries Technical Recovery Team. Title: AI - Oregon Coast Coho Assessment: Habitat Abstract -- In November 2003, the State of Oregon began a comprehensive review of coho and their habitat in NOAA Fisheries’ Oregon Coastal coho Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU). The purpose of the review is threefold: 1) provide an analysis of the current status and trend in coho populations, their habitat, and related threats; 2) provide NOAA Fisheries with information it requires to determine whether formalized conservation efforts within the ESU justify not listing coho under the Endangered Species Act as outlined in their Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts; and 3) provide information to state agencies, watershed councils, and others participating in the Oregon Plan for and Watersheds (OPSW) so they may assess the success of their OPSW programs and modify them where necessary to better achieve their objectives (i.e. adaptive management). This report describes the current status and trend of instream physical habitat for coho in the ESU as well as summarizes and evaluates instream habitat restoration activities conducted from 1997-2003. Persistence of coho salmon populations in coastal drainages during periods of poor ocean conditions is dependent on the distribution and carrying capacity of freshwater habitat. Coho salmon are sensitive to the quality of habitat during each life stage and seasonal effects on survival are propagated through subsequent life stages (Nickelson et al. 1992). In this chapter, we use measures of habitat quality and quantity to determine overall carrying capacity of freshwater habitat at two juvenile coho life stages: 1) fry through summer parr; and 2) over-winter parr to smolt. From this information we identify life stages at which habitat may limit the coho smolt production capacity for the coho salmon populations considered independent by NOAA Fisheries Technical Recovery Team. Close

• 26. [Article] Evaluation of Large Wood Treatment on Habitats and Fish Populations of Green River and Crab Creek, Tributaries of Five Rivers in the Alsea Basin

  Abstract -- During October 2002, 465 tree-length Douglas Fir trees were placed in the lower portions of Green River, EF Green River and Crab Creek of the Alsea River Basin as part of an aquatic habitat ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Evaluation of Large Wood Treatment on Habitats and Fish Populations of Green River and Crab Creek, Tributaries of Five Rivers in the Alsea Basin Abstract -- During October 2002, 465 tree-length Douglas Fir trees were placed in the lower portions of Green River, EF Green River and Crab Creek of the Alsea River Basin as part of an aquatic habitat restoration project. This report describes the effects of this treatment on channel structure and Coho populations of the treated sections of these streams. The project encompassed seven years of pre- and post-treatment effectiveness monitoring that extended from 2001 to 2007. Title: Evaluation of Large Wood Treatment on Habitats and Fish Populations of Green River and Crab Creek, Tributaries of Five Rivers in the Alsea Basin Abstract -- During October 2002, 465 tree-length Douglas Fir trees were placed in the lower portions of Green River, EF Green River and Crab Creek of the Alsea River Basin as part of an aquatic habitat restoration project. This report describes the effects of this treatment on channel structure and Coho populations of the treated sections of these streams. The project encompassed seven years of pre- and post-treatment effectiveness monitoring that extended from 2001 to 2007. Close

• 27. [Article] Effectiveness Monitoring Report for the Western Oregon Stream Restoration Program, 1999-2008 Report Number: OPSW-ODFW-2010-6

  Abstract -- State and federal agencies have invested millions of dollars to restore streams and watersheds in the Pacific Northwest over the past two decades. In Oregon alone, over 500 million dollars ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Effectiveness Monitoring Report for the Western Oregon Stream Restoration Program, 1999-2008 Report Number: OPSW-ODFW-2010-6 Abstract -- State and federal agencies have invested millions of dollars to restore streams and watersheds in the Pacific Northwest over the past two decades. In Oregon alone, over 500 million dollars has been spent on completed projects from 1995 to 2007 (Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board 2009). Restoration practitioners have distributed the investment among watershed scale activities such as road repair, dam removal, and upland management, and stream scale activities such as passage, instream complexity, and riparian plantings. The Western Oregon Stream Restoration Program (WOSRP) was established to work in cooperation with private and corporate landowners to restore stream habitat for juvenile and adult salmonids. In addition to the WOSRP, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) funds restoration projects with local watershed councils, who commonly partner with state and federal agencies. Eight WOSRP restoration biologists in Tillamook, Newport, Charleston, Gold Beach, Roseburg, Clackamas, and Salem select sites and implement projects consistent with the criteria described in Thom et al (2001). A monitoring component is integrated in the program, with surveys coordinated and reported by a biologist in Corvallis. The goal of the monitoring program is to assess the long term effectiveness of instream restoration projects implemented by WOSRP, and to evaluate progress towards salmon conservation and recovery goals in Oregon’s coastal basins. The WOSRP restoration sites are distributed throughout the Willamette, Lower Columbia, and coastal drainage's. Restoration treatments added large wood and/or boulders, improved fish passage, planted trees in riparian areas, or were a combination of the three. Large wood was placed in complex jams at intervals throughout the stream to increase stream roughness and complexity. Boulders were sometimes used in conjunction with wood jams to provide stability to the structures, and prevent large wood from moving downstream and posing a hazard to culverts and bridges. Bedrock dominated streams were often treated with boulders to collect gravel and cobble, intended to aggrade the streambed. In the future, large wood may be added to these streams. Fish passage projects opened previously inaccessible habitat to juvenile and/or adult salmonids while riparian plantings and fencing were designed to improve riparian vegetation and bank structure. The project length varied from site to site. Fish passage sites were quite short, but provided access to kilometers of fish habitat, and large wood sites were up to several kilometers in length. Large wood and boulder placement projects have become commonplace in the Pacific Northwest to restore complex stream habitat for juvenile coho and other salmonids (Katz et al. 2007, Roni et al. 2008). Detailed assessments have been published for individual projects or experiments (e.g. Moore and Gregory, 1988, Nickelson et al. 1992, Cederholm et al.1997). More extensive evaluations have used a post treatment design (Hicks et al 1991, Roni and Quinn 2001), but none have used a pre- and post treatment design. In this paper we evaluate habitat changes at 103 restoration projects in western Oregon from pre-treatment to one year post treatment to 6 years following treatment. Projects commonly treated 0.5 – 1 km of stream, but some extended up to 6 km. The projects we evaluated in this paper were treated with large logs, usually arranged in jams, and were not cabled or driven into banks or bottom. As of 2008, the OWEB and WOSRP projects have treated approximately 750 km of stream with large wood (Figure 1), 120 km with boulders, and over 4,000 km of stream have been made accessible by replacing and/or removing culverts. Each year, OWEB receives 210 grant applications for restoration projects. These projects generally adhere to a similar selection process and design, so the results of this study can be expected to apply more broadly within the Pacific Northwest. Roni et al (2008), in a synthesis paper, summarized many of the potential physical benefits of restoration; these include pool depth and frequency, habitat complexity, woody debris, and sediment retention and quality of spawning gravel. Some projects in deeply incised channels have reduced the incision and increased bed elevation. Evaluations of biological responses have been confounded by natural variability of populations, duration of study, or length of stream examined. For example, determination of success based on spawning ground counts is problematic because of variation in ocean survival. However, longer duration and watershed scale studies have shown positive responses of juvenile and adult salmon (Johnson et al 2005). Burnett et al. (2008) conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles to examine the effects of large wood placement on salmonid abundance, growth, or survival, or on overall stream habitat complexity. Few publications were both relevant and met the rigorous standards outlined in their review. Although the review supported short term improvements in habitat complexity, the relationship to salmonid productivity was less definitive. Notable exceptions included Johnson et al. (2005) cited above, and Solazzi et al. (2000). An alternative approach to directly assessing biological response is to model potential changes in abundance or productivity. The Habitat Limiting Factors Model (Reeves et al. 1989, Nickelson et al.1992a, Nickelson 1998) was developed to quantify the carrying capacity of coastal streams for juvenile coho during the summer and winter. Use of this model is appropriate because most of the instream restoration projects in western Oregon were intended to improve habitat for juvenile coho. In this paper, we evaluated the physical response directly, and quantified the potential response of juvenile coho salmon by application of the Habitat Limiting Factors Model. Project effectiveness monitoring requires linking the restoration treatment to improved physical conditions for and biological response of salmon (Katz et al. 2007) and defining desired outcomes (Rumps et al. 2007). Because the WOSRP projects were designed to improve ecological and hydrologic stream function specifically for salmonids, we evaluated 1) retention of wood structures, 2) natural recruitment of additional wood, 3) increase in pool number, area, and depth, 4) retention of gravels and sorting of finer substrates, and 5) increase in channel complexity – secondary channels and off-channel habitats. Biological evaluation was based on estimates of the potential carrying capacity for juvenile coho during the overwinter life stage. The primary objectives of this evaluation are to test for these changes one year following treatment and 6 years following treatment. Secondarily, we evaluated the response of the projects by geographic location and position along the stream network. Previous WOSRP monitoring reports (e.g. Jacobsen and Jones 2003, Jacobsen et al. 2007) have focused on conditions one year following treatment, with relatively few sites assessed 2-3 years following restoration. Since 2003, the restoration projects have increased in complexity – more and larger pieces and jams, and treated more kilometers of stream length per site. The WOSRP program has provided a unique opportunity to evaluate the effects of restoration projects over longer times and broader geographic scales than previously feasible. We have been surveying the restoration sites in both summer and winter to monitor changes in stream habitat and evaluate the success of treatments, such as the placement of wood and/or boulders and fish passage. Surveys are logistically easier to manage in the summer, but surveys conducted during the winter provide a more timely and accurate assessment of over-winter rearing potential for juvenile coho. Because we have paired surveys, we are able to assess the added value of revisits across seasons. We test the hypothesis that habitat characteristics at the restoration sites do not change from summer to winter. The findings permit us to modify the survey program if the information is duplicative, and use the resources in another fashion. Title: Effectiveness Monitoring Report for the Western Oregon Stream Restoration Program, 1999-2008 Report Number: OPSW-ODFW-2010-6 Abstract -- State and federal agencies have invested millions of dollars to restore streams and watersheds in the Pacific Northwest over the past two decades. In Oregon alone, over 500 million dollars has been spent on completed projects from 1995 to 2007 (Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board 2009). Restoration practitioners have distributed the investment among watershed scale activities such as road repair, dam removal, and upland management, and stream scale activities such as passage, instream complexity, and riparian plantings. The Western Oregon Stream Restoration Program (WOSRP) was established to work in cooperation with private and corporate landowners to restore stream habitat for juvenile and adult salmonids. In addition to the WOSRP, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) funds restoration projects with local watershed councils, who commonly partner with state and federal agencies. Eight WOSRP restoration biologists in Tillamook, Newport, Charleston, Gold Beach, Roseburg, Clackamas, and Salem select sites and implement projects consistent with the criteria described in Thom et al (2001). A monitoring component is integrated in the program, with surveys coordinated and reported by a biologist in Corvallis. The goal of the monitoring program is to assess the long term effectiveness of instream restoration projects implemented by WOSRP, and to evaluate progress towards salmon conservation and recovery goals in Oregon’s coastal basins. The WOSRP restoration sites are distributed throughout the Willamette, Lower Columbia, and coastal drainage's. Restoration treatments added large wood and/or boulders, improved fish passage, planted trees in riparian areas, or were a combination of the three. Large wood was placed in complex jams at intervals throughout the stream to increase stream roughness and complexity. Boulders were sometimes used in conjunction with wood jams to provide stability to the structures, and prevent large wood from moving downstream and posing a hazard to culverts and bridges. Bedrock dominated streams were often treated with boulders to collect gravel and cobble, intended to aggrade the streambed. In the future, large wood may be added to these streams. Fish passage projects opened previously inaccessible habitat to juvenile and/or adult salmonids while riparian plantings and fencing were designed to improve riparian vegetation and bank structure. The project length varied from site to site. Fish passage sites were quite short, but provided access to kilometers of fish habitat, and large wood sites were up to several kilometers in length. Large wood and boulder placement projects have become commonplace in the Pacific Northwest to restore complex stream habitat for juvenile coho and other salmonids (Katz et al. 2007, Roni et al. 2008). Detailed assessments have been published for individual projects or experiments (e.g. Moore and Gregory, 1988, Nickelson et al. 1992, Cederholm et al.1997). More extensive evaluations have used a post treatment design (Hicks et al 1991, Roni and Quinn 2001), but none have used a pre- and post treatment design. In this paper we evaluate habitat changes at 103 restoration projects in western Oregon from pre-treatment to one year post treatment to 6 years following treatment. Projects commonly treated 0.5 – 1 km of stream, but some extended up to 6 km. The projects we evaluated in this paper were treated with large logs, usually arranged in jams, and were not cabled or driven into banks or bottom. As of 2008, the OWEB and WOSRP projects have treated approximately 750 km of stream with large wood (Figure 1), 120 km with boulders, and over 4,000 km of stream have been made accessible by replacing and/or removing culverts. Each year, OWEB receives 210 grant applications for restoration projects. These projects generally adhere to a similar selection process and design, so the results of this study can be expected to apply more broadly within the Pacific Northwest. Roni et al (2008), in a synthesis paper, summarized many of the potential physical benefits of restoration; these include pool depth and frequency, habitat complexity, woody debris, and sediment retention and quality of spawning gravel. Some projects in deeply incised channels have reduced the incision and increased bed elevation. Evaluations of biological responses have been confounded by natural variability of populations, duration of study, or length of stream examined. For example, determination of success based on spawning ground counts is problematic because of variation in ocean survival. However, longer duration and watershed scale studies have shown positive responses of juvenile and adult salmon (Johnson et al 2005). Burnett et al. (2008) conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles to examine the effects of large wood placement on salmonid abundance, growth, or survival, or on overall stream habitat complexity. Few publications were both relevant and met the rigorous standards outlined in their review. Although the review supported short term improvements in habitat complexity, the relationship to salmonid productivity was less definitive. Notable exceptions included Johnson et al. (2005) cited above, and Solazzi et al. (2000). An alternative approach to directly assessing biological response is to model potential changes in abundance or productivity. The Habitat Limiting Factors Model (Reeves et al. 1989, Nickelson et al.1992a, Nickelson 1998) was developed to quantify the carrying capacity of coastal streams for juvenile coho during the summer and winter. Use of this model is appropriate because most of the instream restoration projects in western Oregon were intended to improve habitat for juvenile coho. In this paper, we evaluated the physical response directly, and quantified the potential response of juvenile coho salmon by application of the Habitat Limiting Factors Model. Project effectiveness monitoring requires linking the restoration treatment to improved physical conditions for and biological response of salmon (Katz et al. 2007) and defining desired outcomes (Rumps et al. 2007). Because the WOSRP projects were designed to improve ecological and hydrologic stream function specifically for salmonids, we evaluated 1) retention of wood structures, 2) natural recruitment of additional wood, 3) increase in pool number, area, and depth, 4) retention of gravels and sorting of finer substrates, and 5) increase in channel complexity – secondary channels and off-channel habitats. Biological evaluation was based on estimates of the potential carrying capacity for juvenile coho during the overwinter life stage. The primary objectives of this evaluation are to test for these changes one year following treatment and 6 years following treatment. Secondarily, we evaluated the response of the projects by geographic location and position along the stream network. Previous WOSRP monitoring reports (e.g. Jacobsen and Jones 2003, Jacobsen et al. 2007) have focused on conditions one year following treatment, with relatively few sites assessed 2-3 years following restoration. Since 2003, the restoration projects have increased in complexity – more and larger pieces and jams, and treated more kilometers of stream length per site. The WOSRP program has provided a unique opportunity to evaluate the effects of restoration projects over longer times and broader geographic scales than previously feasible. We have been surveying the restoration sites in both summer and winter to monitor changes in stream habitat and evaluate the success of treatments, such as the placement of wood and/or boulders and fish passage. Surveys are logistically easier to manage in the summer, but surveys conducted during the winter provide a more timely and accurate assessment of over-winter rearing potential for juvenile coho. Because we have paired surveys, we are able to assess the added value of revisits across seasons. We test the hypothesis that habitat characteristics at the restoration sites do not change from summer to winter. The findings permit us to modify the survey program if the information is duplicative, and use the resources in another fashion. Close

• 28. [Article] Investigations Into The Life History Of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead In The Grande Ronde River Subbasin - BPA Annual Report 2012

  Abstract -- The goal of this project is to investigate the critical habitat, abundance, migration patterns, survival, and alternate life history strategies exhibited by spring Chinook salmon and summer ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Investigations Into The Life History Of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead In The Grande Ronde River Subbasin - BPA Annual Report 2012 Abstract -- The goal of this project is to investigate the critical habitat, abundance, migration patterns, survival, and alternate life history strategies exhibited by spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead juveniles from distinct populations in the Grande Ronde River and Imnaha River subbasins. This project will provide information on abundance of spring Chinook salmon and steelhead parr and estimates for egg-to-migrant survival for spring Chinook salmon and migrant survival for steelhead, and assess stream conditions in selected study streams. This study provides a means for long term monitoring of juvenile salmonid production in the Grande Ronde and Imnaha River subbasins that is essential for assessing the success of restoration and enhancement efforts including hatchery supplementation and habitat improvement. As hatchery supplementation of spring Chinook salmon continues in the Grande Ronde Subbasin, we will monitor abundance of migrants, life history characteristics, and survival to various life stages to provide data to the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan - Oregon Evaluation project to determine the effectiveness of this management action. ODFW, Eastern Oregon Fish Research (EOFR) Title: Investigations Into The Life History Of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead In The Grande Ronde River Subbasin - BPA Annual Report 2012 Abstract -- The goal of this project is to investigate the critical habitat, abundance, migration patterns, survival, and alternate life history strategies exhibited by spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead juveniles from distinct populations in the Grande Ronde River and Imnaha River subbasins. This project will provide information on abundance of spring Chinook salmon and steelhead parr and estimates for egg-to-migrant survival for spring Chinook salmon and migrant survival for steelhead, and assess stream conditions in selected study streams. This study provides a means for long term monitoring of juvenile salmonid production in the Grande Ronde and Imnaha River subbasins that is essential for assessing the success of restoration and enhancement efforts including hatchery supplementation and habitat improvement. As hatchery supplementation of spring Chinook salmon continues in the Grande Ronde Subbasin, we will monitor abundance of migrants, life history characteristics, and survival to various life stages to provide data to the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan - Oregon Evaluation project to determine the effectiveness of this management action. ODFW, Eastern Oregon Fish Research (EOFR) Close

• 29. [Article] Investigations Into The Life History Of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead In The Grande Ronde River Subbasin - BPA Annual Report 2013

  Abstract -- The goal of this project is to investigate the critical habitat, abundance, migration patterns, survival, and alternate life history strategies exhibited by spring Chinook salmon and summer ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Investigations Into The Life History Of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead In The Grande Ronde River Subbasin - BPA Annual Report 2013 Abstract -- The goal of this project is to investigate the critical habitat, abundance, migration patterns, survival, and alternate life history strategies exhibited by spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead juveniles from distinct populations in the Grande Ronde River and Imnaha River subbasins. This project will provide information on abundance of spring Chinook salmon and steelhead parr and estimates for egg-to-migrant survival for spring Chinook salmon and migrant survival for steelhead, and assess stream conditions in selected study streams. This study provides a means for long term monitoring of juvenile salmonid production in the Grande Ronde and Imnaha River subbasins that is essential for assessing the success of restoration and enhancement efforts including hatchery supplementation and habitat improvement. As hatchery supplementation of spring Chinook salmon continues in the Grande Ronde Subbasin, we will monitor abundance of migrants, life history characteristics, and survival to various life stages to provide data to the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan - Oregon Evaluation project to determine the effectiveness of this management action. ODFW, Eastern Oregon Fish Research (EOFR) Title: Investigations Into The Life History Of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead In The Grande Ronde River Subbasin - BPA Annual Report 2013 Abstract -- The goal of this project is to investigate the critical habitat, abundance, migration patterns, survival, and alternate life history strategies exhibited by spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead juveniles from distinct populations in the Grande Ronde River and Imnaha River subbasins. This project will provide information on abundance of spring Chinook salmon and steelhead parr and estimates for egg-to-migrant survival for spring Chinook salmon and migrant survival for steelhead, and assess stream conditions in selected study streams. This study provides a means for long term monitoring of juvenile salmonid production in the Grande Ronde and Imnaha River subbasins that is essential for assessing the success of restoration and enhancement efforts including hatchery supplementation and habitat improvement. As hatchery supplementation of spring Chinook salmon continues in the Grande Ronde Subbasin, we will monitor abundance of migrants, life history characteristics, and survival to various life stages to provide data to the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan - Oregon Evaluation project to determine the effectiveness of this management action. ODFW, Eastern Oregon Fish Research (EOFR) Close

• 30. [Article] Investigations Into The Life History Of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead In The Grande Ronde River Subbasin - BPA Annual Report 2014

  Abstract -- The goal of this project is to investigate the critical habitat, abundance, migration patterns, survival, and alternate life history strategies exhibited by spring Chinook salmon and summer ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Investigations Into The Life History Of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead In The Grande Ronde River Subbasin - BPA Annual Report 2014 Abstract -- The goal of this project is to investigate the critical habitat, abundance, migration patterns, survival, and alternate life history strategies exhibited by spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead juveniles from distinct populations in the Grande Ronde River and Imnaha River subbasins. This project will provide information on abundance of spring Chinook salmon and steelhead parr and estimates for egg-to-migrant survival for spring Chinook salmon and migrant survival for steelhead, and assess stream conditions in selected study streams. This study provides a means for long term monitoring of juvenile salmonid production in the Grande Ronde and Imnaha River subbasins that is essential for assessing the success of restoration and enhancement efforts including hatchery supplementation and habitat improvement. As hatchery supplementation of spring Chinook salmon continues in the Grande Ronde Subbasin, we will monitor abundance of migrants, life history characteristics, and survival to various life stages to provide data to the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan - Oregon Evaluation project to determine the effectiveness of this management action. ODFW, Eastern Oregon Fish Research (EOFR) Title: Investigations Into The Life History Of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead In The Grande Ronde River Subbasin - BPA Annual Report 2014 Abstract -- The goal of this project is to investigate the critical habitat, abundance, migration patterns, survival, and alternate life history strategies exhibited by spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead juveniles from distinct populations in the Grande Ronde River and Imnaha River subbasins. This project will provide information on abundance of spring Chinook salmon and steelhead parr and estimates for egg-to-migrant survival for spring Chinook salmon and migrant survival for steelhead, and assess stream conditions in selected study streams. This study provides a means for long term monitoring of juvenile salmonid production in the Grande Ronde and Imnaha River subbasins that is essential for assessing the success of restoration and enhancement efforts including hatchery supplementation and habitat improvement. As hatchery supplementation of spring Chinook salmon continues in the Grande Ronde Subbasin, we will monitor abundance of migrants, life history characteristics, and survival to various life stages to provide data to the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan - Oregon Evaluation project to determine the effectiveness of this management action. ODFW, Eastern Oregon Fish Research (EOFR) Close