Yakima Klickitat Fisheries Project

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1 Yakima Klickitat Fisheries Project Michael Porter Fisheries Biologist Avian and Fish Predation studies Yakima River Basin Identification of Smolt Survival within the Yakima River Survival may be linked to river structures and predation

2 Yakima River Smolt out-migration losses to McNary Dam may reach up to 70% Much of this loss in within the Yakima River Basin Roza Reach Wapato Reach Wanawish Dam Yakima Delta

3 Roza Reach Reach - Roza Dam to confluence Naches River Reach Distance Km Dam pulls water for Irrigation & Power The Reach commonly experiences low water flow during smolt out-migration Provides predation opportunities for wading birds (Great Blue Heron) May decrease smolt travel time which in turn may affect lower river survival Roza Dam Naches River

4 Selah Heronry Located along the Roza Reach Surveyed for PIT tags Produced over 3000 PIT tags to date During drought years flows in the Roza Reach drop below ideal flow regime for smolt out-migration The System Operation Advisory Commission (Basin Biologists) suggests that smolt migration flows should be at least 1000 CFS over a period of three days

5 CFS in Roza Reach during low flows of 2005 and high flows of 2007 Selah Heronry PIT tags numbers much higher for the low flow year

6 Great Blue Heron Useful in pointing out areas of smolt vulnerability to predation Roza Reach flows Toppenish Creek Heronry Cle Elum passage issue with late migration timing in Coho PIT tag numbers have led to the investigation of close proximity Irrigation Diversion Canals and Fish Screening Facilities Wapato Wildlife Heronry Produced a high number of PIT tags 4097 Large percentage of 2009 reintroduced Summer Chinook Located below both Parker and Sunnyside Dams

7 Bureau of Reclamation Irrigation Dams and Diversions Surveyed for PIT tags at the fish screening facilities Timing of surveys coincided with BOR annual maintenance High mortalities for the 2009 Summer Chinook reintroduction 176,000 Juveniles were released of these 30,000 were PIT tagged 5%tags accounted for as mortalities in Heron Rookeries and Diversions within a year ~1600 Summer Chinook tags found Signifies ~10,000 fish- showing significant initial mortality rates in the Yakima Basin

8 Wapato Fish Screening Facility High PIT tag numbers Fish bypass pipes were remotely probed by underwater cameras Two of the fish bypass pipes were completely inoperable and one operating less than 15% ~90% smolt mortality in the fish screening facility Smolt mortality expanded by high entrainment into the canal during low river flow Maintenance issue with facility thought to have been ongoing since 1994 with turnover of employees (check boards to regulate flow)

9 Fish Predator Wapato Reach Northern Pike Minnow CPUE at spawning times average up to 5 fish per minute in side channels Sub basin Drain showed extremely high numbers of NPM Toppenish Sewage Plant waste water

10 WAPATO REACH Northern Pike Minnow are the primary fish predator The graph below depicts total numbers surveyed and Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) CPUE is given in fish catch per minute

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12 Wanawish Dam Brown Bullhead Complete Survey Numbers LOCATION Date SPECIES NUMBERS ELECTRODE3MINUTES CPUE DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 9/8/2011 BRCT DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY Bird 11/9/2011 Predation BRCT by 1the DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY American 11/17/2011 White BRCT Pelican DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 11/30/2011 BRCT DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 8/30/2012 BRCT DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 9/6/2012 BRCT DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 9/13/2012 BRCT DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 10/11/2012 BRCT DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 11/14/2012 BRCT DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 11/15/2012 BRCT DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 12/10/2012 BRCT Channel Catfish Complete Survey Numbers LOCATION Date SPECIES NUMBERS ELECTRODE3MINUTES CPUE DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 5/4/2011 CHCT DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 5/12/2011 CHCT DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 7/11/2011 CHCT DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 9/8/2011 CHCT DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 5/17/2012 CHCT DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 6/21/2012 CHCT

13 Example: On Badger Island in PIT tags were surveyed YN fish Badger Island ~ 30 Miles from Horn Rapids (Wanawish Dam) ~ 40 Miles from Prosser (Chandler Juvenile Screening Facility) Hazing ineffective without lethal take Listed as endangered by Washington State Management of AWPE may be necessary in the future 1n areas of smolt vulnerability

14 Wanawish Dam Fish Ladder Smallmouth bass migrate up the Yakima River from the Columbia River during the spring Spawn in the Yakima because of the warmer temperatures and habitat Smallmouth bass may use the fish ladder at the dam to migrate further upriver Salmon may be able to pass over the low dam without using the fish ladder If Smallmouth are using the ladder and salmon are not - block the ladder- Underwater cameras will be placed in the ladder to view fish utilization Predator spawning habitat could be reduced along with predation opportunity

15 Lower Yakima River Fish Predators The Lower Yakima River contains abundant numbers of piscivorous fish The primary predator in this reach is Smallmouth Bass Spring brings large numbers of Smallmouth Bass into this section of the river during smolt out-migration smolts then provide the spawning bass with an abundant food source Northern Pikeminnow are frequently found in this reach as juveniles

16 Fish Surveys and Management in the Lower Yakima River and the Yakima Delta Primary Survey & Management Locations : Wanawish Dam to Delta Delta West of Bateman Island Causeway Delta East of Bateman Island Causeway

17 SMALLMOUTH BASS Micropterus dolomieu By 1925, 5000, Smallmouth Bass had been introduced to the Yakima River and had established resident populations. The Yakima River serves as a spawning nursery for Smallmouth Bass

18 CHANNEL CATFISH Ictaluras Punctatus Introduced into Washington State in 1892 (Lampman 1946) Channel Catfish naturally produce in only the Columbia, Snake, Walla Walla, and Yakima Rivers.

19 BROWN BULLHEAD Ameiurus Nebuloso Introduced into Washington State in (Lampman 1946) Brown Bullheads inhabit warm-water ponds, lakes, sloughs, and Sluggish areas in streams. (Yakima Delta)

20 LARGEMOUTH BASS Micropterus Salmoides Widely introduced into Washington by 1895 the Largemouth Bass has established large populations in much of the Columbia River is frequently present in the Delta of the Yakima River

21 Yakima Delta Bateman Island Causeway Blocks Yakima River Flow on south side of Island Creates an unnatural River Delta which limits flow and creates stagnant water Stagnant pool of water west of causeway raises water temperatures creating habitat for non-native warm water fish species (piscivores) Creates a thermal barrier for adult salmon migrating to the Yakima Basin by mixing with flowing river water Disrupts spawning timing for adult summer migrants and causes salmon to hold at the mouth of the Yakima River until temperature drops (Sockeye and Summer Chinook)

22 West of Causeway Below Bateman Island Displayed Greatest Utilization of Non-native fish species and piscivorous fish Abundant Numbers of: Smallmouth Bass Largemouth Bass Brown Bullhead

23 Juvenile Small Mouth Bass West of Causeway Totals and Catch per Unit effort

24 Early Fall Fish Totals: Yakima Delta West of the Causeway

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26 West of the Causeway Largemouth Bass Numbers LOCATION Date SPECIES NUMBERS ELECTRODE3MINUTES CPUE DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 7/11/2011 LMB DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 9/8/2011 LMB DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 11/9/2011 LMB DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 11/17/2011 LMB DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 4/5/2012 LMB DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 9/13/2012 LMB DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 10/10/2012 LMB DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 10/11/2012 LMB DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 10/17/2012 LMB DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 11/14/2012 LMB DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 11/15/2012 LMB DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 3/4/2013 LMB DELTA&FRONT&OF&CAUSEWAY 3/21/2013 LMB

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28 Conclusions Avian predation can be a link to problems with dams and smolt passage. Slight changes to management strategies of facilities may improve smolt survival (flow over Roza Dam, Fish Bypass properly maintained) Fish screening of drains or irrigation returns along the river may improve smolt survival by reducing predators (Northern PikeMinnow) American White Pelican endangered listing should be challenge or worked around when smolt survival is an issue Existing dams or structures may provide opportunity to limit predator movement (Wanawish and Smallmouth bass) Changes to the river delta may limit non-native fish predators and increase survival of adult migration by altering delta temperatures (eliminate Bateman Island Causeway)