352 



cyde, and assuming optimal conditions for a compreliensive salmon recovery planning 

 effort, tile costs of a John Day Pool drawdown would be in the hundreds-of-thousands-of- 

 doliars per fish range. By comparison, this drawdown cost per fish would exceed the 

 costs of moderate smolt transportation improvements by about a factor of 100 or greater. 

 Also, the pool drawdown option would be substantially less cost-effective than other 

 measures examined within the analysis, such as in-river harvest restrictions. 



TTje existing biological and economic analyses do not support a priority status, or 

 action at this time, for a John Day Pool drawdown within a salmon recovery plan or 

 broad Columbia Basin mitigation effort 



The above analyses sti-ongly indicate that a John Day Pool drawdown alternative is 

 neitiier a biologically effective nor cost-effective measure when compared to other key 

 measures, within a comprehensive recovery plan or broad-based, Columbia Basin 

 mitigation strategy. The drawdown measure's poor cost-effectiveness ranking-reflecting 

 low fish benefits relative to economic costs-further indicates that other recovery measures 

 should definitely receive priority for implementation within a recovery plan. Simply stated, 

 placing any priority on implementing a John Day Pool drawdown, at tinis time, is ill- 

 founded and inconsistent witii the objective to pursue expedientiy meaningful salmon 

 recovery actions. 



During the next few months, the ETC will be reviewing the cost-effectiveness of a John 

 Day Drawdown in further detail. This in-deptii technical review will provide an opportunity 

 to verify the modelling assumptions and initial findings discussed above. 



References and Sources Cited 



Anderson, J. 1993a. Personal Communication, Review of CRiSP Model Assumptions and 

 Analyses for John Day Pool Drawdown Operations, Center for Quantitative 

 Sciences-School of Rsheries, University of Washington. July 20, 1993. 



Anderson. J. 1993b. "Report to tiie Snake River Salmon Recovery Team on an Analysis 

 of Spring and Fall Chinook Sunflvals Using the CRiSP Mainstem Passage Model." 

 School of Rsheries, University of Washington (July 13, 1993). 



Economic Branch Staff. North Pacific Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 1992. 

 Personal Communication, Review of John Day Drawdown Operation Economic 

 Costs. NPD. Portland (May-August 1992). 



Olsen, D.. and L Peters. 1991. "Fundamental Guidelines for an Economic Impact 

 Assessment Under the Endangered Species Act" Northwest Irrigation 

 Utilities/Public Power Council. Portiand, Oregon (October). Report Prepared for 



