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TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM 

 DATE: February 25, 1993 



TO: 



FROM: 



Subject 



Rollie Schmitten, NMFS Seattle 

 Gary Smith, NMFS Seattle 

 ESA Administrative Record 



Darryll Olsen, Ph.D. 



Regional Planner/Resource Economist 



Northwest Irrigation Utilities 



Don Weitkamp, Ph.D. 

 Fisheries Biologist 

 Parametrix, Inc. 



Comments on die CBFWA Review of Transportation Studies 

 Memorandum/Report, December 31, 1993, and Related Issues 



General Overview Comments: 



Presenting Technical Issues for Open Review: 



CBFWA biologists and analysts should be praised for formally presenting their technical 

 concerns toward the smolt transportation studies and program. By doing so, the 

 technical merits of their assertions are available for general review and comment 

 Previously, no fonnal report existed that concisely stated the CBFWA members' 

 objections to the smolt transportation studies and program. 



CBFWA Review/ Does Not Discredit Transportation Program: 



The smolt ti-ansportation review study released by CBFWA does not support the 

 conclusion that wild Idaho salmon stocks have suffered under the Corps of Engineers' 

 barge transportation program. The CBFWA review study is described by its authors, "the 

 Review GroMp," as a "cursory review of the data" The Review Group-which did not 

 include key NMFS scientists-raised several questions about the analysis underlying the 

 salmon ti^nsport benefit ratios, but noted tiiat "the Review Group did not have the time 

 to conduct any independent statistical tests." As such, while the review stijdy may 

 consider pertinent research questions, its value toward providing "hard facts" for salmon 

 recovery planning is extremely limited, at best 



