417 



United Slates Deparmieiu of tlie Interior tJmxx', 



FISH A.ND WlLDUFt SERVICE 



Columbia River Coordinator 



9317 Highway 99, Suite A 

 Vancouver, Washington 98665 



MEMORANDUM 



December 31, 1992 



TO: John R. Donaldson Ph.D. 



Exicutive Direaor, CBFWA 



FROM: Chairperson, Ad Hoc Transporution Review Group 



SUBJECT: Review of Transportation Studies 



This memo responds to the request by the CBFWA Liaison Group for a technical review 

 of the results of transportation suidies conduaed in the Columbia River basin since the 

 early 1980's. This is pan of an evaluation of transportation by the CBFWA which was 

 prompted by a request from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to review 

 ongoing studies and to reconsider the current CBFWA policies concerning juvenile fish 

 transportatioa 



An Ad Hoc Transportation Review Group (Review Group) was appointed by the Liaison 

 Group to condua the technical review of the studies. The Review Group included Bob 

 Heinith (Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission), Rod Woodin (Washington 

 Department of Fisheries), Craig Tuss (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Dr. Charlie 

 Petrosky (Idaho Department of Fish and Game), and Dr. Margaret Filardo (Fish 

 Passage Center). Fred Obiey (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) served as chairperson and 

 Liaison Group member of the Review Group. 



The transportation studies of spring/summer chinook salmon at Lower Granite Dam in 

 1986 and 1989, spring chinook salmon at Priest Rapids Dam from 1984-86 and at 

 McNary Dam in 1987 and 1988, sockeye salmon at Priest Rapids Dam from 1984-88, fall 

 Chinook salmon at McNary Dam for 1986-88, and steelhead at Lower Granite Dam for 

 1986 and 1989 were examined by the Review Group. The most up-to-date recovery 

 information for the studies at McNary and Lower Granite dams were obtained from 

 NTvIFS. The Review Group relied on published annual reports by NMFS and Grant 

 Counry PLT) for data from the studies at Priest Rapids Dam. 



A large volume of data was examined. As a result, the Review Group could only 

 conduct a cursory review of the data. Nevertheless, the Review Group identified several 

 important findings and many questions about the studies. One of the major limitations 



