90 



1994), The fish had 4 meters of depth available to them for compensation, yet 85% of them died from 

 OBT (Dawlcy, NMFS - personal communication) 



In 1994, NMFS convened two panels of experts in the fields of DOS and GBT for the purpose of 

 adwsing NMFS on the effects of DOS on Columbia and Snake River Salmonids. However, the panels 

 were never provided an opportunity to examine and comment on the dissolved gas sections of the 

 1 995 fiiologiuil Oplntoti or Spill and 1995 Risk Management. Had this occurred, many of the flaws 

 in these documents could have been avoided and a more scientifically defensible spill policy developed 

 As it stands, the NMFS spill policy has very little scientific basis and certainly no comparative 

 quantitative analysis of the various fish passage mechanisms Without validation, the spill policy is, at 

 best, a guess and, at worst, scientifically irresponsible. 



2. What independent scientific research is being conducted to monitor the efTecti oriplll And 

 Its Alternatives in the Columbia River system? 



By independent, I am assuming this implies research conducted by universities or persons not 

 associated with state, tribal, or federal agencies. At present, I know of only the work being conducted 

 at the University of Washington by Dr. Jim Anderson on the development of the CRiSP computer 

 model for salmon survival. Jn addition, research is being conducted by the Chelan County Public 

 Utility District on the suiVival offish through Kaplan turbines at their Rocky Reach hydroelectric 

 facility There has been one investigation by a scini-governmenlal agency on the effects of high 

 hydrostatic pressure associated with the smoli bypass systems on the reduction or elimination of GBT 

 signs in fish collected for biological monitoring. The^o experiments, which were conducted at Battelle 

 Pacific Northwest Laboratories, demonstrated that the signs of GBT can be reduced or eliminated in 

 five minutes or less of exposure to high hydrostatic pressure These results Indicate that the 

 examination offish collected fVom the smolt bypass systeins for sdgns of GBT can under-estimate the 

 extent of GBT in fish in the upstream reservoirs (Montgomery Watson 1995). 1 am not aware of any 

 other independent research which is directly related to the monitoring of spill and its alternatives in the 

 Columbia River System. 



3. Are there risks to migrating imolts and returning Adults associated with high levels of 

 dissolved nitrogen resulting from spill? 



The experience of the I960's and 1970'8 involving both juvenile and adult salmonids clearly show that 

 there are high risks of mortality to fish in the Columbia and Snake Rivers exposed to elevated 

 dissolved gas levels (Weitkamp and Kaiz 1980). Chinook salmon and steelhcad trout gmolts held in 

 cages up to 4 5 meters deep experience 58% mortality in 7 days at TGP levels of 127% (Ebel 1971). 

 Fish held in 4 meter deep cages below Ice Harbor Dam in 1 995 experienced significant levels of 

 mortality in 4 days or less at TGP levels of 128% (Earl Dawley, NMFS - personal communication). 

 Data from laboratory and field studies indicated that exposure to TOP levels of 1 1 5% at water depths 

 of one meter or less can lead to 20% monality in times of 100 hours (Jensen et al. 1986, Fidler 1988) 

 At TGP levels of 120%, time to 20% mortality can be as low as 50 hours (Jensen elal. 1986, Fidler 

 1988). 



