Council action could result in a decision to enter rulemaking on a proposed fish and wildlife 

 program amendment, which would involve another period of hearings in each state and public 

 comment. 



For further information or copies of reports mentioned in the issue paper, contact Judy Allender, 

 Northwest Power Planning Council, 851 S.W. 6th, Suite 1 100, Portland, Oregon 97204, 503-222-5161 ;' 

 1-800-452-2324 (Oregon toll-free number); or 1-800-222-3355 (regional toll-free number). 



BACKGROUND 



Research, monitoring, and evaluation are all closely related activities aimed at increasing our 

 understanding of the biology of salmon and steelhead. Ideally, research tests specific hypotheses that 

 could explain a set of observations. Monitoring is the routine collection of information for the purpose 

 of following the progress of actions or detecting changes from "normal" conditions. Evaluation is the 

 use of monitoring or research information in an effort to determine the effectiveness of particular 

 actions. These distinctions are not always clear in practice. The planning and collection of information 

 for research, monitoring and evaluation frequently overlap. 



Research 



Research is a major component of fisheries activities in the Columbia River Basin. Salmon and 

 steelhead research encompasses a wide diversity of subjects, reflecting the complexity of salmon and 

 steelhead life cycles and their environment. Research subjects include habitat requirements, artificial 

 production methods, supplementation (introduction of artificially-produced fish to augment natural 

 production), disease, physiology, migration, passage at dams and through reservoirs, stock 

 Identification, population dynamics, harvest management and genetics. This information is needed to 

 refine and implement the fish and wildlife program, and to manage the salmon and steelhead resource. 



About $12 to $16 million per year is spent on research in the Columbia River Basin. Bonneville 

 funds about half of this effort, or $7 to $8 million per year, under the fish and wildlife program 

 Bonneville expenditures for research have ranged from about one-quarter to one-third of Bonneville's 

 annual fish and wildlife program expenditures. Bonneville's total program expenditures could increase 

 to about $50 million per year in the 1990's, with about $13 to $16 million potentially available for 

 research. Figures for program expenditures in the 1990's are for planning purposes only, and could 

 change as new information becomes available. 



In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spends about $2 million per year on salmon and 

 steelhead research in the basin. Three mid-Columbia Public Utility Districts, the National Marine 

 Fisheries Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other sources contribute up to $6 million per 

 year. "^ ^ 



Related to this in-basin research are extensive salmon and steelhead research programs outside 

 the Columbia River Basin. The largest of these are programs conducted by the Canada Department of 

 Fisheries and Oceans, University of British Columbia, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game 

 Extensive out-of-basin research is conducted on hatchery effectiveness, disease, supplementation, 

 genetics, and harvest management. 



