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Region One 

 490 N. Meridian 

 Kalispell, MT . 59901 

 November 13, 1980 



Fred Robinson 



DNRC 



32 South Ewing 



Helena, MT 59620 



Dear Fred, 



I prepared this letter to document the results of our monitoring 

 of white sturgeon distribution in the Kootenai River downstream from Kootenai 

 Fails. 



Four Department employees (Scott Rumsey, Steve Leathe, Paul Leonard, 

 and myself) completed six dives totaling 2 hours, 5 minutes and 36 seconds in 

 dive time. These dives occurred on August 2 and 3, 1980. The first dive was 

 initiated in the hole just upstream from the proposed outlet structure for the 

 Kootenai Falls Hydroelectric Project. Dives were made in a general downstream 

 direction. The final dive was made in the straight section of Canyon downstream 

 from the cobble bar near the Antlers Cafe. The dive ended just downstream from 

 the "S" curve in the canyon. Less than a mile of the canyon was censused. 

 Visibility was approximately 10 to 20 feet. Because of the nature of the escarp- 

 ments in the canyon, the entire canyon bottom area on any one transect line could 

 not be censused while moving downstream. 



Only one sturgeon was observed at approximately 150 feet downstream from 

 the location of the proposed outlet structure. It was in 30 to 35 feet of water. 

 The sturgeon was observed several times by both divers. This is the furthest upstream 

 we have observed sturgeon. It is also the first time we have looked this far 

 upstream. It would be very difficult to net in this part of the river because it is 

 narrow, deep and has relatively fast currents. 



I also wanted to inform you that we have evidence of interstate movement 

 of white sturgeon. Two of the sturgeon which I tagged in the fall of 197S, below 

 Kootenai Falls, were captured bv a fisherman near Bonners Ferry, Idaho in the spring 

 of 1980. Also of interest, the fish were both captured in our nets on the same day 

 in October, 1978. Thev were also caught by the same fisherman in the same location 

 near 2onners Ferry, Idaho. 



If you need further clarification of any information please let me know. 



Since re lv „ 



Project Leader 

 Flathead Basin Studv 



PJC:ns 



