14 



grounds (Evermann 1896) were from river mile 328 (near Huntington, 

 Idaho) to river mile 607 (near Auger Falls, Idaho). 



Fall Chinook were prevented from migrating above river mile 456 in 1901 

 because of the construction of Swan Falls Dam (Parlchurst 1950). An 

 average of about 72,000 fall chinoolc annually returned to the Snake 

 River between 1928 and 1949 (Irving and BJornn 1981). Annual abundance 

 of Snake River fall Chinook subsequently declined to an average of about 

 29,000 fish during the 1950s (Irving and Bjornn 1981), but none the 

 less, the Snake River remained the most important production area for 

 fall Chinook in the Columbia River basin (Fulton 1968). The 

 construction of Brounlee Dam at river mile 285 in 1958, Oxbow Dam at 

 river mile 273 in 1961, and Hells Canyon Dam at river mile 247 in 1967 

 blocked upstream passage of Snake River fall chinook and thus prevented 

 the stock from reaching what had before been the major spawning and 

 rearing areas (Van Hyning 1968). 



Snake River fall chinook spawning and rearing habitat was further 

 reduced during the 1960s and 1970s by the construction of four dame in 

 the lower portion of the river even though these dams provided upstream 

 passage devices. The four dams were: (1) Ice Harbor Dam at river mile 

 10 in 1961; (2) Lower Monumental Dam at river mile 42 in 1969; (3) 

 Little Goose Dam at river mile 70 in 1970; and, (4) Lower Granite Dam at 

 river mile 108 in 1975. As a result of the extensive hydrodevelopment 

 of the Snake River, the freshwater spawning and rearing habitat 

 available to Snake River fall chinook has been reduced to a small 

 fraction of what was available historically. 



The remnant population of Snake River fall chinook remaining today is 

 believed to spawn in the 100 miles of the Snake River between Hells 

 Canyon Dam (river mile 247) and the pool above Lower Granite Dam (river 

 mile 108; pool is 39 miles in length); although deep water spawning in 

 the tailraces of the four lower river dams is believed to occur. Counts 

 of fall Chinook at Lower Granite Dam since 1975 (ODFW £ WDF 1991 & 1992) 

 when it was constructed have ranged from 780 in 1980 (450 adults and 330 

 jacks) to 2,585 in 1986 (784 adults and 1,801 jacks). Reproductive 

 potential of the population as measured by adults passing Lower Granite 

 Dam decreased from a level of 1,000 in 1975 to 335 adults in 1990. 



On June 7, 1990, NMFS received an Endangered Species Act petition to add 

 Snake River fall chinook salmon to the list of threatened and endangered 

 species from Oregon Trout, with co-petitioners Oregon Natural Resources 

 Council, the Northwest Environmental Defense Center, American Rivers, 

 and the Idaho and Oregon Chapters of the American Fisheries Society. 

 NMFS published a notice on September 11, 1990, announcing that the 

 petition presented substantial scientific information indicating that 

 the listing may be warranted and a status review of fall chinook was 

 initiated. In June 1991, NMFS published a status review for Snake River 

 fall Chinook salmon (Waples et al. 1991) and a proposed rule to add 

 Snake River fall chinook to the endangered species list with the status 

 being listed as threatened (June 27, 1991; 56 FR 29547). The following 

 spring, NMFS announced its final decision to list Snake River fall 

 Chinook as threatened on the endangered species list (Vol. 57, No. 78, 

 April 22, 1992). On August 18, 1994, NMFS took emergency action to 

 reclassify Snake River fall chinook from threatened to endangered 

 status. This emergency rule expires on April 15, 1995. On December 28, 

 1994, NMFS announced intent to permanently reclassify Snake River fall 

 Chinook as endangered (59 FR 66784) and requested comments. This 

 document was prepared to provide NMFS with comments from the State of 

 Alaska on the permanent reclassification of Snake River fall chinook 

 from threatened to endangered status. 



WHAT IS MEANT BY THREATEVED AND ENDANGERED? 



The Endangered Species Act defines the terms endangered species and 

 threatened species as follows. 



The term 'endangered speciea" meArts a.ny species which is in danger 

 of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range 

 other than a species of the Class Insecta determined by the 

 Secretary to constitute a peat whose protection under the 



